These Protocols describe the roles and responsibilities of
OAIA’s Officers and Committees and how the organization
functions. They are complementary but subsidiary to its bylaws.
Protocol 1: Principles
The OAIA is guided by certain principles, including:
The OAIA is an organization of practitioners and scholars in the
field of impact assessment. Its Mission is to promote, among all
stakeholders, innovation and best practice in impact assessment;
The OAIA seeks to carry out its work in a business-like fashion
and in a manner that is transparent and accountable to members;
The OAIA will inevitably reflect, for better or worse, how
practitioners and scholars in our field network with one
another, as well as their efforts in turning our organization
into the professional body they want it to become. It is in this
spirit that both Directors and Members are urged to develop
active roles for themselves in furthering OAIA’s Mission.
Protocol 2: Board
Decision-making by the OAIA is guided by a Strategic Directions
Plan, while the actual work of the organization is carried out
by a Board of Directors, an Executive and by members acting
through Standing Committees.
A 12 member Board of Directors conducts the business of the OAIA.
One position on the Board is reserved for a student studying in
Ontario. All Board members are Directors of the Board, are
elected for two-year terms and may stand for re-election. A
Secretary, a Treasurer and a Director of Communications are
appointed by the Board from amongst its members and may, at the
pleasure of the Board, serve indefinitely (assuming re-election)
in this capacity. The Board meets monthly. A quorum (needed for
the purpose of adopting formal motions) is 7 Board members. The
Board includes six officers who act as its Executive and have
these specific responsibilities:
President
Chairs and sets the agenda for Board meetings. Calls and chairs
meetings of the Executive. With the assistance of the Executive,
ensures implementation of the Strategic Directions Plan that was
prepared when he/she was President-elect. Serves in this
capacity for one year.
President-elect
Develops a Strategic Directions Plan for her/his upcoming term
of office as President. Chairs the Student Liaison Committee.
Serves in this capacity for one year.
Past-president
Provides advice to the President and President-elect. Chairs the
Membership and Liaison Committee. Serves in this capacity for
one year but remains a member of this Committee so long as
he/she is an OAIA member.
Secretary
Records the minutes of meetings of the Board and Executive.
Serves an indefinite term, at the Board’s pleasure.
Treasurer
Acts as chief financial officer of the organization. Prepares
and files OAIA documents, as required by law. Serves an
indefinite term, at the Board’s pleasure.
Director of Communications
Acts as corresponding secretary for incoming electronic and
regular mail. Ensures timely posting on OAIA’s website of
Important Notices, Upcoming Events, Employment Opportunities,
and the like. Serves and indefinite term, at the Board’s
pleasure.
Protocol 3: Executive
The Executive of the Board consists of its six Officers. It
defines OAIA’s strategic direction and its management structure
and approach. It also maintains OAIA’s website (i.e. it
contracts for the services of a Webmaster and directs the work
of that person) and is responsible for timely mailings of
matters of interest to OAIA members and friends. It has the same
powers as the Board itself and meets on an “as need” basis
between monthly Board meetings.
Protocol 4: Standing Committees
Four Standing Committees support the organization. All are open
to the general membership of the OAIA. Committee Chairs are
responsible for calling meetings, setting meeting agendas,
developing and implementing Committee Work Plans, and ensuring
appropriate liaison with the Board. Typically, a Committee Chair
will be a Board member.
Membership and Liaison
Committee is chaired by the past-president of the OAIA and
includes among others all past-presidents of the OAIA who are
current members of the organization. It nominates, for the
Board’s consideration, a replacement whenever a vacancy on the
Board arises. It maintains liaison with parent, sister and
parallel organizations of the OAIA (i.e. the International
Association for Impact Assessment [IAIA], the western and
northern Canada and the Quebec affiliates of OAIA, the Ontario
Society for Environmental Management, etc.) and proposes to the
Board projects to be undertaken jointly with these
organizations. Under the Board’s direction, it also designs and
implements periodic membership drives.
Educational Liaison
Committee is chaired by the President-elect and has on it the
Board’s student member. It has as its objectives to: 1) create
opportunities for community college, post-secondary and graduate
students/faculty to learn more about the professional practice
of impact assessment; 2) encourage research that will improve
the practice of impact assessment; 3) provide opportunities for
researchers to present their findings on impact assessment
research and studies.
Toronto events
Organizes regular events, including ones of a social nature, of
interest to members in the Toronto area and bi-annually
organizes OAIA’s conference and annual general meeting (AGM).
Ottawa events
Organizes regular events, including ones of a social nature, of
interest to members in the National Capital Region and
bi-annually organizes OAIA’s conference and AGM.
Protocol 5: OAIA Scholars Fund
The OAIA accepts financial support from individuals and
organizations in the public and private sector in an amount
fixed annually by the Board. Two-thirds of the contribution made
by these organizations is automatically assigned to OAIA’s
Scholars Fund with the balance used to support OAIA operations.
The Fund supports student members of the OAIA attending, for the
purpose of presenting the results of research they have
undertaken, the annual conferences of both the OAIA and its
parent organization, the International Association of Impact
Assessment (IAIA). The Fund also provides financial support to
special events of interest to students and is the source of
funding for students employed by the OAIA.
Protocol 6: Conference and Annual General Meeting
Every year, usually in May or June, the OAIA organizes a
conference and annual general meeting (AGM) that rotates each
year between Ottawa and Toronto. Ontario student members of OAIA
are encouraged to present research findings and, for this
purpose, funding to support attendance is available. Interested
students should contact the Chair of the Student Liaison
Committee about the process of application and approval.
The AGM, which is held at the same time as the conference,
addresses essential business matters such as the Reports of the
Outgoing and Incoming Presidents, the receipt and acceptance of
the Financial Statement and the Auditor’s Report (if any),
approval of the actions of the Executive during the previous
year, and the election of Directors.
A discussion of new strategic directions and the recruitment of
volunteers to work on Standing Committees is another item of
business at the AGM.
Protocol 7: Strategic Directions
The OAIA has a Strategic Directions Plan that is discussed at
the AGM and that guides decision making in the year following
the AGM.
Protocol 8: Amendments
These protocols will be posted on OAIA’s website and may be
amended from time to time by a formal motion adopted by the
Board.
