MISSION STATEMENT

The Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) is the voice of building, land development and professional renovation industry in Ontario. It is a voluntary association whose primary goal is to positively impact provincial legislature, regulatory and tax policies that affect the industry.

In addition, the OHBA collects, analyzes and distributes information to its members and the general public; promotes innovation and professionalism within the industry; promotes affordability and choice in housing; and provides group benefit plans and other membership services.

Our members have identified four key areas as making up OHBA’s Core Businesses. They are:

  • government relations (top priority);
  • professionalism;
  • innovation; and
  • Ontario New Home Warranty Plan Act and Regulations.

Perhaps the best way to think of OHBA is as a network of volunteers (assisted by a small staff) working in committees to advance industry interests in these Core Business areas.

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COMMITTEES & ISSUES

OHBA is an active association comprised of a Board of Directors and 4 different committees.

The structure of our association is the same as in many associations. It employs a staff, but the backbone of the association comes from its members, the volunteers. It has been said, “An association is only as good as its volunteers.” This is your association and one way to get involved and be part of the decisions being made concerning the residential construction industry is to sit on one of OHBA’s standing committees.

The various standing committees each have different mandates and objectives, but they have all been established to serve our membership as specific needs were identified.

Click here for a list of the different committees including a brief summary of their responsibilities. Every OHBA member is invited to join and participate on any of the following committees.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Meets every other month
  • Restructured in 1990 when regional representation was replaced with direct representation by each local association
  • Locals may appoint one director each
    • Locals with more than 200 members may appoint one additional member for each 200 members (for example, a local with 195 members may appoint one director, while one with 205 members may appoint two directors)
  • President’s Appointments: Up to three directors may be appointed by the President.
  • Standing Committees: The chair of each standing committee (currently 10) is appointed as a director
  • Executive Committee: Each of the seven members is an elected director
  • Each director present at a board meeting has one vote. There is no proxy voting and individuals have only one vote (for example, a member of the Executive who is also a committee chair can only vote once)
  • The Board nominates individuals who serve on the ONHWP Board of Directors

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STAFF

The work of the association is done by volunteer members supported by a small staff who manage the day-to-day business of the association. Except in isolated instances, OHBA does not engage outside consultants.

Major staff responsibilities include:

  • providing secretariat support for committees
  • accompanying executive and committee chairs to meetings with provincial politicians
  • liaising with provincial civil servants
  • liaising with other industry associations
  • planning and running the OHBA Conference, the Ontario Building and Renovation Forum, and other major association events
  • writing position papers, responses to new government policies and legislation, background information, speeches, press releases, magazine articles, etc.
  • day-to-day association management

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COMMUNICATION VEHICLES

OHBA stays in touch with members in many ways:

  • Ontario Home Builder Magazine: Sent directly to each member six times a year
  • OHBA Membership Directory: Sent directly to each member annually
  • Other direct mailings to general membership: Sent from time to time on an as-needed basis
  • Monthly Activity Summary: Sent to local association presidents and executive officers each month along with background information on specific issues
  • Press releases and announcements of important developments: Faxed to local association presidents and executive officers on an as-needed basis
  • Members of OHBA Executive Committee and/or staff attend at least one meeting of most locals each year
  • Committees and Board meet six times a year; all local associations invited to send representatives to all committees; members are free to attend all meetings

THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS

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