By Ted McIntyre
The optimism that charged this year’s Annual Conference and Awards signals a new day for OHBA.
You can always expect an air of celebration at the Ontario Home Builders’ Association’s Annual Conference and Awards of Distinction. From the residential construction industry’s most veteran movers and shakers to conference newcomers, the mood of attendees is predictably upbeat and energetic. There’s the recognition of the outgoing OHBA Chair’s accomplishments and a gala to welcome the incoming man or woman. There’s the ritual interchange of ideas, invaluable networking, and two days of expert seminars to share industry updates and explore best practices in everything from construction to business development.
But there was something more this time around. Beginning with the preliminary board meetings at the host Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls and the spirited atmosphere of the opening reception at Niagara Distillery, right on through the sold-out Awards of Distinction, there was a palpable sense of excitement and optimism at the 2024 OHBA Conference presented by Enbridge Gas. Board members and past presidents could be overheard talking about the swift and precise nature of new CEO Scott Andison’s implementation of policies and significant staff additions. “I expected to be restrained at some point with all the changes being made,” smiled Andison. “But the board did not do that. They gave me the go-ahead the whole way.”
Apart from his extensive recent hires, Andison’s Fireside Chat with incoming Chair Mike Memme and outgoing Chair Dave Depencier also showcased a new membership video that will help OHBA chapters recruit new members and encourage existing ones to become further involved. Noting the provincial association’s new office and a revamped website coming in 2025, Andison spoke of how, for the first time, housing demand and affordability are atop the agenda at all three levels of government. That was certainly evidenced by the unprecedented representation from the Ontario government, with Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra kicking off the conference, and a keynote address at the Chair’s Gala from Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini. Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education Jill Dunlop, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery Todd J. McCarthy, Minister of Colleges and Universities Nolan Quinn, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries Sam Oosterhoff and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation Ric Bresee were also in attendance, including participating in a provincial policy Q&A on the first full day of educational seminars.
An ebullience washed over the event, enveloping senior staff and newbies alike. Elsa Batten was among the first-timers at this year’s conference caught up in the wave. A Project Concierge/Designer and Adaptiv Home and NetZero Specialist with Spotlight Home and Lifestyle in Lakefield, Ontario, she represented her company at the request of Spotlight founder Garnet Northey—and the experience made an impression.
“Being here around this energy and being able to be part of a collaborative group like this is bringing home everything you hear but don’t really get to feel at the local level—especially in a smaller local,” Batten said on the dawn of the final morning, with a day of building science-focused programming still ahead. “I started to chum around with a group of other renovator companies—they’re a pretty tight-knit group and are all so experienced and have such a wealth of knowledge to bestow upon everybody. They are so free with information sharing—‘What do you wanna know? No question is too small.’
“It has fully energized my motivation to encourage others to be as involved as they can, and it has invigorated me to get involved more deeply at a local level, and maybe at a provincial level one day,” Batten continued. “At the next event, I hope to bring more to the table, having become more deeply involved locally in Peterborough and The Kawarthas.”
OHBA Past President Rick Martins has long sung praise for the value the Annual Conference and other OHBA events can bring. “The membership and experience within OHBA and the willingness to share is incredible,” he says. “My membership fee for the Brantford HBA when I first started was $1,000. But the knowledge and experience, the people I met and the connections I’ve made have probably brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to the business. And that’s not even including the lasting friendships I’ve made.”