Awarded for remarkable dedication and impact.

The award is named after Andy Kidd who was a City of Kitchener Plan Examiner for 20 years. Unfortunately Andy died from a sudden illness in 1985, and 6 months short of his retirement. Andy was well liked by his peers, a straight shooter and mentored a number of staff including Laurier Proulx. In a recent interview with Laurier, he recalled a few stories including Laurier’s first few weeks as a young and new building official performing plan review on houses. Fortunately for Laurier, his mentor was a self taught, forthright person who completed ICI plan examinations, his name was Andy Kidd.

When Laurier was recalling stories of Andy, there was a pause by Laurier and then a huge smile on his face, Laurier went on to say “Andy was enthusiastic; this was the salesperson in Andy”. Andy was OBOA President from 1982 till 1984 and represented OBOA on the original Materials Evaluation Code Interpretation Committee, also known as MACIC.

Back in the mid-1980’s, a popular and strategic trait of Andy’s when faced with conflicting code opinions was to hold three meetings with the customer. The first meeting Andy would say to the customer it can’t be done, the answer is NO, the second meeting he would show the customer that possibly we can work this technical issue out and finally at the third meeting Andy would complete the final negotiations and hammer out an acceptable and agreeable solution.

It’s not hard to figure out Andy Kidd was extremely successful, he had drive, he enjoyed doing what he did best, he used strategy to reach key objectives, he was a mentor to the next generation of building officials and he was well respected by his peers.

This award is named after Mr. Don Beam a lifelong resident of Beamsville, Ontario. He started his career as a building official before moving to the private sector in the steel industry representing the Canadian Institute for Steel Construction. Don was very active in the area of building code training which has benefited the association greatly. He was also very prominent in the administration of this association through his presence and Chairing of the OBOA Annual General Meeting in the 1980’s.

• Member or Non-Member of the OBOA
• A person who has made a significant contribution to the OBOA through codes & standards or education training
• Not necessarily awarded every year.

This Bill Henderson Award is known as the award for honesty and integrity of service to the OBOA and the industry and is normally reserved for very dedicated individuals.  The 2021 recipient has without question met all of these qualities and has made numerous positive impacts to the industry.  The 2021 recipient for the Bill Henderson Award is Mike Leonard.  Mike Retired as the Chief Building Official from the City of Oshawa in 2021 after 42 years of working in different departments and municipalities.   This award is such a fitting tribute to the man that provided many years of relentless service to the industry for the benefit of many building officials.

Mike has achieved a great deal over his career as a building official and has been a part of the OBOA family for 36 years, starting the York Chapter, facilitating courses, serving on the OBOA Board, writing articles for the Journal and being part of the LMCBO.  A few highlights of his career include:

The creation of the OBOA York Chapter in 1988 was through Mike and Ron Kolbe .  The Chapter helped to unify the building officials in the York Region with the Chapter’s goal being consistency of Code interpretation and service delivery.

It was an honour for Mike when the City of Oshawa received the ‘Yaman Uzumeri’ Award in 2013. Sitting President Mike Seiling, Aubrey LeBlanc and Ron Kolbe presented the award before the Oshawa Council.  Mike and the building department had submitted several articles to the Journal highlighting their initiatives including adjustable-height front counter for accessibility, extended service hours for building inspections, an all-hybrid inspection fleet, and being Canadian-registered building officials.  

Education was a very important part of Mike’s career.  Over a 15-year period, Mike attended and facilitated nearly all of the building official courses at Seneca and George Brown Colleges, Richmond Hill, Oshawa and Toronto.    Mike along with the classes he was involved in, helped each other in better understanding construction and the intent of the Code.  He was also on various committees providing feedback to the Ministry for improving the OBC courses.

A major highlight for Mike was ending his career in Oshawa (his home town) where there continues to be a ‘building boom’ year after year.  During the pandemic, as CBO, he acquired cellphones and large monitors for the Examiners so they could work from home efficiently.  In a very short time, the building department transformed from a paper process to being fully digitized with no interruption to service.  Oshawa was also one of the first in Ontario to complete and accept virtual inspections.

There have been so many memorable OBOA moments which have resulted in lasting personal and professional friendships for Mike and he reminds us all of the need to constantly work together to understand and improve our regulations for a ‘built environment’ that is safe and healthy, and just as important, it is the good people we work with along the way.

This award is named after Bill Henderson, who started his Municipal career with the City of Toronto. In 1965 Bill came to the former City of Scarborough from the City of Toronto along with George Fleming. Bill assumed the role of Director of Administration under George who was the new Commissioner of Building. Bill progressed through the ranks in Scarborough, and attained the position of Director of Inspections from which he retired in 1987.

Bill was President of the OBOA from 1984 to 1987 when the term was 1 year at a time. Bill realized at that time the OBOA needed to be reflective of all building officials in Ontario regardless of Municipal size and Bill worked tirelessly to unite various fractured groups. Past President Garry Davis considers this point in time to be the turning point of what OBOA and its membership is today.

Bill was a founding member of MITEC (Municipal Inspectors Training and Education Committee) which in partnership with MMAH commenced the development of the Building Code and Building Code Act courses which we enjoy to-day.

Bill always remained loyal and interactive with Building Officials and the OBOA even after retirement. Bill was a willing mentor to those who were interested in his experiences including discussions over the future direction of OBOA and professionalism of the Building Official.

Bill continued facilitating the Legal Processes courses long after retirement and many participants would tell you he was one of the best legal facilitators OBOA ever had. He often remarked facilitating was competing with his retirement.

Bill never lost his love and dedication for OBOA. Bill was often referred to as the conscience of the association never missing a business meeting and was always prepared to be at the podium.

Bill embodied what a Building Official could be; should be; and was often envied but most importantly respected for. When Bill Henderson spoke, you listened.

In honour and recognition of Yaman Uzumeri upon his retirement from the City of Toronto for his continued contribution to the building regulatory industry at the international level, this award is dedicated. Awarded, at the international, national or provincial level, to an individual, a Corporation or an Association whose continued contribution and devotion to the building regulatory industry has furthered the professional excellence of the industry as a whole.

The OBOA enjoys a professional working relationship with Ministry staff at all levels and important topics such as advocacy and education/training. This award is to recognize and formally affirm that this Association welcomes and appreciates this relationship and looks forward to future working relations.

Prior to the creation of this new award, it was customary for a Ministry staff person to be recognized with a Special Recognition Certificate at the OBOA Annual Meeting and Training Sessions.

• Member of a Provincial Ministry or Government agency or affiliate such as NRC
• Cannot receive this award multiple time
• A person who has furthered the aims and objectives of Building Officials and the industry as a whole
• Not necessarily awarded every year

The Bill Davis, Ontario Merit Award was created in 2011 to demonstrate the respect and appreciation provincial building officials have for Ministry staff (elected or non-elected) where s/he has furthered the aims and objectives of Ontario Building Officials or the construction industry as a whole.

Bill Davis was a member of the Ontario legislature from 1962-1971 including Minister of Education and the Premier of Ontario from 1971-1985. The OBOA is very fortunate and thrilled to have an award named in honour of Bill Davis, a respected person, politician and proven leader.

The first Ontario Building Code was the result of an exhaustive study titled “Report of the Committee on Uniform Building Standards for Ontario” dated November 1969. On February 21, 1968, the Minister of Municipal Affairs, the Honourable W. Darcy McKeough while in the legislature outlined steps the government was prepared to take in considering a standard building code for the Province of Ontario. A few months later in the same year, Minister McKeough announced the establishment of a Committee on Uniform Building Standards for Ontario, the Committee being composed of individuals who were knowledgeable and experienced about buildings and building by-laws to examine all essential facets of uniform building standards.

The Objectives of the Committee included whether a building code for Ontario was feasible, applying to all municipalities to promote and support uniform and effective enforcement and interpretation of the code in all municipalities of the province. Additional objectives included reviewing existing provincial acts, regulations and department policies and how can they be dealt with effectively. Finally the Province of Ontario will have a code that is rational in its requirements, free of provisions that lack a base in fact or proof, capable of enforcement without development of a rigid or insensitive bureaucracy; one that is administered in a manner that allows the public ready methods of appeal as to content and enforcement and that is capable of regular up-dating through efficient revision procedures.

A final report titled “Report of the Committee on Uniform Building Standards for Ontario” dated November 1969 consisting of 127 pages was received and approved by the Government. Experienced industry people including building officials like Don Tedford continue to remember this report as it was well known as the Carruthers Report, Chaired by C.D. Carruthers, P.Eng., a Consultant and member of the National Building Code. There were eleven Committee members including three Building Officials; G.H. Fleming (Scarborough), J.G. Hooper (Peterborough) and I.R Robertson (Hamilton and Past President of the OBOA).

Under the leadership of Bill Davis, Premier of Ontario, the government accepted the Carruthers Report and created the very first inaugural Ontario Building Code (1975). Ironically the 1975 Ontario Building Code was enacted with an effective date of March 1, 1976. Additional points and history of the 1975 Ontario Building Code reveals the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations (MCCR) was the first home for the code with Mr. Graham Adam, MCCR Director. The MCCR home for the Ontario Building Code (OBC) was short lived, after one year the OBC moved to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH). MMAH was a better fit for the OBC because MCCR was set up for hearing consumer complaints and more importantly for building officials, there were no training opportunities under this portfolio. The first Director of the Building’s Branch within MMAH was Mr. Dave Hodgson, a former Clerk in the Hamilton area. After a few short years the Ministry of Affairs and Housing split creating two Ministries; Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Ministry of Housing. The OBC was relocated to Ministry of Housing and this explains how some older Ministry documents reference Housing only; the Cadbury secret! The splitting of MMAH into two Ministries was short lived as well, lasting only a couple of years. Both Ministries were rejoined to form the MMAH we know and enjoy today.

Prior to the OBC, construction regulations were enacted to varying standards, spurring inconsistencies throughout the Province and very different from the present enforcement. Pre-Ontario Building Code, many municipalities across Canada passed a By-Law (Building) to prescribe what edition and revision of the National Building Code would apply for minimum code requirements, assuming those adopted the entire National Code. The passing of By-Laws by each municipality created uncertainty in the construction industry and thus defeating the objective of uniformity.

In retrospect, where would Building Officials be today if not for the Carruthers Report and the adoption of Ontarios’ first Building Code? Further how different would the OBOA (est. 1956) function and purpose be today without a Provincial Building Code? Looking back at the goals and objectives of the Carruthers Report, OBOA continues to support these initiatives while working with and advocating Ministry staff.

In memory of Tom Powdrill, Executive Secretary/Treasurer 1983 to 1993, whose contribution and devotion to the OBOA was an inspiration to all. Awarded to an OBOA Chapter that has fulfilled all of their OBOA Chapter duties in a timely manner and has demonstrated proactive participation in furthering the aims and objectives of the OBOA by hosting educational courses and seminars.

Presented to an Association or Individual that has, in the judgement of the OBOA Board, furthered the aims and objectives of Building Officials and the industry as a whole.

Presented to an AMTS Exhibitor that has, in the judgement of the Board, furthered the aims and objectives of Building Officials and the industry as a whole by furthering their knowledge base through their representation at the Annual Meeting and Training Sessions for multiple years. Thus providing industry leading manufacturers the opportunity to network and assist in providing this information to the building officials in an effort to keep up with new products, technology, building science and code changes.

Presented to an Individual that has, in the judgement of the Board, provided some outstanding service to the Ontario Building Officials Association.