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OBOA Winter and Spring 2021 Bi-Weekly Technical Seminar Series

OBOA Winter and Spring 2021 Bi-Weekly Technical Seminar Series

“Data and Digital Transformation in Municipal Building Departments”
ZOOM Webinars, Wednesdays, 8:30-10:30 am, EST

Past Sessions

Wednesday, October 14th, 2020
8:30 am - 10:00 am2020 Virtual AMTS Technical Seminar Series (8:30-10:30 am) - Register Connect with Zoom (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
1. Setting the scene for the series – Aubrey LeBlanc - OBOA 2. Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis, on Real Productivity of Housing and Infrastructure Development due to Acceleration of the Development...
OBOA - Aubrey LeBlanc
AECO Innovation Lab - Arash Shahi
CanCEA - Paul Smetanin
RESCON - Richard Lyall
Tuesday, October 27th, 2020
9:00 am - 10:30 amOBOA Student Career Day - 9:00 am – noon (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
9:00 - 9:15 Welcome.
9:15 - 9:45 Detailed information about job opportunities and career paths, job categories, responsibilities, compensation.
9:45 - 11:15 Panel of 6-8 building officials reviewing their career stories.
11:15 - 12:00 Questions and Answers with panel members.
Wednesday, October 28th, 2020
8:30 am - 10:00 am2020 Virtual AMTS Technical Seminar Series (8:30-10:30 am) - Register Connect with Zoom (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
Huron Kinloss: E-permitting decision-making process
Matt Farrell, Chief Building Official for the Township of Huron Kinloss, will talk about specific reasons from a municipal standpoint to make the switch from paper-based systems to e-permitting. Farrell will focus on what municipalities should look for in an e-permitting solution, such as compatibility with other systems, how it impacts staff and possible staff training involved, and its value-add for municipalities, clients, builders, developers, etc.

Middlesex Centre: Service agreement and issues
Arnie Marsman, Chief Building Official for the Municipality of Middlesex Centre, will talk about service agreements, shared services, and selling e-permitting software to council. Marsman will discuss how building divisions functioned prior to e-permitting, how service agreements work and challenges in general, why they changed to online permit applications, and benefits of online permit applications.

Windsor: On-site mobile inspections and virtual inspections
Leslie Wright, Digital Transformation Specialist with the City of Windsor, will talk about on-site mobile inspections and virtual inspections. Wright will speak on what should be included in a checklist for e-permitting platforms and its inspection capabilities, as well as how that ties into communication between municipalities and applicants.
Wednesday, November 11th, 2020
8:30 am - 10:00 am2020 Virtual AMTS Technical Seminar Series (8:30-10:30 am) - Register Connect with Zoom (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
1. Electronic Code Reference Tools - Moderated by Aubrey LeBlanc

a. Developing a new framework for building code advisory services – Siloni Waraich
Over 90% of the OBOA’s members have been asking for more guidance and clarity in building code interpretations. Building departments want to know how the OBOA can help to achieve these goals. This interactive session will provide updates on the progress made by OBOA in developing a non-binding advisory service that will not only benefit building officials, but customers and the general public.

b. Electronic Building Code - Matt Farrell, CBO Huron-Kinloss and Kamellia Shahi for AECO Innovation Lab
Digital delivery of building codes will improve user convenience, navigation and version control. This presentation will focus on user benefits and demonstrate a digital solution for the Ontario Building Code. Visit mybuildingcode.com for more information.

c. Relaunch of CSA Referenced Standards Online Availability for Building Officials - Steve Murphy, Team Leader, Customer Success and Sophia Jaffer, Customer Success Coordinator will provide a demo on CSA Group’s new view access subscription platform.
Wednesday, November 25th, 2020
8:30 am - 10:00 am2020 Virtual AMTS Technical Seminar Series (8:30-10:30 am) - Register Connect with Zoom (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
Big Data and Data Analytics - Moderated by Aubrey LeBlanc

Ministry of Finance Construction Pilot

Presented by: Mirek Kuratczyk, Senior Manager, Data Analysis and Modelling, and Frances Ryan, Senior Manager Revenue Integrity Policy

Learn how the Ministry of Finance is working to leverage data from across the Government of Ontario and the broader public sector to modernize regulatory compliance. The MOF Underground Economy Construction Pilot seeks to reduce burden on business and target the riskiest non-compliance activity while protecting health and safety and the public interest.


Data Analytics & the Future of Municipal Planning

Presented by: Mark Masongsong, CEO & Co-Founder of UrbanLogiq

Learn how to harness analytics and big data for smarter, faster and cheaper municipal planning, including real-world examples of artificial intelligence in land use approval, unconventional data mapping out mobility patterns and near real-time analysis of how communities and economies are adapting to COVID.


Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) - Supporting Ontario’s Municipalities with Data, Insights and Assessment

Presented by: Chris Rickett, BES, MPA, Director, Municipal and Stakeholder Relations, and Mary Dawson-Cole, Regional Manager, Municipal and Stakeholder Relations.

MPAC’s role is to accurately assess and classify all 5.3 million properties in Ontario. This process generates an immense amount of data on Ontario’s properties that helps generate value for municipalities through new assessment and insights. Learn more about how MPAC collects and uses this data to support municipalities, including its planned new web platform to support municipal data analysis and its vision for supporting the digital collection of building plans and permits.
Wednesday, December 9th, 2020
8:30 am - 10:00 am2020 Virtual AMTS Technical Seminar Series (8:30-10:30 am) - Register Connect with Zoom (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
Ontario Onwards: Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy discusses building a digital, data-driven government

CBO, Debbie Anderson from Grey Highlands talks about e-permitting during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aubrey LeBlanc, CAO of the OBOA will provide a recap and outline upcoming sessions for 2021
Wednesday, January 13th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
Andrew Jamieson, Manager of Innovation, Engineering and Program Delivery (Central/Eastern Ontario) in the Environmental Management Branch of OMAFRA will provide an overview of OMAFRA's AgriSuite Modernization Project. This project provides digital services in both Nutrient Management and MDS, and will be moving to a cloud-based platform this year, enabling interaction with some municipal e-permitting systems.
Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amBIM 101 - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
BIM 101 - Learn about the BIM (Building Information Modeling) logic and software, and find out how it can benefit municipal building departments.
Wednesday, February 10th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: MTO - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
• Legislative authority for corridor management controls and permit control areas;
• Types of permits that MTO issues;
• Building and land use, encroachment, entrance, and sign;
• Land development review process;
• Permit application review and approval process, including a demo of the on-line permitting system; and
• Highlights of recent and upcoming new initiatives.

Speakers:
Jason Ranger, Manager, Corridor Management Office, Highway Operations Management Branch
Tony Difabio, Team Lead within the Highway Operations Management Branch Corridor Management Office
Wednesday, February 24th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: Environment (MECP) - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
High level Overview of MECP permissions - Bonnie Wilkinson, Senior Program Support Coordinator in the Client Services and Permissions Branch – Program Services Section of MECP

EA – legislative tools related to planning, update on current modernization initiatives - Ross Lashbrook, Manager of the EA Program Support Unit

Excess Soils – overview of current regulation and policy - Sanjay Coelho, Senior Policy Analyst in the Environmental Policy Branch of MECP

Overview of Records of Site Condition (RSC) filing requirement, ministry process to check RSC submissions, recent amendments to the RSC Regulation and updates to RSC guidance - Rosemary Ash, Acting Supervisor with the Brownfields Unit in the Brownfields and Permit to Take Water at the Environmental Approvals Branch, and Dean Therrien, Senior Program Advisor in the Client Services and Permissions Branch - Policy and Program Development Unit at MECP

Updates on Combined Heat and Power (CHP) regulation amendments - Julie Green, MECP

Consolidated Linear Infrastructure - Aziz Ahmed, P.Eng., Manager of the Municipal Water and Wastewater Permissions section at MECP Environmental Permissions Branch

Thursday, February 25th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: Default Delegation of Planning Approvals - (OPPI, RPCO) - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
Presentation by Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) and the Regional Planning Commissioners of Ontario (RPCO) on recommendations around increased delegation of routine planning approvals and delegated authority of planning approvals.

Speakers:
Justine Giancola, MCIP, RPP, President, Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI)
Thom Hunt, MCIP, RPP, Chair, Regional Planning Commissioners of Ontario (RPCO)
Steve Robichaud, Vice Chair of RPCO, and Chief Planner and Director of Planning for City of Hamilton

Wednesday, March 10th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: Conservation Authorities (MECP, MNRF, CAs) - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry work with conservation authorities in a number of ways. This session will provide an overview of the Conservation Authorities Act as well as a deeper understanding of natural hazards development permits. In addition, the session will provide an overview of the drinking water source protection program under the Clean Water Act, 2006, including how it intersects with municipal responsibilities and applicable law.
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: Cultural Heritage Resources in Land Use Planning(MHSTC) - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
Cultural heritage resources contribute to a sense of place, reflecting the values of those who came before us, expressing what we value today and guiding future generations to create livable communities. This presentation will define the types of cultural heritage resources, explain the legislative and policy frameworks, and outline the mechanisms for identification and conservation. You’ll learn how to screen for cultural heritage resources and what land use processes trigger the relevant assessments.

Wednesday, April 7th, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: Planning Act, Session 2 (MMAH) - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
• Planning
• Zoning
• Ministers Zoning Orders
• Site plan agreements
• Development charges
• LPAT and Appeals
Wednesday, April 21st, 2021
8:30 am - 10:30 amApplicable Law: Delegated Administrative Authorities (DAAs) - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
The session focuses on the use of administrative authorities as a tool to provide consumer protection, public safety and business law support in Ontario. Speakers will describe the range of regulatory tools, the particular aspects of the AA model, and the trends to modernize or rebuild the model after almost 50 years of government experience and recent interest of the Auditor General of Ontario. The session will also explore the particular interfaces of OBOA members with AAs and their intermediaries.
Wednesday, June 9th, 2021
8:30 am - 11:00 amE-permitting in Finland: a ten-year update and analysis, and implications for Ontario - (OBOA/College/University Courses, AMTS, Conferences)
As the last topic for our 2020-21 series, we proudly present a ten-year retrospective of the adoption of e-permitting in Finland, a world leader. Municipal, national and Cloudpermit representatives will paint the picture of the good and bad of e-permitting evolution in Finland, and what the prospects are for Ontario’s evolution and success. A panel of OBOA leadership will lead a discussion and analysis.