Training & Education

We are committed to your success. That’s why the OBOA is the top choice for professional development of Building Officials across Canada.

General Website FAQ's

As the website grows, so does the capacity to present more challenges to the membership. Here you will find a collection of the most common questions asked regarding the website, its functionality and how to resolve any obstacles that you may encounter.

Q. 23 ⇒ I forgot my username & password Can you please send me send the info?

Answer: Sending user account information through email or any other medium simply by requesting it is not an option as. 1. As passwords are encrypted, 2. Anyone can simply ask for users login information by email or phone and 3. Replying by email with account information can be stolen from outside sources when email is in transit. What can be done is matching the email that was used to register the account with a username. You can then take the forgotten username providing you have access to the email that was used to register the account and proceed with the password reset process.

Q. 15 ⇒ I am not sure how to access the OBOA journals as I have inputted both of my E-mail addresses and I am Unable to retrieve the journal?

Answer: If you are logging into the journal through the OBOA website you need to login using the username and assigned password that was given when you registered as a OBOA member. If any of your provided emails are not registered to a username, it is likely that you are trying to sign in without registering first. Please call the office.

Q. 14 ⇒ I have made changes to receive my journal by regular mail (hardcopy) and I have not received it yet?

Answer: If you make changes after an issue is released you will not see the changes to your delivery until the next issue is published and mailed to members; You will still continue as a member receiving notifications that your digital edition is available. Digital editions are published and are available in advance of hard-copies.

Q. 13 ⇒ Why do I need to register as a member?

Answer: Registering as OBOA member has its advantages. When you register you will have access to online services that can speed up your Training and various Membership related services. After registering on The Bulletin Board you will not only have access to the Bulletin Board and members only areas on the website but selected resources such as your training confirmation information and invoicing. To register visit the forum, to access your Members Services Profile just login.

Q. 12 ⇒ How do I change my login password from one issued by OBOA Bulletin Board to one I can remember?

Answer: Login to access the "User Control Panel" which can be found on the top left of your screen right under "Board Index". Then select the "Profile Tab", then "Edit Account Settings". You will now see the "New password" and Confirm password fields, then submit.

Q. 11 ⇒ I try to reset set password and the following text come up. "The user name you entered is already in use, please select an alternative." "The entered e-mail address is already in use."

Answer: This means that you are attempting to reset account information on new bulletin board registrations that have not been confirmed yet. What is happening is that the system is telling you that the username or email address that you just finished submitting is on record. If this is a new Registration see "Q14" as you cant reset information that as not been confirmed yet.

Q. 10 ⇒ When trying to login a response is "it needs to be activated".

Answer: When registering you will receive an email to the email you have provided during the registration process to confirm your registration. Just follow the prompts to confirm your email. Attempting to sign in or reset password to accounts that have not been confirmed yet will only return error messages such as "The user name you entered is already in use, please select an alternative" or "The entered e-mail address is already in use".

Q. 9 ⇒ I have no knowledge of my active OBOA registered email, username, password and Member ID. My security is important and I fall into this category and I am attempting to login without success to The Bulletin Board, access Pre-Study Material or any Member Area.

Answer: Understand that security is important to our members and above all else not having access to your member ID Number is a concern. Call the OBOA Head Office: 906-264-1662 There may be other questions we have for you. To avoid this keep your email current on the Bulletin Board Forum and your user name handy. Tip: choosing a user name that is clear and concise is a good option such as: jsmith, jdoe.

Q. 8 ⇒ I would like to reset all my passwords and login it appears that I have forgotten my username and password, I originally registered with a previous email and the email has since changed.

Answer: If you have no username, password or valid email we cannot not validate who is asking for your information. In this case we would ask for a member ID Number (and possibly other information); it can be found on your membership card. Once you are identified and your email is adjusted we can provide you with the username that was registered under the previous email. Together the username and new email can be used with the "password reset" feature to generate a new password. To avoid this from happening, always keep your email up to date in the forum before you loose control of your old email address and your username handy.

Q. 7 ⇒ I am Certified and leaving the workforce or retiring, do I have to contact the OBOA to let them know?

Answer: Retired members or otherwise should always get in touch with OBOA when making career changes or moving to another location (or employee of a municipality that represents the member) to change their membership status. The OBOA cannot make changes on behalf of the membership if a member chooses to remain active in retirement or changing location, especially if they are certified. In most cases loosing touch with certified members due to life changes can have a significant impact, as a result their membership may lapse loosing Certification. The only recourse is to apply for membership reinstatement to retain certification with any back dues owing on previous years. It is much easier to adjust your membership yearly to avoid inconvenient setbacks. MemberShip Details Update: http://www.oboa.on.ca/memberservices/activemembers.html

Q. 6 ⇒ Is there any pre-study materials that need to be reviewed, or are available?

Answer: Selected courses are available for pre-study online that you have registered for within two weeks prior to the course starting date. For example: If your course starts on April 11, 2016, your online course material will only be available to weeks prior to that date and viewable up until the first day of class. Your hardcopy will be available the first day of class. If you are already an OBOA registered member or have previously registered as a non OBOA member you will have immediate access. If you have not registered to pre-study online, register http://biz.oboa.on.ca/forum/ucp.php?mode=register and confirm your Technical Training Online Material. Please give us 1 Business day to complete the registration process. Sign in to pre-study: http://www.oboa.on.ca/ttca/materials

Q. 5 ⇒ Can I change my username after I register as a member.

Answer: Yes but you will need to contact the OBOA Office to change that. It is recommended that you make a clear understandable word when selecting a name. It may or may not have impact on our ability to service you in the future.

Q. 4 ⇒ I have unfortunately forgotten my Username and Password, to access the pre-study information on Training.

Answer: Both Username and Password are created by the member when registering on the OBOA Bulletin Board. In this case you will need a working email, preferably the email that was used to register on the Bulletin Board. If not a phone call to the OBOA office is required to validate that your member records email is the same as the one that was used to signup to the Bulletin Board and has not changed. We will require time to confirm your username and that it is registered with the email you have provided; then the password reset procedure can be followed successfully using your username and correct email to reset your password.

Q. 3 ⇒ When I try to use my email of choice and get the message "The username you entered is already in use, please select an alternative. The email address you entered is not in the OBOA Members Database. Please use the email address that you have on file with the OBOA for registering at this forum. If you do not have an email address on file or are unsure, please contact us at either it@oboa.on.ca or 905-264-1662. Please note that you will need to enter a valid e-mail address before your account is activated. You will receive an e-mail at the address you provide that contains an account activation link."

Answer:

Q. 2 ⇒ I am having a bit of trouble accessing the Bulletin Board and Journal. I believe that I had established my login from my former work email.

Answer: The Bulletin Board and the Journal are two separate entities both controlled by the same member credential access. It is possible that the email in both synchronized records may be different. Members are responsible to update the OBOA office regarding changes to their member records by way of using the "Membership Details Update Form" and members are solely responsible for maintaining their Bulletin Board information. There may also be the possibility that you have not Registered in the Bulletin Board forum which would explain why you are unable to login.

Q. 1 ⇒ When logging into the Bulletin Board I get the message "The e-mail/username information submitted could not be found"

Answer: This means exactly what it says, the username or email that was used to login does not match the email or username that you had provided when registering. This also means that you will not be able to successfully use the password "reset option" until you identify which or either login credentials are inaccurate. Your only option is to call or email the OBOA office to investigate what username is currently registered with your email.