Dear colleagues:
It was nice to see so many of you at the Conference in Blue Mountain last week. I hope that everyone made it back safely to their families and friends and had a good Thanksgiving.
During the Conference, we spoke about the status of our new proposed legislation - the Registered Professional Planners Act, 2017 - which will replace our current legislation - the Ontario Professional Planners Act, 1994. This new Act is key to our strategic goal of promoting and safeguarding professional planning in Ontario.
For those who were not able to join us at the Conference, I was very pleased to announce, on behalf of OPPI, that Ted McMeekin, MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, has agreed to sponsor the Bill and have it transferred to him, now that the Bill's original sponsor, MPP Peter Milcyzn has assumed a new role as the Minister of Housing and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy. Mr. McMeekin is a Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier and a former Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing, and a long-time friend of the planning profession.
This is another important step in the Registered Professional Planners Act's journey to Third Reading and Royal Assent. While the Bill received all-party support at First and Second Reading earlier this year, and has been referred to a Standing Committee, we cannot afford to take anything for granted.
This is where you come in. We need you to help us remind all MPP's at Queen's Park that we believe that this Bill is important to the people of Ontario and the planning profession, and is in the public interest.
Please take five to 10 minutes of time in the next week to contact your MPP and let them know that this Bill is important. You can call, email or Tweet your MPP. Your action can make a difference. Please tag MPP McMeekin and OPPI on these emails and tweets.
To assist, we included some standard messages below for you to adapt and use. MPP McMeekin's and OPPI's email and Twitter handles are included below too. If you need further information on the Registered Professional Planners Act visit the Professional Regulation webpage. You can also use this handy Contact an MPP tool to find out who your MPP is and how to get in touch with them.
Every voice counts. It is professional planners like you who - through meaningful activities such as this - will advance, in the public interest, planning and the planning profession in this Province.
We are OPPI!
Jason Ferrigan, RPP
President
Ontario Professional Planners Institute
