County of Lambton

Jennifer Allan
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
service@oshawa.ca
Thursday, December 19, 2013 10:57 AM
melissa.mullen@county-lambton.on.ca; clerks
Re: County of Lambton Resolution opposing the requalification of Municipal Bui lding
Officials
-----O rigina l Message----­
From:
mel issa.mu llen@county-lambton.on.ca
Sent:
2013-12-18 14:56:29.0
To:
serv ice@oshawa.ca
Subject:
County of Lambton Resolution opposing the requalification of
Municipa l Bu il ding Officials
TO THE ATIENTION OF: The Honorable Linda Jeffrey, Minister of M uni cipal Affai rs & Housing Association of Municipa lities of Ontario (AMO) Ontario Municipalities Please be advised that at its regular meeting held on November 27, 2013, the Counci l of the Corporation of the County of Lambton passed the attached resolution. The County respectful ly requests your consideration regard ing this matter. Tha nk you, Melissa Mul len Executive Assistant Office of the CAO The County of Lambton Box 3000 789 Broadway Street Wyoming, ON NON lTO Phone: 519-845-0801 ext. 5302 Fax: 5 19-845-3160 Tol l-Free: 1-866-324-6912 E-ma il: melissa.mu llen@county-lambton.on.ca DISC LAIMER: If you are not the intended recipient of this transm ission, you are he re by notified that any disclosure or other action taken in reliance on its conten ts is strictly prohibited. Please de lete the information from your system and notify the sender immediately. If you receive this email in error contact the County of Lambton at 519-845-0801 extension 5405 or ema i l its uppo rt@coun ty-lambton.on.ca. P please don't print this e-mail unless you real ly need to. OFFICE OF THE COUNTY WARDEN
789 Broadway Street, Box 3000 Wyoming, ON NON 1TO Telephone: 519-845-0801 Toil-free: 1-866-324-6912 CO UN TY OF Fax: 519-845-3160
LAMBTON www.lambtononline.ca
December 18, 2013
The Honorable Linda Jeffrey
Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing
College Park
777 Bay Street, 17th Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 2E5
RE: Resolution opposing the regualification of Municipal Building Officials
Dear Honorable Linda Jeffrey:
In support of the Southwestern Chapter of the Ontario Building Officials Association, The
Corporation of the County of Lambton is seeking support in opposing the requalification of
Building Officials under the Ontario Regulation 332/12 and the Ontario Building Code.
Whi le we oppose the requalification requirement, we do feel that ongoing training of any changes
to the Ontario Building Code is necessary and the Southwestern Chapter of the Ontario Building
Officials Association would like to work with the Ministry on such a training initiative.
Please be advised that Council for The Corporation of the County of Lambton at its meeting on
November 27, 2013, passed the following reso lution:
Whereas, municipal building officials are the main practitioners of the Ontario Building Code
(OBC) and use the OBC on a daily basis in the carrying out of their duties;
And whereas Bill124 that passed in 2005 required all municipal building officials to undertake
a series of qualification exams;
And whereas a subsequent regulation 332/12 (knowledge and maintenance examinations)
requires our already qualified officials to requalify by taking a similar series of qualification
exams again;
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And whereas this requa lification process wi ll provide municipalities w ith financial hardships in
terms of registration costs, mileage costs, days away from the office to undertake their regular
duties in performing timely inspections that is expected by the building industry;
And whereas , municipal building officials acknowledge the need to stay current with
legislation and to unde rgo necessary tra ining to do so;
And whereas, the builders and home owners will suffer slower respo nse time for building
permits and inspections until all of the building officials are qualified;
Now, therefore, The Corporation of the County of Lambton, in support of the So uthwestern
Chapter of the Ontario Bu ilding Officials Association reso lves:
That any amendments to the OBC include provisions for training opportunities rather tha n
requalification examinations as the means by which building officials remain current of
changes to the OBC.
That mun icipal building officials, as the primary practitioners of the OBC, receive the same
treatment as plumbers, electricians, professional engineers and architects w ith regards to
exemption from requalification.
That the neg ative impact and delays that Ontario regulation 332/12 will have on the issuance
of permits, inspections and response times to inqu irie s by municipal build ing officia ls sho uld
be taken in to consideration .
That municipalities and taxpayers be spared the cost of ' knowledge and maintenance
examinations' under the proposed amendment to the OBC wh ich will provide undue hardship
to municipalities throug h lost productivity, early retirement and costs associated with the 13
categories of exami nations req uired by fully q ualifi ed inspectors.
Should any persons have any questions please contact:
The Corporation of the County of Lambton Building Services Department Corrine Nauta , Manager 789 Broadway Street, Box 3000 Wyom ing, ON NON 1TO Telephone: 519-845-0809 x.5352 Email: co rrine.nauta@county-lambton.on.ca Yours tru ly ,
Todd Case
Warden
cc: All Ontario Municipalities
Association of Municipalities of Ontario
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