Governance

Get to know more about how the GCAO operates

By-laws

Click here to view the full GCAO by-laws PDF.

Statements of Policy

Click here to view the full GCAO Statements of Policy PDF.

Directors’ Duties

President

  • Call (including the preparation of agendas) and preside over, when present, all meetings of the Association and its Board of Directors.
  • Be responsible for the general management and supervision of the affairs and operations of the Association in accordance with its goals and objects, and policies adopted by the Board of Directors.
  • Provide leadership in the initiation of new policies and programs and act as the Association’s principal spokesman.
  • Exercise primary authority in the signing of the Association’s financing instruments, contracts and certificates of membership, and send letters of welcome to new members and “sunset” letters to those whose membership is ending.
  • Receive nominations for the Association’s Integrity and Ethics Award and present the award to a candidate approved by the Board of Directors.

First Vice-President

  • Assume, in the President’s absence, his duties and functions.
  • Administer the Tendering Practices portfolio on behalf of the Association.

Second Vice-President

  • Assume, in the absence of the President and First Vice-President, their duties and functions.

Immediate Past President

  • Serve as chair of the Association’s Nominating Committee.
  • Assume, in the absence of the President and Vice-Presidents, their duties and functions.
  • Administer the Project Awards Program.

Secretary

  • Distribute to the Association’s membership the Notice and Agenda for all Annual General Meetings or other general membership meetings.
  • Record and distribute the minutes of the Board of Directors and of the Annual General Meeting and other general meetings.
  • Maintain the official records and the seal of the Association.
  • Ensure that one copy of all minutes and associated material and other records of lasting importance is compiled at year-end and deposited with the Ottawa Construction Association for archiving.
  • The Secretary shall provide the GCAO plaques for presentation to the outgoing President and to the recipient of the Integrity and Ethics Award.
  • Check the GCAO mail delivered to the Ottawa Construction Association office.

Treasurer

  • Maintain the financial records of the Association.
  • Distribute the financial report at each meeting of the Board of Directors.
  • Arrange annually for a financial audit to be conducted by a non-board member of the Board of Directors.
  • Submit an audited financial statement at the Annual General Meeting.
  • Collect, record and deposit all revenues.
  • Pay all invoices after reviewing their appropriateness.
  • File Harmonized Sales Tax Returns quarterly and Corporate Income Tax Returns within five months of year-end. (Note: no income tax is payable because of the Association’s Not-for-Profit status, but a return is required.)
  • Report all changes in the Board of Directors to the appropriate ministry of the Government of Ontario.

Tendering Practices Portfolio (First Vice-President)

  • Promote fair and equitable tendering and contract administration procedures.
  • Conduct joint meetings with Owners, Project Management Firms and Design Consultants as may be required.
  • Make representations on a project basis on infractions of approved tendering practices.
  • Chair special task groups as may be required to deal with specific issues requiring detailed examination.
  • Submit an activity report for distribution at all general meetings.

Membership Director

  • Routinely report status of membership at each Board of Directors meeting.
  • Actively recruit new members and follow up on any non-renewals.
  • Maintain the official GCAO membership list and identify those members assigned to each director to contact to promote attendance at general meetings and other events sponsored by the Association.
  • Submit an activity report and current membership list for distribution at the Annual General Meeting.

Communications Director

  • Prepare and distribute to all members quarterly newsletters, supplemented by special bulletins, concerning Association activities and other pertinent information.
  • Maintain liaison with the Construction Trade Press, Business Editors and other Media serving the Ottawa Region, and provide them with information concerning the Association as circumstances warrant.
  • Provide copies of the Association’s newsletters and of any news releases to Sister Associations including the Ottawa Construction Association, the Ontario General Contractors Association, and the Canadian Construction Association.
  • Submit an activity report for distribution at the Annual General Meeting.
  • Prepare the printed report to the membership distributed at the Annual General Meetings.

Nominations Director

  • Chair the nominating committee appointed to receive nominations for the elections for the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting.
  • Ascertain the eligibility and willingness of nominees to serve as Director.
  • Submit a proposed slate for the approval of the Board of Directors at least ten days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
  • In the event of the nominees exceeding the number of positions, conduct an election in accordance with the association’s by-laws.

Entertainment Director

  • Plan and organize special events of a recreational and/or social nature conducive to an enhanced cohesiveness with the Association.
  • Routinely report the status of special functions at each Board of Directors meeting.
  • Assist in the development of programs for the general meetings of the Association.
  • Submit an activity report for distribution at the Annual General Meeting.
  • Provide sign-In sheets and badges for the General Meetings and Annual Reception; special name tags for the Directors at the Annual Reception; a gift for Guest Speakers; and flowers or appropriate gift for the Award Winner’s significant other if present.

Web Site Director

  • Maintain the Association’s web-site (www.gcaottawa.com) on a regular basis.
  • Routinely report status of the web site at each Board of Directors meeting.
  • Submit an activity report for distribution at all general meetings.

Liaison Director(s)

  • Promote greater industry unity through two-way communications at the Board of Directors level with other construction associations concerning policies and programs.
  • Solicit opinions and/or support from other construction associations concerning approved or contemplated policies of the Association.

Executive Director

  • Render assistance to the President and other members of the Board of Directors in the execution of their duties.
  • Engage, as a neutral party, in discussion and correspondence, in the promotion of approved tendering and contract administration practices.
  • Serve as secretary of the Joint Committee with organizations representing the design professions and, if so directed, of other joint meetings involving the Association.

Privacy Policy:
GCAO POLICY STATEMENT CONCERNING “PRIVACY ACT”

Pursuant to the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), the following personal information has been collected by theAssociation:

1. Application Form

The Association’s Membership Application Form requests information with respect to the company’s telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, web-site and representative’s name.

2. Web Site

The Association’s web-site contains the telephone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses of members of the Board of Directors. The purpose is to facilitate communication between Directors and also between Members and the appropriate Director (i.e. the one whose portfolio relates to the topic which the Member wishes to raise). Those Directors whose e-mail address is listed have given their permission for such action.

The Association’s web-site also contains a Membership Directory which lists the information derived from membership records. Links are provided to those firms which have their own web-site. Public and Private Owners and Design Consultants have been advised that the GCAO web-site is a valuable basic database to assist them in the selection of firms to consider for their projects. Some of the listings in the GCAO web-site and Members’ web-sites contain the e-mail address of individuals in the firms to whom inquiries should be directed. Insofar as the GCAO web-site is concerned, the Member firms have been asked to certify that they approve of this identification.

3. Reception Invitation List

The Association hosts an Annual Appreciation Reception to which Owners, Architects, Consulting Engineers etc. are invited. The GCAO Secretary maintains a mailing list in electronic form from which address labels are generated for the mailing of printed invitations. In most cases the addresses are those of companies but in some instances they are addressed to public office holders or officials or other individuals. The mailing list is not used for any other purposes or provided to any other organization.

4. Letters to Owners

This joint committee periodically sends a “Letter to the Principal Owners of Ottawa and Surrounding Region”.

These letters are sent to public bodies or private corporations, addressed to the attention of the appropriate official. The distribution list is maintained by a Director of the Association, who distributes the letters by fax. The list is not used for any other purpose or made available to any other organization.