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OAPSO Fall Regional Conference

 

Announcing the location for the fall OAPSO Regional Conference

The Municipality of Clarington is proud to host the 2010 Regional Conference at its newly opened Newcastle and District Recreation Complex located at 1780 Rudell Road in the village of Newcastle.

       

The Centre is located 1.8 km East of Highway 35/115 off Highway #2 and just 300 meters south of Highway #2 on Rudell Road. 

List of topics to follow but so far we are looking at

·       Property Standards enforcement on Designated Heritage properties

·       Property Standards and Building Code conflicts ie: incomplete buildings with open Building Permits

·       Possibly a return engagement on Hoarding

Any other suggestions are welcome.

 

Please Stay tuned to learn more about the 2010 Annual Education and Training Session which will be held at St. Clair College in Windsor from May 30th - June 4th, 2010.

This years part 4 topics include:

  • Air Quality in Grow Houses and Interpreting Environmental Reports

  • Vacant Buildings (Issues and Strategies)

  • Bed Bugs (Magical Pest Control)

  • Officer Safety (Paul Bonner)

Click Here for Application Form

Since the Ontario Association of Property Standards Officers received its mandate from the provincial government to provide education and certification to property standards officers, the marking criteria for successful completion of the certification courses has remained the same. However, as time passes by things change.  We as an association are automating the marking of exams and tests by use of a scantron marking machine, this has made it necessary for many of the questions to reformatted.  As a result of this reformatting and in order to maintain the high standards which have been established over the years, our education committee has recommended to the board of directors that the overall mark for successful completion be raised from 65% to 70%.  All courses conducted from January 1st, 2010 will require an overall 70% pass mark with a minimum of 50% in each of the three subjects.

 

 

 

Contact:  

Mr. Warwick Perrin,
Education Coordinator
(416) 392-8096

Information on Education and Training

The education and training syllabus supported by The Ontario Association of Property Standards Officers (OAPSO) consists of two independent components:

  1. A Certification Program consisting of three parts; Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. The successful completion of this program, combined with the required field experience, permits the member to apply for the designation as a Certified Property Standards Officer (CPSO);
  2. A Continuing Education Program available to anyone employed in, or generally interested in municipal enforcement and embraces a variety of widespread topics pertaining to by-law enforcement.

Certification Program

PART 1- Basic Course

This course is designed for those people who are relatively new to the domain of Property Standards enforcement and is divided into three (3) main segments:

Investigations:  

 includes basic investigative techniques, record keeping, note taking and field inspections;

Legal:  

 includes the elements and structure of a by-law as well as a basic review of court preparation;

Construction:  

 covers basic building construction details and the concepts involved in a structural inspection process.

This course also provides the opportunity for the participant to receive working experience in preparation of property standards documents, participation in a Property Standards Appeal Committee and an actual site (building) inspection, all of which comprises a portion of the final grade for the course.

PART 2 -Intermediate Course

This course is a continuation of Part 1 with a more advanced study of the three segments:

Investigations:  

 a intense look at the inspection process with the addition of Emergency Orders;

Legal:  

 includes powers of entry, legal terminology and court room decorum;

Construction:  

 the examination of building systems and components such as electrical, plumbing, ventilation and heating as they relate to Property Standards.

This course further entails practical experience in the preparation of court documents, participation in a trial and a more detailed site (building) inspection.

PART 3- Advanced Course

This course completes the mandatory academic portion of the certification program:

Investigations:  

 includes an in-depth look at search warrants and practical experience in preparing affidavits to obtain search warrants;

Legal:  

 includes a review of the Provincial Offences Act;

Construction:  

 includes more advanced knowledge relating to common problems in larger more complex buildings.

The Part 3 course also encompasses presentations by experts relating to Fire Prevention and the Ontario Fire Code, Anti-Graffiti programs as well as Risk Management.

A written examination follows each of the three courses. The participant must achieve a minimum grade of 50% in each segment while achieving an overall course average of 70%.

This program, commonly referred to as Part 4, is open to anyone in the municipal enforcement field. It provides is a good refresher course for members who are already certified, however certification or any other prerequisite is not required for attendance.

There is no requirement for a written examination following the Part 4 Course.

Model Property Standards By-Law

A revised Model Property Standards By-Law developed by this Association is now available.

This By-Law reflects the changes under Tenant Protection Act (1997) and is an excellent reference tool for any municipality revising, or developing a Property Standards By-law.

A copy of this By-Law can be obtain via email or regular mail by contacting the Association Secretary through this Web site