Annual General Meeting Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Woodbine Room, 33 Carlson Court, Toronto, ON. M9W 6H5
The 2025 OPTTA Annual General Meeting was held at the Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport Hotel on June 4th.
Board Chairman Jim Wood presided over the meeting, obtaining an approval of the 2024 AGM minutes and 2024 Audited Financial Statements from the members. A new accounting firm, Wilkinson & Company LLP was appointed as the 2025 Financial Auditors. Jim provided the members in attendance with an update of the corporation’s activities over the past year and conducted the election of the Board of Directors for 2025/26. The existing Board members all agreed to maintain their positions for the next year. In addition, two more Directors were appointed to the Board by the members.
The 2025/26 Board of Directors are:
Calvin Bell, Bell’s Burner Service
Chris Guy, Guy Fuels & Propane
Clinton Askwith, Modern Niagara
Dana Wells, Central Ontario FS
Erin Rhule, GIR North America
Gary Boucher, Gary’s Heating
Jim Wood, J.A. Wood & Associates
Ken Carmichael, Brays Fuels
Matt Naslovar, McDougall Energy
Paul Furlonge, Modern Niagara
Paul Rew, Rubicon Environmental, and
Rick Hineman, Durham Fuels
Having exhausted the 2025 AGM agenda, Jim adjourned the business section of the meeting and proceeded with the day’s information sessions. This year the AGM included a number of engaging presentations that followed the business portion of the meeting.
Sandra Cooke from TSSA started the day off reviewing the recent TSSA Liquid Fuels Compliance Standards that went into effect on April 14th. Sandra also discussed the planned scheduled meeting of the Liquid Fuels Handling Code Technical Working Group and the proposed publishing of the new code.
Owen Kennedy, the TSSA Director of Fuels Safety, provided an update on TSSA’s Licensing Modernization Initiative (LMI) advising members that at this time the scheduled licencing of private fuel outlets, liquid fuels distributors and propane distributors has not received approval from the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement due to the provincial election and other activities that the Ministry is involved in. There is currently not a timetable for this licensing to proceed.
Shawna Meister of the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), provided recent data regarding the use of both illegal and prescribed substances in the workplace, citing survey results from the gas and oil sector. In addition, she presented members with possible programs and methods to address these conditions with workers. Shawna conducted an engaging question and answer session and also advised the group that there will be additional information becoming available from CCSA in the near future and would be sharing that with our association.
Dom Iacobellis and Winston George from Transport Canada presented an informative presentation on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods related matters including intermediate bulk containers, their approved uses and inspection requirements. Their talk also included the use of TDG Equivalency Certificates, explaining their limitations and reviewed OPTTA’s certificate and its use. As Transport Canada TDG Road Inspectors, Winston & Dom fielded multiple questions from the audience and provided us with contact information to use in the future for inquiries concerning Transport Canada.
Jason McWilliams and Cecilia Bince of Marsh Canada provided the OPTTA/Marsh Program staffing structure, discussed current insurance conditions and trends affecting our industry with a focus on the need for ensure that property coverages are set at an accurate value level. Losses by fire or flood has showed that many businesses are not insured adequately rebuild to the same level following a catastrophic loss. In addition, they reviewed our program and shared its advantages.
Luke Pallister from the Risk Consulting Division of Marsh Canada, provided an update of the operational risk reviews that had been conducted on six program participants over the last few months. Luke shared that the recent assessments demonstrated an overall improvement in key areas of potential exposure and Jim Wood had accompanied him, providing a resource for regulatory or code related focused topics program.
Following the speaker’s presentations, Jim thanked everyone for their attendance and adjourned the day’s meeting with included a luncheon and networking period.
AGM AGENDA
10:00 AM – 10:05 AM OPENING REMARKS – JIM WOOD
10:05 AM – 10:45 AM OPTTA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
CHAIRMAN – JIM WOOD
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM SPEAKER PRESENTATION
SPEAKER – SANDRA COOKE, TSSA
TOPIC – FUELS PROGRAM AUDITS & LIQUID FUELS COMPLIANCE STANDARDS
SPEAKER – OWEN KENNEDY, TSSA
TOPIC – UPDATE ON LMI
11:15 AM – 11:30 AM BREAK
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM SPEAKER PRESENTATION
SPEAKER – SHAWNA MEISTER, CANADIAN CENTRE on SUBSTANCE ABUSE & ADDICTION
TOPIC – UNDERSTANDING RISKS and MANAGING SUBSTANCE USE AND THE WORKPLACE
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM SPEAKER PRESENTATION - To Be Confirmed
SPEAKER – TRANSPORT CANADA
TOPIC – FUEL CUBES & TDG
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM SPEAKER PRESENTATION
SPEAKERS – JASON MCWILLIAMS, MARSH CANADA & LUKE PALLISTER,
MARSH RISK CONSULTING CANADA
TOPICS – OPTTA INSURANCE PROGRAM & RISK REVIEW UPDATE
1:00 PM – 1:05 PM CLOSING COMMENTS – JIM WOOD
1:05 PM – 2:00 PM LUNCH
