31st Annual
Conference & Trade Show
Venue & Hotel
Ajax Convention Centre & Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Ajax
When
February 28th – March 1st, 2024
Where
500 Beck Crescent
Ajax, ON
L1Z 1C9
Hotel Accommodations:
A room block has been reserved at the Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Ajax until January 28th, 2024. Reservations made after this date will be subject to availability and the next best available rate. All exhibitors and sponsors are to make their own room reservations. Room prices start at $199.00 (subject to change and availability without notice) with upgrades available on a first come first served basis. Breakfast is not included unless indicated and self-parking is complimentary. Please contact the hotel at 1-800-596-3985 to reserve your room and quote Group ID Code OASIS Conference 2024.”
Event Highlights
Onsite Training
Engaging Speakers
Exhibition
Live Demonstrations
AGM
Networking
Awards Banquet & Auction
2024 Exhibitors
Thank you to our 2023 Exhibitors!
2024 Sponsors
Gold
Silver
Bronze
2024 Speakers
Ruhi Sharma
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development
Topic: Portable Sanitation Regulatory Updates and Q&A
Ruhi Sharma is a Provincial Specialist with the Construction Program at the Ministry of Labour Immigration Training and Skills Development. Prior to joining the Ministry Ruhi completed a 4 year B.A in Political Science at the University of Toronto and then then completed a 4-1/2 year apprenticeship to earn her Certificate of Qualification as a Construction and Maintenance Electrician. After working as a licensed electrician for 15 years on numerous construction projects across the GTA, Ruhi joined the Ministry operations division at the Occupational Health and Safety Branch as a construction inspector. As an inspector, Ruhi audited construction workplaces for compliance with Ontario’s Health and safety legislation, investigated occupational related worker injuries and fatalities and participated in prosecutions for non-compliance with the Act and construction regulations. After 7 years as an inspector, Ruhi chose to pursue a career opportunity at the Ministry’s Occupational Health and Safety Branch in downtown Toronto. Since joining the Branch, Ruhi’s roles have included Provincial Specialist for Vulnerable Workers and currently as a Provincial Specialist for the Construction Program. As a Construction Specialist and a subject matter expert in the Occupational Health and Safety Act and construction regulations, Ruhi works with the Ministry’s operations division to assist inspectors with their enforcement activities. In addition, Ruhi’s role includes informing and consulting with labour and management stakeholders to identify and solicit feedback on the Ministry’s enforcement campaigns and overall strategy to reduce workplace related injuries, fatalities and disease in the construction sector.
Anna Liu
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Topic: Process for renewing/ applying for Environmental Compliance Approval General Q&A
Anna is a Senior Program Support Coordinator in the Permissions and Program Services Section as part of the Environmental Assessment and Permissions Division, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Anna has been with the Ministry for over ten years, and she currently provides policy and program implementation support across various permissions programs, including hauled sewage approvals.
Bert Knip
Make-Way Environmental Technologies Inc.
Topic: System O)) – What’s New?
Bert and his wife Elaine began Make-Way Environmental Technologies Inc. in 1996. They have been involved in the onsite wastewater market in Ontario for almost 28 years selling and promoting sewage treatment systems. In 2018 Make-Way Environmental also began selling and promoting Rainwater Harvesting and Stormwater Management systems. Their office is located in Exeter, Ontario but they move their systems through a network of 20 dealers to cover the entire province. Along with Bert, Make-Way Environmental has five sales representatives scattered throughout Ontario. Today Make-Way is happy to support ten employees where we market, sell and service everything that we sell.
Jodi Burness
Burness Paralegal Services
Topic: Essential Legal Principles for Today’s Trucking Professional
Jodi Burness is the President and lead paralegal of Burness Paralegal Services. Jodi’s family has been involved in the trucking business her whole life. Combining her knowledge of the trucking industry with her passion for the legal system Jodi has established a reputation as one of Ontario’s foremost legal authorities on commercial motor vehicle charges. Having worked on both sides of the courtroom during her 25 year career, as both a trial paralegal, and as a prosecutor for the counties of Lambton and Chatham-Kent, Jodi has established a reputation as one of the most thorough, dedicated and well respected paralegals in the province.
Michelle Dada
MNT Consulting Group Inc.
Topic: Emerging Trends and ECA Approvals
MNT Consulting Group Inc. is a multi-disciplinary engineering and consulting firm specializing in infrastructure design, land development, onsite wastewater systems, stormwater management, planning and development permit processing. We aim to meet the aspirations of our clients, delivering practical solutions to environmental, design and planning issues in a highly effective way, all the while pursuing sustainable solutions which focus on low-impact development strategies and innovative technologies. Our experience and knowledge of Simcoe County development regulations, unique site constraints, and the personnel at local government allow us to assist the developer in each unique project.
MNT Consulting Group Inc. assists in many areas of the land development consulting industry including:
- Pre-Development Analysis in support of Land Acquisition investigations
- Site Plan and Subdivision Design
- Development Approvals Process Expertise
- Project Management Services
- Builder Support Services
- Approvals of Official Plans, Secondary Plans, Block Plans, Draft Plans, Site Plans, Zoning Bylaws, and Registration of Plans of Subdivision
Chad Winger
Encore Insurance Services Inc.
Topic: Cyber Insurance
Chad Winger specializes in commercial insurance at Encore Insurance Services which is based in Kitchener. He has over 12 years of property casualty insurance experience and holds the Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker (C.A.I.B.) accreditation. With a particular focus on environmental risks and directors’ and officers’ liability, Chad has assisted many members in identifying and managing operational risk exposures using risk mitigation techniques and/ or risk transfer insurance. He crafts tailor-made insurance solutions for businesses and acts as an insurance educational resource available to all OASIS members.
Ruslan Pally
Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks
Topic: Process for renewing/ applying for Environmental Compliance Approval General Q&A
Ruslan is a Waste Evaluator in the Application Assessment Unit, Client Services and Permissions Branch, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, where he conducts technical reviews of waste disposal site Environmental Compliance Approval applications, including hauled sewage disposal sites. Ruslan has been with the ministry for over 5 years, and prior to being a Waste Evaluator, he was an Environmental Compliance Officer at the ministry’s Spills Action Centre and York-Durham District Office.
Shelly Bonte-Gelok
Organization/Company
Don Hoekstra
Organization/Company
Paul Parsons
Organization/Company
Matthew Neundorf
Organization/Company
Hitesh Patel
Organization/Company
Chad Winger
Organization/Company
Pete Frazer
Organization/Company
TOPIC
Emerging Septic System
Contamination – Marijuana Facilities
Shelly Bonte-Gelok is a licenced professional engineer with a masters degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Guelph and has worked in private industry, consulting and most people here would have met her when she was the project co-ordinator at the Ontario Rural Wastewater Centre (1999-2001)
In 2002 Shelly joined the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in the Technology Assessment and Standards Development Branch and worked on a variety of files ranging from mercury emissions from incineration and coal fired plants to nutrient management.
In 2018 Shelly transferred to the Resource Recovery Policy Branch at MECP and in January 2019 she joined the Ontario Clean Water Agency as the Program Manager, Biosolids, Organics and Resource Recovery.
2023 Tour
2024 details coming soon
As part of our Annual Conference and Trade Show, we strive to organize tours that showcase innovation in the water and wastewater industry. We are pleased to announce that for our 2023 conference we will be visiting Cave Spring Vineyard.
Cave Spring Vineyard is classified as a sustainable grape grower and wine producer, which is to say that we intervene minimally in the vineyard and in the cellars in order to allow nature to take its course as much as possible in the growing of our grapes and the making of our wine. Our goal is to minimize our impact on the environment so as to preserve the natural world we live in for future generations, while recognizing the need to produce wines that meet the expectations of the marketplace, and are economically viable in the long term.
Cave Spring Vineyard is located in a village setting with access to municipal water supplies. As a result, there is no need for water to be transported to our facility or to tap into local aquifers to supply our needs. In 2015 we installed an in-house wastewater treatment system, which uses natural bacteria to pre-treat wastewater prior to entering the municipal sewer system. This treatment means that the municipal infrastructure is not overburdened by wastewater discharged from the winery. Cave Spring’s wastewater treatment system is a pioneering initiative in the development of sustainable practices within the food and beverage industry in North America.
2019 Award Recipients
Mark Brosowski
President’s Award
Rob MacLellan
Robert Noble Award
Wanda Inglis
Committee Chair Award
Jake Groen
Service Award - 40 Years PolyJohn Canada
Randy Knight
Service Award - 50 Years Glen Knight & Sons Septic Service
Confined Space Entry Awareness
Many workplaces contain spaces that are confined spaces. Confined spaces are high risk work areas that have killed workers and would-be rescuers. Very specific rules need to be followed by workers who work in and around these spaces.
This training program will familiarize a participant with the requirements of Ontario Regulation 632/05 – Confined Spaces. Furthermore, the training program is intended to provide entrants, attendants and competent persons the skills and training required to recognize confined space entry risks and how to establish measured and corresponding controls. Participants will have the opportunity to become familiar with, inspect and use Confined Space Entry (CSE) access equipment and air quality instrumentation.
- Confined space entry accidents
- Regulation 632/05 – Confined Spaces overview
- Statutory and regulatory responsibilities
- Confined space documents
- Recognizing confined space entry hazards
- Assessing risk
- Controlling hazards
- Evaluating Control Measures
- Air Quality Monitoring
- Ventilation and purging
- Lock-out/Tag-out
- Rescue planning
- Classroom interaction with experienced instructors
- Performing hazard assessment and applying appropriate control measures
- Demonstration and hands-on training in the inspection, care and use of personal protective and rescue equipment
- Detailed handouts, videos and quizzes
The confined space entry training program is designed for employers, supervisors and workers who enter or perform related work around confined spaces. Ask about our customized confined space courses for managers, employers, health and safety administrators and those responsible for implementing confined space policies or programs.
Workplace Violence and Harassment
None
For this course we can conduct the training at your facility or at our own training facility, whichever will suit your needs best. There are some great benefits to both approaches. By completing your training on-site we can save your staff travel time, by completing your training at our facility you can benefit from our spacious training room, our state of the art hands on training space and full use of our break room.
This training program will teach learners the legislative requirements and importance of a Workplace Violence and Harassment policy. Participants will also be lead through a review of the legislative provisions that prohibit violence and harassment in the workplace, as detailed in the Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA).
- Why You Should Be Concerned About Workplace Violence And Harassment
- What is Workplace Violence and Harassment
- The Legal Requirements for Policies and Procedures
- The Need to Conduct a Risk Assessment
- How Domestic Violence Can Impact the Workplace
- Steps to Developing a Workplace Violence and Workplace Harassment Procedure
- Classroom interaction with experienced instructors
- Group discussions.
- Detailed handouts, videos and quizzes
Workers from all Ontario workplace sectors. New hires, Joint Health and Safety Committee members and any worker who wishes to have a deeper understanding of legislative rights and responsibilities mandated by theOccupational Health and Safety Act.
½ Day (4 Hours)
OHSA Supervisory Due Diligence
None
For this course we can conduct the training at your facility or at our own training facility, whichever will suit your needs best. There are some great benefits to both approaches. By completing your training on-site we can save your staff travel time, by completing your training at our facility you can benefit from our spacious training room, our state of the art hands on training space and full use of our break room.
Employers must ensure that a supervisor who performs work for the employer completes a basic occupational health and safety awareness training program that meets the requirements of Ontario Regulation 297/13 – Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training Regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) within one week of performing work as a supervisor.
This training program will help prepare supervisors for their critical role as a competent person in the workplace charged with the duty of ensuring every precaution reasonable is undertaken to keep workers safe.
- The Internal Responsibility System / Due Diligence.
- The duties and rights of workers under the OHSA.
- The duties of employers and supervisors under the Act.
- The roles of health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees under the Act.
- The work refusal process.
- The roles of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and entities designated under section 22.5 of the Act with respect to occupational health and safety.
- How to recognize, assess and control workplace hazards, and evaluate those controls.
- Sources of information on occupational health and safety.
- Classroom interaction with experienced instructors
- Overview of the Occupational Health and Safety Act
- Exercises to help increase learning
- Detailed handouts and quizzes
Supervisors, foreman, lead hands and new hires into supervisory positions will find these training program material clarify will help encourage sound health and safety stewardship of workers in any workplace.
4 hours
Accident and Incident Investigation
None
For this course we can conduct the training at your facility or at our own training facility, whichever will suit your needs best. There are some great benefits to both approaches. By completing your training on-site we can save your staff travel time, by completing your training at our facility you can benefit from our spacious training room, our state of the art hands on training space and full use of our break room.
This training program has been designed to provide learners with accident / incident investigation theory which is then applied in hands-on scenarios. The program covers the purpose, value and benefits of an investigation, legal reporting requirements, and proven steps and techniques for conducting effective investigations.
Participants are equipped with the essential knowledge, skills and tools to conduct investigations and prevent costly recurrences. The investigation of accidents and incidents is a core activity within a functional health and safety program.
- Legislative requirements reporting
- Securing and surveying the incident scene
- Investigation theories
- Interview etiquette
- Finding witnesses and conducting interviews
- Information gathering and report writing
- Determining causes and making recommendations
- Classroom interaction with experienced instructors
- Exploring legislative requirements
- Using table-top and staged accident scenario based exercises to apply theory
- Detailed handouts, videos and quizzes
Employers, supervisors, health and safety representatives, JHSC members, and anyone who could be involved in investigating an accident or incident.
½ Day (4 Hours)