Annual Conference & Trade Show
Venue & Hotel
Ajax Convention Centre & Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Ajax
When
February 26th - 28th, 2025
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 26th, 2025. 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 $209.00 (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 2025.”
Event Highlights
Engaging Speakers
Onsite Training
Annual General Meeting
Networking
Exhibition & Live Demonstrations
Awards Banquet & Silent Auction
2025 Exhibitors
Exhibitors Coming Soon
2025 Sponsors
Sponsors Coming Soon
2025 Speakers
Speakers Coming Soon
2025 Exhibitors
2025 Sponsors
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Networking/Media
2025 Speakers
James Ross – Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Topic: Ontario Building Code
James Ross began his career in 1992 as a planner in Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing former Plans Administration Branch, Central and Southwest, where he worked for two years. From there he moved to the Building and Development Branch where he has held several positions, including Coordinator of the Building Code Commission and the Building Materials Evaluation Commission, as well as Coordinator of the Policy Unit. Since September 2021 James has taken on the role of Manager in the Building Code Policy Development Unit. James has participated in a number of transformational changes to the building regulatory system and has been involved in the development of the last five editions of the Building Code as well as countless interim amendments. His projects over the years include legislation to allow “as-of-right” second units in houses, responding to falling glass balcony guards, allowing strawbale houses and tiny homes, modernizing farm building requirements, making rapid pandemic-related changes, establishing standards for retirement homes, requiring maintenance inspections of septic systems, allowing early occupancy of supertall buildings, and expanding new technical provisions allowing Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC) buildings to be constructed up to 18 storeys high. James has an undergraduate degree in history and political science from University of Toronto and a graduate degree in urban planning from Columbia University.
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.
Ruhi Sharma - Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Topic: Portable Sanitation Regulatory Updates and Q&A
Hank Dubee – Retired Ministry of Transportation Enforcement SGT
Topic: Commercial Vehicles 101: MTO Requirements, Road Safety and CVOR Compliance
Hank Dubee is a recently retired SGT from the Ministry of Transportation Enforcement Section. Hank offers a wealth of expertise with over 35 years as an Enforcement Supervisor. Hank has a background as a Provincial Trainer for both MTO and OPP, Dangerous Goods Instructor, Cargo Tank Instructor, CVSA Inspector and a Lidar Certified Officer. Specializing in vehicle safety, traffic rules/regulations, his dedication to the safety of Ontario highways shows by sharing his knowledge with the general public through discussions and public presentations.
Alex Tushinski – Basestation
Topic: How to Streamline Your Business with Waste Management Software.
Alex Tushinski is the Founder & CEO of Basestation, a software solution for solid and liquid waste haulers to manage their scheduling, dispatching, routing, asset tracking, and billing. Prior to Basestation, Alex worked in Corporate Development at GFL Environmental. For more information, please visit https://thebasestation.com.
Thank you to our 2023 Exhibitors!
Gold
Silver
Bronze
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.
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.
2024 Award Recipients
President’s Award
This award recognizes a member who has supported and expanded on the Vision, Mission and Values for OASIS and worked diligently to provide valuable resources and ideas to OASIS and its' members.
Recipients: Mark Brosowski, Mike Clark & Rob MacLellan
Robert Noble Award
This award recognizes companies and members who went above and beyond in servicing the requirements of our industry and acting as a representative voice for our membership.
Recipient: Randy Todd
Life Time Achievement Award
This award recognizes an affiliate member who has gone above and beyond their obligations to OASIS to help grow the association, provide valuable industry insight and acted in a responsible and respectful manner for the industry and its' members.
Recipients: Jake Groen, George Smith & Bob Thomson