About the OAC

The Opticians Association of Canada (incorporated in 1990) is a professional association representing Licensed Opticians in Canada. Our mission is to promote Licensed Opticians and the profession; to develop and maintain a professional standard of knowledge and proficiency in our occupational field, and to educate and inform vision care consumers about matters related to their eye health. To that end, the Association strives to ensure high quality products and services are provided in Canada by its Opticians and to promote the highest standard of education for those Opticians. In addition, the Association is mandated to review legislation affecting the eye care industry and to seek changes where deemed necessary. To guarantee that these standards are maintained throughout Canada, the Association relies upon its provincial counterparts to carefully monitor the situations in their provinces and to take the appropriate steps to maintain the integrity of the profession and to support their regulatory bodies in protecting the public interest. The OAC provides consumer education through postings on its website, social media channels, by responding to consumer questions and by initiating and encouraging community outreach programs.
 

Mission Statement

The object and purpose for which the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) has been formed is to safeguard the common interest of the profession.  To that end the OAC,

• Promotes and increases, by all lawful means and in the public interest, the delivery by its members of the highest quality of product and services.
• Supports and promotes the highest standards of education and licensing for Canadian Opticians
• Provides a national medium through which a legislative voice speaking on behalf of Canadian Opticians may be heard.
• Publishes journals, reports, pamphlets or other papers in support of its objectives.
• Advocates for all objectives not inconsistent with the public interest for the benefit of Canadian Opticians.

OAC National Board of Directors

The Directors of the OAC shall be a board of eleven (11) representatives consisting of one (1) representative from each province elected by the provincial member opticians plus one additional director appointed by the Board. The National Board of Directors shall elect annually from amongst its members, an executive committee consisting of three (3) members for the purpose of acting on behalf of the OAC. One of these three (3) executive members shall be elected by the National Board as President, one as Vice President and one as Secretary/Treasurer.

The OAC Executive Committee may appoint chairpersons from time to time for the following Committees: Education, Legislation, Public Relations, Fund Raising, Annual General Meeting or any Committees as it may deem necessary.  These chairpersons are selected from amongst the members of the National Board of Directors.  Each Committee has a minimum of two Committee members including the chairperson and the Chair of the Committee may select Committee members from the general membership of the OAC.

The National Board of Directors is scheduled to meet twice yearly.  The frequency of meetings may be changed at any time at the discretion of the Board. The dates of the scheduled meetings of the National Board of Directors of the OAC will be posted on the OAC website.