The Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority (OMCIAA) may be a private not-for-profit corporation, but when it comes to governance, OMCIAA holds itself accountable to the region it serves through the oversight of its diverse Board of Directors.
Chair Susan St. Amand plays a key role as the liaison between the Board and the corporation’s senior management team, through CEO Mark Laroche.
St. Amand ensures the Board approves the strategy and long-term objectives of the corporation, while Laroche manages YOW’s day-to-day operation.
Why is this important to the residents of our region?
“This demonstrates our commitment to being a community-based organization with the oversight to ensure we are best serving Ottawa-Gatineau’s interests through all that we do,” said St. Amand. “Our nominations process focuses on skills requirement and a gender-balanced approach.”
OMCIAA’s Board of Directors follows guidelines enshrined in its by-laws, some of which are:
Each director has a fiduciary duty to the Airport Authority.
Include professional representation nominated by all three levels of government as well as community and business organizations.
Directors shall not be elected officials or government employees.
– Each director must file a Conflict of Interest declaration and meet Conflict of Interest rules.
– Each director must adhere to the Authority’s Code of Business Conduct and the Public Accountability Principles for Canadian Airport Authorities that are in force across Canada.
– The selection process ensures that the Board of Directors collectively has the skills and knowledge necessary to carry out the duties of the Board with experience in the fields of law, engineering, accounting and management. The Board’s Governance Committee ensures each candidate has no possible conflicts of interest.
– Each director serves for a three-year term and can stand for re-election, but can’t serve more than three terms. Ten of 14 of positions on the Board are filled by eight external selecting bodies, in addition to the Minister of Transport and Province of Ontario, while the Board fills the remaining four to round out the skillset.
“As Chair, it’s my role to ensure the entire organization is charting the right course by way of the Authority’s Strategic Plan, while Mark and his team steer the ship, to provide safe, secure and quality transportation services, and serve as Ottawa-Gatineau’s gateway to the world,” St. Amand said.
To learn more about YOW’s governance, please read the annual report at https://yow.ca/2015AnnualReport.
