Public Appointments to Advisory Boards

The advisory board eligibility criteria for appointment are determined in the board’s Terms of Reference, available on the Advisory Boards and Committees page, and will be advertised in the call for recruitment.

TRCA employees and family of members of the Board of Directors and Selection Committee are broadly not eligible for public member appointments on TRCA’s advisory boards.

Additionally, individuals who have a criminal record for which a pardon has not been granted are not eligible.

To apply for an advisory board position, applicants must complete a secure online application form, posted during the advertised recruitment stage, within the timelines specified in the call for recruitment.

• You may only apply for an advisory board position during the open recruitment period.
• You may apply for more than one advisory board, but you need to complete a separate application for each position.
• Current advisory board members who are interested in being reappointed to the board must reapply in the same way as new applicants.

If you need assistance with the online application or prefer a paper copy of the application, please contact us at (437) 880-2328 or clerks@trca.ca.

Conflict of Interest

Applicants must ensure that their personal and pecuniary (i.e., financial) interests do not interfere with their duties as an advisory board member.

A conflict of interest arises when your personal interests conflict, or are perceived to conflict, with the interests of TRCA.

You are required to disclose any personal interests that may conflict with the interests of the advisory board. Disclosure does not disqualify you from consideration for appointment.

Potential conflicts of interest may include:

• Currently doing business with TRCA
• Any interest, direct or indirect, in outstanding litigation involving TRCA
• Any potential direct competition with TRCA for work
• Funding involving TRCA’s partners

When there is a vacancy on an advisory board, TRCA will review the applications received for that position.

All applications are screened for eligibility and qualifications, and are forwarded to an internal Screening Committee, composed of program staff members, tasked with forming an application short list based on the approved qualifications for the advisory board.

The shortlist, together with the applications, is then forwarded to the Selection Committee. The committee may directly select members based on the review of applications, or it may elect to conduct interviews prior to making a final selection.

The goal of the Selection Committee is to ensure the membership makeup includes:

• Applicants who, together, cover the range of qualifications and skills needed by the board
• Both experienced and new members
• Geographic representation of TRCA’s jurisdiction

Candidates proposed by the Selection Committee are approved by the Board of Directors.

Selection Timeline

The selection process may take up to several months. The time it takes is based on a number of factors, including the amount of time required to review the applications, how quickly Selection Committee meetings can be arranged, and how many other vacancies are being filled at the same time.

Preparing for Your Interview

Should the Selection Committee invite you to an interview, you are encouraged to prepare by reviewing information about the advisory board you are applying to join, as well as agenda materials, in order to become familiar with the board and its current work.

All candidates who are interviewed will be asked the same questions by the Selection Committee.

After Your Interview

After the interviews are completed, the Selection Committee recommends candidate appointments to the TRCA Executive Committee first, and then the Board of Directors.

• The names of the recommended candidates are publicly reported and will appear on agendas.
• The Board of Directors then makes the final decision on who the successful candidates will be, which may be the same or different from the Selection Committee’s recommendations.
• The names of the appointed board members will be posted on the Advisory Boards and Committees page.

If you are not selected, your application will remain on file for the term of the board and will be considered for future vacancies on the board. You are encouraged to apply for other board opportunities that may come up.

Terms of Office

Advisory board members typically serve a two-year renewable or four-year term, though the term of office can vary in some cases.

While there are no specific term limits for public appointees, preference may be given to qualified applicants who have not had a previous opportunity to serve over those who are seeking re-appointment after serving two (2) consecutive terms.

Remuneration and Reimbursements

Advisory board members are not typically paid for their service unless Terms of Reference state otherwise. They are eligible for travel reimbursements.