Director Appointments

Board of Directors Class 1, 2, 3 User Group Nomination Package

If you wish to apply to be a member of the board of directors, please download a nomination package at the link below.

Director Appointments

It is the responsibility of the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority’s Board of Directors to exercise oversight of the activities of HOPA, acting honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the port authority.

The Board of Directors for the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority is composed of 7 members appointed to office as follows:

  • the Governor in Council appoints one (1) individual nominated by the Minister;

Federal Application Portal: https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/topics/appointments/governor-council.html 

  • the Corporations of the City of Oshawa and the City of Hamilton, in consultation with the Corporation of the City of Burlington, appoints one (1) individual;
  • the Province of Ontario appoints one (1) individual; 

Ontario Application Portal: https://www.ontario.ca/page/public-appointments

  • the Governor in Council appoints the four (4) remaining individuals nominated by the Minister in consultation with the HOPA Nominating Committee

Role of the Nominating Committee

The permanent Nominating Committee (NC) of the HOPA is composed of four members representing port users; one person elected by users in Class 1; two persons elected by users in Class 2; and one person elected by users in Class 3.

Definition of “User”

As outlined in the Canada Marine Act, a “user” is defined as a person (including a partnership, an association, a body corporate or an individual) who makes commercial use of, or provides services at, the Port.

Classes of Users

As set out in the Hamilton Port Authority Letters Patent, Schedule “D”, Classes of Users are as follows:
  • Private Docks
  • Port Authority Docks and Related Businesses
  • All other port users, including but not limited to labour, environmental and recreational users

Process for Nominations

In the event of a vacant User Director position, or an anticipated vacancy, the CEO, in consultation with the Nominating Committee, coordinates a list of potential candidates. The users within Class 1 will recommend potential candidates for one of the User Director positions; the users within Class 2 will recommend potential candidates for two of the User Director positions; and the users within Class 3 will recommend potential candidates for one of the User Director positions. After review of the nominations, the Nominating Committee provides recommendations to the Minister of Transport. Subsequently, the Minister will nominate individuals to the Governor in Council to serve on the Board of the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority.

Experience and Knowledge Requirements for Directors

Directors appointed shall have generally acknowledged and accepted stature within the transportation industry or the business community and relevant knowledge and extensive experience related to the management of a business, to the operation of a port or to maritime trade.

Who is Not Eligible

The following persons are not eligible to be directors of a port authority (per Canada Marine Act, Section 16 (a-h):
  • An individual who is a mayor, councillor, officer or employee of a municipality mentioned in the Port’s Letters Patent (Hamilton, Oshawa, Burlington);
  • An individual who is a member of the Legislature of a Province, or an officer or employee of the Public Service or of a Crown corporation of a Province (Ontario);
  • A Senator or a member of Parliament or an officer or employee of the federal public service or of a federal Crown corporation;
  • An individual who is not a resident Canadian, as defined in Subsection 2(1) of the Canada Business Corporations Act;
  • An individual who is a director, officer or employee of a person who is a user of the Port;
  • An individual who is under eighteen years of age;
  • An individual who has been declared mentally incompetent by a court in Canada or elsewhere, or;
  • An individual who is an undischarged bankrupt