Q: What is your job title (include a general description of what your job encompasses)?
A: I am a Planner with MHBC Planning. As a consulting planner, my job is to assist clients with obtaining the approvals they need to permit a specific type of land use. In the aggregate industry, this includes both municipal planning approvals, such as an Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment, as well as Aggregate Resources Act Licence Applications. Both of these process include: research and planning analysis, report writing, presentations and representations at public meetings, and meetings with various agencies.
Q: What is it about your job that other people wish they got to do?
A: I get to travel all over Ontario and work on really interesting and complex projects. No two projects are the same and each project comes with its own unique set of challenges. I work with fantastic clients who are committed to both environmental stewardship and social responsibility. I also work with a great team of co-workers, colleagues, and mentors who are experts in their fields and dedicated to the work that they do. As a young professional this is a really terrific experience and opportunity to have so early in my career.
Q: Describe your typical day on the job and how the work you do contributes to your company.
A: There is no typical day and this is probably true for any career in the aggregate industry. This is one of the reasons why I love my job. A key aspect of my job is project coordination, especially for aggregate projects which require a multi-disciplinary team of experts and professionals. Although each team member is working on a relatively small aspect of the project, the Planning and ARA Licencing process requires that all of this information be integrated and presented as a cohesively as possible to the public and decision-making authorities. Project coordination is essential to making sure that projects move through the approval process as quickly and as smoothly as possible. As Project Coordinator it is my role to make sure that timelines are met, all team members have the information and resources they need, and to keep the client informed on the status of the project. I always joke that it is my job to make everyone else's job easier.
Q: How did you get interested in this job/field?
A: After taking a few Planning classes as part of my Undergraduate degree, I knew I wanted to pursue Planning as a career. I grew-up in Northwestern Ontario and have always been interested in resource management and rural issues. When I started my Masters Degree, the Melancthon "Mega-Quarry" project was all over the news. I did a planning policy review paper on the Mega-Quarry project for one of my classes and I was hooked. I did my Masters research on aggregate resource management issues, specifically rehabilitation. As part of my research I interviewed various stakeholders from aggregate industry, including Moreen Miller, who at the time was the CEO of OSSGA. Several months later I received a summer job offer from OSSGA to continue the work on the OSSGA Rehabilitation Study. Through my work with OSSGA I met Anne Guiot, who is chair of the Land-Use Committee. We hit it off right away and I joined the Skelton Brumwell a few months later. I now work for MHBC Planning.
Q: Detail your past and/or ongoing education as it is relevant to your job.
A: I did my Undergraduate Degree in Environment and Resource Studies at the University of Waterloo. A couple years later I returned to the University of Waterloo and completed my Masters Degree in Planning. My co-workers and colleagues in the aggregate industry provide my ongoing education. Their knowledge, experience, and willingness to mentor are the most valuable education for me as I continue to grow in my career.