Board Elections - The College of Opticians of Ontario

Registrants Section

2026 COO Board Elections

Call for Nominations opens Thursday, April 23, and closes Friday, May 22, 2026

An election will be held for Board of Directors from September 10 to September 24, 2026. The successful candidates will begin serving a three-year term of office starting January 1, 2027.

If you are a registered optician interested in using your knowledge and skill in the interest of public protection, consider seeking a nomination.

As the governing body of the College, the Board of Directors is committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment, reflective of the diversity of its registrants and the patients they serve. Eligible registrants from equity-deserving groups are encouraged to seek a nomination, including indigenous persons, racialized persons/ persons of colour, women, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities.

How do I seek nomination?

1. Find out if you’re eligible by reviewing the Preliminary Eligibility Checklist.

2. Download and review the Election Guidelines, Nomination Instructions, and FAQs. Please read all information in the nomination package and follow the instructions carefully.

3. Complete the Pre-Election Training Module (Jurisprudence Chapter 4 RHPA) before completing your nomination form. Note: if you already completed this module as part of your annual Professional Portfolio within the last three years, you will need to contact the College at [email protected] to reset your access to the test.

4. Complete the Candidate Consent and Nomination Form

5. Submit your nomination package with the required attachments to the College at [email protected] beginning on April 23, 2026. Your nomination packages must be accurate, complete, and received by no later than May 22, 2026, at 12 p.m.

6. Participate in an interview with the College’s screening Committee. Interviews will be held via Zoom in June 9, 2026.

What skills and attributes make a great Board member?

Anyone seeking election to the board will be interviewed by a panel of the Screening Committee. During the interview, candidates will be asked to demonstrate the following core competencies:

Passion – Public Service Oriented: Demonstrates outstanding initiative and commitment towards the practice of opticianry. Committed to serving the College’s mandate to regulate the profession of opticianry in the public interest.
Exemplified Integrity: Demonstrates a conviction to do what’s right and to reject what’s wrong, regardless of the consequences.
Unbiased and Open Minded: Demonstrates the ability to self-identify and set aside conscious biases. Proactively reflects on the impact of unconscious biases in all situations. Actively listens and absorbs all information to make an informed and open-minded decision.
Critical Judgment and Decision Making: Makes good decisions based upon a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and sound judgment. Comfortably deals with concepts and complexity and looks beyond the obvious to avoid ‘group think’ and/or the status quo.
Collaboration and Inclusion: Demonstrates an open mindset, listens without judgment, and embraces diversity of others and of thought. Seeks to understand and build on the strengths of others.

Electoral District Information

DISTRICT	NAME	DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES	MEMBER	TERM	NEXT ELECTION
1	Southern	The County of Brant, the City of Hamilton, the regional municipalities of Halton and Niagara and the counties of Haldimand and Norfolk, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	P. Imola	2024 -2026	2026 (for 2027 - 2029)
2	Eastern	The City of Kawartha Lakes, the counties of Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton, Hastings, Lennox and Addington, Prince Edward, Frontenac, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Renfrew, Prescott and Russell, Stormount, Dundas and Glengarry, the regional municipality of Durham and the City of Ottawa, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	D. Summers	2025 - 2027	2027 (for 2028 – 2030)
3	Northern	Territorial districts of Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Cochrane, Temiskaming, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Algoma, Manitoulin, and Muskoka, and the District of Sudbury, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	K. Cloutier	2025 - 2027	2027 (for 2028 – 2030)
4	Western	Counties of Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth, Lambton, Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Kent, and Essex, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	J. Battaglia	2026 - 2028	2028 (for 2026 - 2029)
5	Toronto	City of Toronto, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	G. Mohammadi	02-06-2026 to 12-31-2026	2026
6	Contact Lens Mentor	Whole province of Ontario	J.Whalen	2026 - 2028	2027 (for 2028 - 2030)
7	Central Western	The counties of Dufferin and Wellington and the regional municipalities of Peel and Waterloo, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	P. Kalsi	2026 - 2028	2027 (for 2028 - 2030)
8	Central	County of Simcoe and the Regional Municipality of York or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	C. Pacheco	2024 -2026	2026 (for 2027 - 2029)