Operations Corner: Engaging by Forging and Renewing Partnerships

By Doubra C. Ambaiowei, Director, Technical Services

You may have noticed the redesigned logo of the Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council. This revision is intended to reflect our journey and accomplishments of the past as well as our continuing quest to promote quality and sustainable asphalt products and paving techniques in Ontario.

Moving forward, we are implementing a renewed action plan for OAPC’s strategic and operational priorities of quality; sustainability; codes, standards and specifications; research and education; and advocacy and stakeholder relations. The success of our vision and accomplishment of our goals are dependent on an understanding that the future of the industry and the expectations of the road owners are linked.

There MUST be a willingness to tackle issues arising from both industry and road owners by working together to forge and renew partnerships based on a spirit of mutual respect and benefit. OAPC encourages everyone associated with the asphalt industry to voice their views and participate in the decisions that affect the industry –engagement begins with you.

Technically speaking, we will continue to engage our provincial partners at the level of the joint OAPC & MTO Hot Mix Paving Technical Committee, as well as through the MTO Technical Consultation Portal. Municipal specification dialogue will continue at the levels of both the OAPC-Good Roads Municipal HMA Liaison Committee, as well as with the Ontario Provincial Standards Pavement Committee.

The recently constituted OAPC Trillium Ad-Hoc Committee is developing recommendations on the future of the Trillium Award program with input from both road owners and the asphalt paving industry. We have sent out a survey on the future of the Trillium Award program to members and municipal partners. Survey results will be presented at the Good Roads Conference on April 18

Further to our partnership with Good Roads on quantifying quantities of RAP stockpiles in Ontario, we invite all asphalt producers to complete the annual RAP survey closing on June 3, 2023. Click here to take the RAP Survey. The results from the survey will be used to educate municipal and provincial governments on the responsible use of RAP in more road projects across Ontario. Click here to view the 2022 RAP Report discussed at the 2022 OAPC Fall Asphalt Seminar.

Another industry partnership is reviewing the state and practices of high RAP utilization locally, nationally and internationally. Potentially, our vision for responsible RAP utilization could be enhanced through the development of a harmonized RAP tool kit. The tool kit would provide details of pilots and resources for government, asphalt producers and contractors interested in pursuing RAP projects. It may also focus on determining how procurement can be leveraged to reduce the amount of construction and demolition waste being generated from the build environment.

To fulfill OAPC’s mandate for a 10-year industry action plan toward net-zero emissions by 2050, we invite you and your plant and paving crew to be a part of the 2023 OAPC Spring Operations Seminar on March 23. The Spring Ops seminar will focus on energy efficiencies and other considerations for the industry, including an open dialogue on the operational and logistical challenges in asphalt production and laydown.

On April 4, 6, 11 and 13, the Partnersin-Quality Road Tour will stop at London, the GTA, Ottawa and Sudbury respectively. We will have our partner representatives from the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) and WAP Sustainability introduce and discuss everything you need to know about Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for asphalt mixtures.

Thank you to the outgoing OAPC team of executives and directors and welcome to the new team for 2023-24, including directors starting a first term. I wish the new team every success as they direct and support the execution of OAPC’s mandate.