BOARD POSITIONS

Needed: Director
Organization: Bay Area Restoration Council
Location: Hamilton/Ontario. (Board meetings, events, and activities are generally in Hamilton, and are a combination of online and in-person)

Application to the Board of Directors

Thank you for considering an application to serve on the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC).

BARC’s Vision, Mission, Values and Priorities

Vision

A thriving, healthy, and accessible Harbour for all.

Mission

To lead and engage in collective action to revitalize Hamilton Harbour and its watershed through education and collaboration.

Values

Integrity. We act in the public interest with candour and reliability, rigour and consistency.

Optimism. We provide a collaborative and pragmatic hopefulness to shared goal setting and problem solving.

Inclusiveness. We foster communities of practice that welcome and respect a diversity of ideas and perspectives.

Learning. We advance appreciation and discovery in our relations to water, the environment, and to each other.

Progress. We encourage collective action and social change, resilience and reconciliation.

Priorities & Strategies

Educate and increase public awareness and understanding to improve the Hamilton Harbour community’s relationship with water.

We do this through relevant, impactful, and engaging water-focused educational programming, taking actions to increase the community’s awareness and understanding of the importance of healthy and sustainable water, and communicating important water issues and research to the public.

Engage the Hamilton Harbour community to take action, steward water, and foster sustainability for generations to come.

We do this by providing experiential opportunities for community members in programming, outreach, and monitoring activities across the Hamilton Harbour watershed, by providing leadership development opportunities to engage community members in restoration and stewardship, and by providing a source of news, research, and resources on Hamilton Harbour, its watershed, and related restoration and water sustainability issues and ideas.

Advance initiatives, collaboration, and resilience in the governance and management of the Hamilton Harbour watershed.

We do this by promoting, monitoring, and assessing the implementation of the Hamilton Harbour RAP, by leading or participating in collaborative initiatives that promote an integrated watershed perspective in management and planning, and by leveraging partnerships and relationships to improve and communicate the state of Hamilton Harbour and its watershed.

Our Story

The degradation of Hamilton Harbour over time resulted in its designation as a Great Lakes Area of Concern and the need for the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan (RAP) to address the problems. BARC has represented the public interest in the restoration of Hamilton Harbour and its watershed since being incorporated in 1991 as an Ontario non-profit corporation with charitable status.

BARC is responsible for community engagement and educational activities in the implementation of the Hamilton Harbour RAP. BARC encourages public understanding and citizen action through school programs, volunteer participation, public workshops, evaluative reporting on current issues and opportunities for digital communications.

BARC receives funding from local municipalities, government grants and programs, private corporations and foundations, and individual donations. In 2023, we had more than 15,000 participants in our educational programming and more than 200 community volunteers involved in habitat restoration, community-based environmental monitoring, and other events.

For additional information about BARC, please refer to our website at BayAreaRestoration.ca.

BARC’s Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for developing and monitoring the vision, priorities and strategic direction of BARC. In addition, the Board annually reviews and continuously oversees BARC’s compliance with its own governing documents and all applicable laws and regulations.

The Board is also responsible for approving and monitoring BARC’s annual budget to ensure that the organization can meet its needs and fulfill its obligations. Responsibility for day to day management of the organization is delegated to the Executive Director who reports to the Board. Individual board members have no authority to direct any staff or to act independently of the full Board on policy matters.

The Board includes representatives of the Harbour communities and the key stakeholder groups engaged in its restoration. Once elected, the Board members are not expected to represent their affiliates but serve with “hats off.” Directors are unpaid volunteers and are indemnified as required under Ontario law. Board members with a conflict of interest in relation to any item on the Board’s agenda may not participate in decisions related to that matter.

Directors serve two-year terms and may be re-elected for two additional terms, for a total of six years. Directors in the Executive Committee (President, Vice-President, Past President and Treasurer) are elected by the Board members.

Monthly meetings are held on weekdays after business hours. The Annual General Meeting is typically held in June each year. Typically, there are no meetings in July and December. Meeting dates are arranged with the Board, generally on a semi-annual basis. Directors are also encouraged to attend special events.

BARC is currently looking for qualified Board members, particularly individuals with knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• Finance and accounting
• Fundraising
• Traditional ecological/environmental knowledge
• Indigenous consultation
• Community affiliation
• Legal

BARC’s General and Executive Committee by-laws are available upon request.

Apply to BARC’s Board of Directors

Please apply using the online application.

Applications are being considered on a rolling basis through Friday, May 10, 2024.

Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.ca.

For questions about the organization or assistance with the application process, contact the Executive Director at chris@bayarearestoration.ca , chris@bayarearestoration.ca .

Thank you for your interest in BARC!