AGM: Frequently asked questions

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is OMA’s formal yearly meeting of members, required under the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA).

It’s where the board reports to members on the organization’s activities and finances, and where members exercise their governance rights.

At the AGM, members:

• Receive the annual financial statements
• Hear updates from the board
• Confirm the results of board elections (as required)
• Vote on matters that require member approval

The AGM focuses on governance and accountability.

The 2026 AGM will be held in Ottawa.

The meeting will be fully hybrid. Members may choose to attend:

• In person in Ottawa
• Virtually from anywhere in the province

Members participating virtually will have the same ability to speak and vote as members attending in person.

As part of OMA’s rotating approach, the in-person location moves district to district each year to support geographic accessibility. The 2027 AGM will be hosted in District 3, and the rotation will continue across all districts over time.

Formal notice — including agenda, registration information, and voting details — will be provided in advance.

Because the law requires it, and because it’s an important opportunity for transparency.

The AGM ensures members have oversight of the organization and a formal role in key corporate decisions.

The AGM is always held on the first Thursday of May.

Members receive formal notice in advance with details about timing, location, and how to participate.

The in-person portion of the AGM rotates among OMA districts each year to make it accessible across the province.

For example:

• 2022: Thunder Bay
• 2023: Windsor
• 2024: Sudbury
• 2025: London
• 2026: Ottawa
• 2027: District 3
• 2028: District 7
• 2029: District 4
• 2030: District 6
• 2031: District 5
• 2031: District 11

The AGM will continue rotating through all districts over time. Members may also participate virtually, consistent with OMA’s bylaws.

The AGM marks the formal transition of OMA’s presidential leadership.

At the meeting:

• The outgoing president delivers their final remarks to the membership, reflecting on the past year
• The incoming president is formally installed and addresses members for the first time in their new role

The incoming president assumes office at the conclusion of the AGM, with the presidential term running from AGM to AGM.

For 2026:

• Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman will provide her final remarks as president
• Dr. Rebecca Hicks will be installed as president and will deliver her first remarks to the membership

This transition is an important part of OMA’s governance cycle and ensures continuity of leadership.

All ordinary members, life members, non-physician members, medical student members, resident members in good standing may attend.

Voting eligibility is determined by OMA’s bylaws and articles of incorporation and your membership status as of the record date set for the meeting.

No, honoraria are not provided for attendance or participation at the AGM. Honoraria may be provided only to physician leaders who have a formal role in the meeting (for example, serving as chair or presenting a report).

The AGM is considered part of the organization’s core governance process and an important opportunity for members to exercise their voting rights and engage with leadership.

Quorum is the minimum number of eligible voting members required for the meeting to proceed. Quorum is 50 members.

If quorum is not met, the AGM cannot conduct binding votes.

If quorum isn’t achieved, the meeting may be adjourned and rescheduled in accordance with the bylaws. Members will be informed of next steps.

Voting is conducted during the meeting via a secure voting platform. Virtual and in-person participants have equal voting rights.

Most matters require a simple majority (more than 50 per cent of votes cast).

Certain fundamental matters require a two-thirds vote. This is explained below under “special resolutions.”

ONCA requires that board directors be elected by “ordinary resolution,” which means they receive a simple majority of the votes cast. In the event that an elected candidate for the board or president-elect doesn’t receive the required majority (more than 50 per cent +1 of votes cast), the results will be brought forward to members at the OMA’s Annual General Meeting for ratification. This will satisfy the ONCA requirement. 

The chair presides over the meeting and ensures it runs in an orderly, fair, and respectful manner.

The chair:

• Follows the agenda
• Recognizes speakers
• Rules on procedural matters
• Ensures votes are conducted properly
• Applies the bylaws and meeting rules

Members:

• Review materials in advance
• Ask questions
• Participate respectfully in discussion
• Vote on matters before the meeting

Constructive engagement helps ensure the meeting is productive and focused.

Yes.

The question period is an important part of the AGM. Members may ask questions during the meeting in accordance with the procedures outlined in the AGM materials.

In addition to questions related to formal business, members may ask broader questions of board and executive leadership. Panel of board and executive members will be available to respond to general questions about OMA’s work and direction.

To ensure fairness, speakers may be subject to time limits and similar questions may be grouped together.

A point of order is a procedural question raised by a member during the meeting.

It may be used if a member believes:

• The meeting rules are not being followed; or
• Discussion has moved outside the scope of the motion or agenda

The chair will rule on the point of order so the meeting can proceed appropriately.

Procedural motions related to the conduct of the meeting (for example, to adjourn or amend a motion currently under discussion) may be permitted during the meeting, consistent with the bylaws and meeting rules.

New substantive motions are considered proposals and must be submitted in advance in accordance with ONCA requirements. These are explained below.

The chair will determine whether a motion is in order.

A member proposal is a formal way for members to bring an issue forward for consideration by the membership. Under the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA), eligible voting members may submit a proposal in advance of a members’ meeting (such as the AGM). If it meets the requirements set out in the Act, the organization must include the proposal in the meeting materials circulated to members.

A resolution, on the other hand, is the formal decision made by members through a vote at a meeting.

In practice, a member proposal often leads to a motion being brought forward at the meeting for members to debate and vote on. If that motion passes, it becomes a resolution of the membership.

Members may submit a proposal for consideration at the AGM.

Under ONCA:

• Proposals must be submitted in writing
• They must be received at least 60 days before the AGM

For a May 7 AGM, the deadline would be March 8.

Proposals should be sent to the corporation, typically through the Corporate Secretary.

There is no required template. However, legislation limits proposals to 500 characters (including spaces).

In certain circumstances, yes.

Under ONCA, a proposal may be refused if:

• It is submitted after the deadline
• It is primarily a personal grievance
• It substantially repeats a proposal already defeated by members
• It does not relate meaningfully to OMA’s activities

If a proposal is refused, written reasons must be provided.

If a proposal names specific individuals for election as directors, it must be supported by at least five per cent of the membership.

This requirement does not apply to:

• Proposals to remove a director
• Proposals calling for an election without naming candidates

In many meetings, members may propose amendments to motions from the floor in accordance with Nathan's Rules of Order, which generally allows members to suggest changes to motions before a vote takes place.

However, when a matter has been brought forward as a member proposal under the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, or when the motion involves something that requires advance notice to members (such as a bylaw amendment), there are practical limits on what can be changed at the meeting.

Because members must receive notice of significant matters before voting on them, amendments made during the meeting should not fundamentally change the substance of what was originally circulated to members. Minor clarifications or wording adjustments may be considered, but substantial changes would typically require the matter to be brought back to members with proper notice at a future meeting.

If a substantive amendment is proposed, note will be made of it. The board can then deliberate on it and, if appropriate, bring it forward to all members for approval at a future meeting.

This approach helps ensure transparency and allows all members to understand in advance what decisions they are being asked to consider.

An ordinary resolution requires a simple majority, more than 50 per cent of votes cast.

A special resolution requires at least two-thirds (2/3) of votes cast.

Under ONCA, special resolutions are required for:

• Amendments to the Articles of Incorporation; and
• Certain bylaw changes relating to notice of meetings or absentee voting.

Most other bylaw amendments require only a simple majority vote.

Yes. All members planning to attend the AGM, whether in person or virtually, are asked to pre-register. All participants will need to access the meeting platform in order to vote on motions and fully participate in the meeting. Registration ensures we have your name and contact details so we can provide access credentials, log-in information, and instructions in advance of the meeting.

Registration will open in mid-March. All members will receive an email with registration details.

Registration will remain open up to and throughout the AGM on May 7. However, members are strongly encouraged to register in advance. Pre-registering allows staff to provide timely access to the meeting platform and ensures you receive your log-in credentials and detailed participation instructions before the meeting begins.