ORFA News

What is recertification and why am I required to recertify?

Being the recipient of an ORFA professional designation is a personal achievement that signifies you have reached a level of proficiency that is recognized by the recreation facility sector and your peers. Maintaining your ORFA industry-leading credential further indicates that you are committed to the profession and dedicated to lifelong learning. Recertification is a very common self-regulation approach adopted by many professional associations seeking to ensure its members remain the most qualified individuals within an industry or sector. The ORFA recertification process is designed to be accessible, achievable, and affordable for all ORFA professional designations holders.

When is recertification and what is is required?

The ORFA has adopted a five (5) year recertification period which requires the designation holder to earn fifty (50) professional development credits (PDC) within this timeframe. Each one (1) hour of professional development activity equals one (1) professional development credit. Alternatively, the designation holder may choose not to collect and log professional development credits over the five year period but rather elect to write the online exam specific to each designation or participate in a recertification course, where available.

Effective January 1, 2018, ORFA members who were previously awarded the following professional designations will begin their five-year recertification period from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022:

• Certified Aquatic Professional (CAP)

• Certified Aquatic Technician (CAT)

• Certified Grounds Technician (CGT)

• Certified Building Technician (CBT)

• Certified Arena Refrigeration Plant Technician (CARPT)

• Certified Recreation Facilities Professional (CRFP)

Effective January 1, 2018, ORFA members who hold the NHL-recognized Certified Ice Technician (CIT) professional designation will continue with their existing recertification timeframe, as previously notified by the ORFA. In addition to the existing CIT Recertification course, and CIT online exam, CIT holders may elect to recertify by following the new ORFA PDC recertification process.

How do I complete the recertification process and what is the fee?

Each ORFA professional designation holder is responsible for tracking their own credits over the five-year period, entering the information onto their online professional development credits logbook and submitting the logbook to the ORFA. There is no fee associated with submission of your recertification log to the ORFA for review and confirmation of successful completion. However, all recertification courses and online exams will have corresponding fees, as published yearly by the ORFA.

The designation holder may accumulate the required fifty (50) professional development credits by participating in activities in any one, or combination, of the following three recertification categories:

Three Recertification Categories: Maximum Number of Credits:

Personal Professional Development (You) no limit

Organizational Development (Your Job) 15 credits

Recreation Facility Profession (Your Profession) 20 credits

(A) Personal Professional Development (You)

Successful completion of learning activities (classroom or online):

(B) Organizational Development (Your Job)

Completion of work-related projects that made a significant contribution to your organization (outside of standard work duties) including examples such as: new infrastructure projects, renovations/repurpose, asset management plans, JHSC member, policy/procedures projects, HR management, financial, logistics, etc.

(C) Recreation Facility Profession (Your Profession)

Activities that highlight your knowledge and leadership skills for the betterment of the recreation facility profession including examples such as: teaching, presenting, facilitating, research, writing, publishing, course development, volunteering, etc.

How do I log my professional development credits?

Please visit the Professional Designation section at www.orfa.com to find the PDF version of the log which you may use to manually write-in your information and attach supporting documentation ready for submission to the ORFA, or you may access the online version and complete the log and submit the required information to ORFA entirely online.

ORFA Professional Designation Recertification Log

First Name: Last Name:

Recertification Category: Personal Professional Development	Event Title	Event Description	Date(s) Attended	Documentation Confirming Attendance (e.g. certificate, transcript, etc.)	Hours Attended	Credits Requested
Recertification Category: Organizational Development	Project Title	Project Description	Project Start/End Dates	Documentation Confirming Project Completion	Project Hours	Credits Requested
Recertification Category: Recreation Facility Profession	Activity	Description	Start/End Dates	Documentation Confirming Participation	Activity Hours	Credits Requested

How will I know when I am due to recertify?

The ORFA will notify you by email the November prior to the year you are due to recertify. What this means is that you will have the entire following year to finalize your required recertification efforts and to make your submission to the ORFA for recertification validation. Please be reminded that if you are following the Professional Development Credits process, do not wait until your final year to accumulate your credits; make sure to log your credits during your five year recertification timeframe.

May I use my professional development credits towards more than one ORFA professional designation?

The recertification process is based on a five-year recertification cycle. If you hold more than one ORFA professional designation you may use the same professional development credits for those professional designations that fall into the same five-year recertification timeframe. If you hold one or more ORFA professional designations that do not fall into the same five-year recertification cycle, you are required to log new professional development credits for those professional designations. For example:

In 2018, Mike Smith is awarded ORFA’s Certified Recreation Facilities Professional (CRFP) and Certified Aquatic Technician (CAT) professional designations. In 2022, Mike needs to recertify his CRFP and CAT using the recertification process as described. He may apply the same professional development credits earned between the years 2018 and 2022 towards both recertification applications. This would be true if Mike held even more ORFA professional designations all requiring recertification in the same year.

In 2019, Mike Smith is awarded ORFA's Certified Grounds Technician (CGT) professional designation. In 2023, Mike needs to recertify his CGT using the recertification process as described. He may apply professional development credits earned between the years 2019 and 2023.

In 2020, Mike Smith is awarded ORFA's Certified Building Technician (CBT) professional designation. In 2024, Mike needs to recertify his CBT using the recertification process as described. He may apply professional development credits earned between the years 2020 and 2024.

What happens if I do not recertify my ORFA professional designation(s)?

All ORFA members who hold ORFA professional designations are required to recertify every five years. They have until December 31st of the fifth year to accomplish recertification. If so desired, members may recertify earlier than every five years. Individual membership must be maintained to retain use of the professional designation. If ORFA members who hold ORFA professional designations do not recertify within the five-year recertification timeframe, the following actions will be taken:

Professional Designation Suspended after 5 Years plus 6 months: Individuals who do not recertify by December 31st in their recertifying year will have their credential suspended for up to six (6) months following the December 31st deadline. Those who wish to recertify during this six-month period may do so by successfully completing the recertification process. A $75.00 administration fee will be applicable. During the six-month suspension period, individual membership must be maintained.

Professional Designation Revoked after 5 Years plus 6 months plus a day: Individuals who do not recertify by the end of the six-month suspension period will be notified that their professional designation has been revoked. They will no longer have the right to use the professional designation. Those who have had their designation revoked and wish to regain the professional designation must reapply for the designation under the current ORFA application rules (i.e. retake courses, write exams, pay course fees, etc.). Individual membership will be required of all those reapplying under a revoked status.

For further assistance, please contact:

Sharon Dias, Executive Assistant
Ontario Recreation Facilities Association
1 Concorde Gate, Suite 102, Toronto, Ontario M3C 3N6
Telephone: 416 426 7290
Email: sdias@orfa.com