SOAR's STRATEGIC PLAN 2020-2023

The mission of the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators is to advance administrative justice through education, advocacy and innovation.

Leadership

SOAR's profile in and outside the community is recognized as providing leadership and direction on issues of importance to the administrative justice community and the public that it serves.

Education

SOAR provides quality, timely and relevant professional development opportunities to its membership and the broader community through a variety of delivery models and strategic collaborations.  SOAR’s education initiatives include aspects of diversity and inclusion, and promote a specific focus on access to justice.

Advocacy and Innovation

SOAR advocates for the excellence and integrity of the administrative justice system and provides opportunities to discuss and address issues affecting the community. SOAR advocates for the excellence and integrity of, and equal access to, the administrative justice system.  SOAR’s commitment to excellence is demonstrated in its annual awarding of the SOAR Medal and Scholarship.

Information

SOAR's website provides pertinent and timely access to current information affecting the administrative justice community. SOAR communicates regularly about its activities and matters of concern to its Members and the community.

Capacity

SOAR effectively generates sustained and robust revenue to support its educational and leadership initiatives.

Governance

SOAR's organizational structure supports and promotes good governance practices, operational efficiencies, inclusive policies and strategic priorities.

Direction #1: Promote excellence in the adjudicative and regulatory administrative justice systems

SOAR is uniquely placed to encourage ways of maintaining and improving the integrity and effectiveness of Ontario’s administrative justice system. We need to proactively generate innovative ideas and respond to external developments that may put the system in jeopardy, in partnership with others who share similar goals.

We will:

• Convene roundtables on topics related to administrative justice.
• Continue to build in system improvement topics for discussion at our annual conference.
• Advocate for the excellence and integrity of, and equal access to, the adjudicative and regulatory justice systems including the promotion of equity and diversity within those systems.
• Define SOAR’s approach to advocacy – including objectives, limitations, and partnerships – to advance the goal of system improvement.
• Continue to promote fairness and independence in adjudicators’ appointments and re-appointments.
• Continue our commitment to excellence through the annual awarding of the SOAR Medal and Scholarship.

Direction #2: Strengthen and expand educational programmes

SOAR’s education and training programs are well established, well attended and well received. Our strategy is to continue to focus on our core programs while finding ways to strengthen and expand them.  Specifically, we will:

• Develop online programs for virtual presentation.
• Offer Alternative Dispute Resolution and advanced adjudicator training.
• Enhance faculty training and recruitment with a commitment to recruit speakers reflective of Ontario’s diverse communities.
• Promote custom training-based modules within our community on our core programmes.  Options for presentation include in-person, on-line (live) and pre-recorded. 

Direction #3:  Build capacity to achieve objectives

We continue to build our organizational capacity to fully discharge our mandate and to make progress on our strategic directions in a way that is inclusive and reflects Ontario’s diversity. We will:

• Engage in more active recruitment of volunteers for SOAR and its committees reflective of the diversity within Ontario’s communities.
• Continue to engage with our volunteers, through virtual or in-person events such as Faculty appreciation events, our AGM, SOAR Medal and SOAR Scholarship presentations and awards
• Continue to develop succession planning strategies for board members, program directors, and faculty.
• Collaborate with our stakeholders and other organizations, (such as OBA, TAS, Tribunals Ontario, Tribunal Chairs and Regulatory bodies)
• Continue to consult with members, program attendees, and stakeholders – including adjudicators, regulators, counsel and staff – to learn more about their needs and priorities with a view to developing further SOAR programmes and activities.
• Increase our online presence to promote SOAR’s programming and initiatives.