OPS Overview

The Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads and Public Works (OPS) organization is owned jointly by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the Municipal Engineers Association. Of equal importance is the involvement and support of many other organizations representing contractors, consulting engineers, manufacturers, and their associations.

OPS have been in use since 1984. Alliances between the noted organizations and the OPS Advisory Board have allowed OPS to evolve into an excellent model of construction standards development, now characterized by consistently well built, cost-effective, safe, and dependable highways and roads in the province.

The Ontario Provincial Standards Unit at MTO provides administrative support for the OPS organization which includes:

• Implementing OPS policies and coordinating the efforts of the OPS Advisory Board, OPS Standards Management Committee (SMC), and the OPS specialty committees.
• Coordinating the development, administration, review, and publishing of OPS Specifications (OPSS) and Drawings (OPSD), and other associated documents.
• Providing expertise and interpretation of OPS standards, and ensuring the consistency of OPS.

 

OPS Mandate

The mandate of the OPS organization is to develop and maintain consistent cost-effective methods to improve the administration of road building in Ontario by providing a comprehensive set of standard specifications and drawings.

Under the general direction of the OPS Advisory Board and OPS Standards Management Committee (SMC) provide, maintain, and enhance these services for use by road and public works owners, contractors, and consultants in Ontario.

 

OPS Mission

The Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads and Public Works (OPS) organization develops and publishes a comprehensive set of standard specifications and drawings for use in the construction of roads and public works in Ontario.

 

OPS Objectives

• Develop and improve the administration, safety and environmental aspects, and cost effectiveness of the design and construction of roads, structures, sewers, watermains, and electrical services.
• Review and publish updated standards on a five-year renewal cycle to ensure they meet the needs of the users and are current with the technology, materials, and methods employed by the engineering and construction industry.
• Promote the use of OPS standards on a province-wide basis.

 

OPS History

In 1977, in response to a recommendation of the Municipal Project Liaison Committee Report, the Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads and Public Works (OPS), then known as the Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads and Municipal Services, process was initiated.  As a result of that report, a committee was established to improve the administration of municipal road building contracts.

 

OPS Milestones

• 1977 Ontario Provincial Standards for Road and Municipal Services initiated as the result of a recommendation in the Municipal Project Liaison Committee Report.
• 1977 to 1984 The Joint Committee and four subcommittees developed the OPS specifications and drawings.
• 1984 Nine specialty committees formed and first OPS are published.
• 1984-04 Ministry of Transportation adopts OPS
• 1985-02 Ministry of the Environment adopts OPS
• 1985-09 OPS Electrical Drawing Manual published
• 1990 Toronto adopts OPS; OPS General Conditions of Contract published.
• 1992 MTO adopts OPS General Conditions of Contract; OPS User’s Guide is published.
• 1994 Ontario Clean Water Agency joins the OPS system as a contributor.
• 1994 Management study carried out by private consultant on the OPS organization.
• 1994-11 Ministry of Natural Resources joins the OPS system as a contributor.
• 1995 Ronen Publishing House becomes the official publisher for MTO including OPS.
• 1996 to 1997 Management study carried out by MTO on OPS Section.
• 1996 OPS Advisory Board formed.
• 1996 OPS Products Management Committee (PMC) formed.
• 1997 Joint Committee renamed OPS Standards Management Committee (SMC).
• 1997 Official name changed to Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads and Public Works.
• 1998 Heavy Construction Association of Toronto joins OPS system as contributor.
• 1999 Product Information Management Agreement signed between OGRA and MTO.
• 2000 Electrical Safety Authority joins the OPS system as a contributor.
• 2000 City of Toronto joins the OPS system as a partner.
• 2000 Official OPS website online.
• 2003 OPWA joins the OPS system as a contributor.
• 2005 Ronen Publishing House contract expires leading to a new method of publishing and distributing the Ontario Provincial Standards free of charge on the MTO website with hard-copy and CD versions available for purchase from Publications Ontario.
• 2005 OPS Advisory Board sanctions OIBC Committee as an OPS specialty committee.
• 2006 OIBC released.  Redesigned OPS website goes live.
• 2006 Revised OPS review process accepted by MTO and MEA.
• 2007 First provincial- and municipal-oriented specifications published.
• 2008 Custodianship of OIBC is transferred to OGRA.
• 2010 Reallocation of divisions and relocation of specifications in OPS volumes.
• 2013 OPS Review conducted, new Mission Statement and various recommendations presented.
• 2016 OPS Review Recommendations implemented; OPS Products Management Committee transferred to Good Roads (formerly OGRA); updated OPS User Guide published.
• 2022 Updated OPS User Guide is an incorporation and subsequent update of the 2016 OPS User Guide and the 2010 OPS Style and Format Guide.

Stay Tuned . . .