COHA National Symposium-Elect To Make A Difference

The Canadian Oil Heat Association (COHA) held its annual symposium, Cleaner Heat, in Ottawa on June 18-19. Market challenges and a need for rejuvenation have prompted many changes within the association over the past year. Stephen Koch, COHA’s president noted “the board has been busy. It has looked at the strategic plan and has prioritized items.” 

“It has been a challenging year restructuring the organization,” said Robert Fortin, COHA chairman. “I am glad the board embraced this change. We will have an advisory board of all the stakeholders in our industry.”

“We need to have that industry process,” said Koch. “We need that third party.” According to Koch, the board will include government, industry members, remediators, insurers and brokers. Skyrocketing remediation costs and the impact on insurance for members and customers was a recurring theme. COHA Atlantic chapters will be reviewing remediation costs to determine why the numbers vary significantly across jurisdictions.

“Spills and leaks are down–the problem that we have is that insurance companies are in business to make money,” said Koch. “They are paying out 114 per cent of premiums they are bringing in–that is not a sustainable business model. Insurers will either exit the business or increase premiums.” He cited an Orangeville, ON case where the judge commented that insurers need to monitor remediators.

“The most common claim is the tank found to be leaking immediately after delivery, followed by tank leaked at time not related to delivery, and leak reported from filter,” said Scott Rolofs, senior general adjuster – special risk division, ClaimsPro. He would like to see customers receiving a notice calling for an annual maintenance inspection. Rolofs noted that “because of the high obligation placed on technicians and distributors they are easy targets.”

Sabrina Granese, assistant vice president, Marsh Canada, who is responsible for COHA risk management program, said that COHA is close to self insured retention where the association will assume part of the risk.

Other pressing issues that were identified involve administration of the association, specifically to find a more cost effective way of running COHA and improving the web site, and education. Toward that end, the Ontario chapter is now administered by the national association staff. The national head office has relocated to Lindsay, ON from Markham, ON (telephone and fax numbers remain the same.)

COHA National’s new 2014-2015 executive

Chair – Mario Bouchard

1st vice chair – Jim Wood

2nd vice chair – Dave Brown

Secretary/treasurer – Paul Murray

Past chair – Robert Fortin