Formed during a broader late-19th-century push to professionalize architectural practice in Canada, the OAA emerged out of organizing efforts in Ontario and was established in 1889. Toronto architect
Edmund Burke proposed the resolution that created the OAA and later served as its president (1894; 1905–1907). In the early 20th century, provincial bodies such as the OAA were complemented by the creation of the national
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) in 1907, which provided a Canada-wide forum and coordination among existing provincial associations. == Role and regulation ==