Message from outgoing HRAI Board Chair, Joe Muchynski
When I accepted the privilege of serving as Chair of HRAI, I knew one thing from the very beginning.
This Association doesn't exist to tell members what they need.
It exists to ask.
Before we act,
we ask.
- what challenges you're facing.
- where do the opportunities exist.
- what do governments need to hear.
Because the best decisions aren't made in boardrooms alone. They're made by listening to the people who live this industry every day.
That's what makes HRAI - HRAI
Our Board is made up of members. Our committees and volunteer teams are made up of members. Our strategic direction comes from members. Every major decision begins with one simple ask:
"What will create the greatest value for your business and the Canada's HVACR industry?"
This year, your answers led to one of the strongest years in HRAI's history.
In January, your Board refreshed HRAI's Strategic Plan, reaffirming a clear direction for the future. Every priority in our annual business plan is aligned with that strategy, ensuring that every initiative, every investment and every decision supports the long-term success of our members and our industry.
Financially, the Association continues to grow from a position of strength. Revenue reached $8.4 million, bringing us significantly closer to our long-term goal of becoming a $9 million organization by 2027/28. Record-breaking events, strong membership performance and continued education growth all contributed to another outstanding year.
CMPX became the largest and most successful show in our history, completely selling out exhibit space and further establishing itself as Canada's defining HVACR event. Our Heat Pump Symposiums, education programs and other events also delivered record results, proving that when members invest in learning and in each other, everyone benefits.
Our members responded in another remarkable way.
Ninety-five percent renewed their membership.
Think about that for a moment.
In a world where organizations compete every day for attention, ninety-five percent of our members chose to continue investing in HRAI. That's more than loyalty. That's trust. And it's something every one of us should be proud of.
That confidence also attracted new companies to our Association. During the past fiscal year, 145 new members joined HRAI, with more than one-third located outside Ontario - a clear reflection of our growing national presence. Overall membership increased by five percent, while we also exceeded our membership revenue goals.
That growth didn't happen by chance. It reflects a focused, multi-faceted effort that included an ambitious national membership campaign, expanded outreach, new member offerings, increased business development capacity and the hard work of our staff and volunteers. Together, those efforts are helping ensure that more HVACR businesses across Canada see HRAI as their Association.
Behind the scenes, your Association continued to strengthen its voice.
HRAI has become one of government's most trusted partners on workforce development, energy transition, regulatory modernization and skilled trades. That credibility doesn't happen overnight. It comes from showing up, building relationships and consistently representing the interests of our members.
One of this year's most tangible successes came through our advocacy on tariffs. HRAI worked closely with members and federal officials to demonstrate why residential natural gas furnaces should be exempt from Canada's retaliatory steel and aluminum surtaxes. Last June, the Government of Canada amended the United States Surtax Remission Order, providing the relief HRAI had requested on behalf of our members. It's a perfect example of what can happen when an industry speaks with one united voice. Members may not see every meeting, every briefing or every conversation behind closed doors, but they certainly feel the results.
HRAI continued to ensure the HVACR industry's voice was heard in Ottawa through its 2027 Federal Pre-Budget Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. Representing members from across Canada, HRAI advanced practical recommendations to strengthen the skilled trades workforce, improve indoor environmental quality, support effective building retrofit programs, and promote stable, tariff-free trade with the United States. By positioning HVACR as an essential partner in Canada's economic resilience, affordability, and emissions reduction goals, HRAI reinforced its role as a trusted and influential advocate for the industry.
Another area where HRAI continued to distinguish itself was in the way we communicate with our members.
In today's world, earning someone's attention is harder than ever. Yet our weekly newsletter consistently achieved a remarkable 58 percent open rate, more than double what many organizations consider successful. Even more telling, while thousands of professionals chose to subscribe, only nine people unsubscribed during the entire fiscal year. Those numbers tell us something important. Members aren't simply receiving HRAI communications, they're believing them, engaging with them and relying on them to stay informed. That's exactly the kind of connection we strive to build.
We also continued investing in the future.
We expanded HRAI Learning, modernized our technology, embraced artificial intelligence, created new revenue capabilities and invested in stronger member engagement. These weren't investments for today alone. They were investments in the Association our members will need five, ten and twenty years from now.
Strong organizations don't happen by accident.
They require sound governance.
Throughout the year, your Board met regularly, supported by our divisional boards and standing committees, to oversee the execution of our Strategic Plan, monitor financial performance, approve our operating and capital budgets, and ensure HRAI remained focused on the priorities that matter most to our members.
We also maintained oversight of the Association's strategic, financial, operational, legal and reputational risks, while continuing to modernize our governance practices, strengthen committee effectiveness and support future leadership through succession planning.
Our independent auditors completed their annual audit and issued an unqualified opinion on HRAI's financial statements, reaffirming the strength of our financial stewardship. Combined with responsible oversight by your Board, it means every membership dollar continues to be invested carefully, transparently and in the best interests of our members.
None of this would be possible without the dedication of our divisional boards, committee members, volunteers and staff, whose commitment continues to strengthen this Association every single day.
Looking ahead, I'm incredibly optimistic.
Why?
Because HRAI has never been better prepared to lead through change.
We have passionate volunteers.
An exceptional staff team.
Strong finances and responsible governance.
A strategic plan that's being executed.
Growing membership.
A respected voice with government.
And perhaps most importantly, we have an industry that continues to believe in working together. That's the Canadian way.
To every member, volunteer, committee member, director and member of our staff...
Thank you.
Thank you for your ideas.
Thank you for your confidence.
And thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving as your Chair.
By every measure, it appears to me that this is the best HRAI that has ever been...
and yet...
it's still not as good as it's going to be.
Just wait and see.
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