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About

The Decorators & Designers Association of Canada is a Canadian professional association that elevates the decorating and design industry through education, events, training, advocacy and community building.

We formed in 1992 when a group of six soon-to-be graduates from Seneca’s interior decorating program realized they were about to lose their professional network and hurried to create a community for decorators. Within 18 months, the group had ballooned to 125 people.

In 1994, we incorporated as Certified Decorators’ Association (CDECA). A not-for-profit, we sought to provide continuing education, collaboration, a code of conduct and outreach to students.

Of course, we’ve continued to evolve since then:

A group of six soon-to-be graduates, about to lose their professional network, created a formal network of decorators.
Now 125 people strong, we created a code of conduct and set a mandate to provide continuing education, networking opportunities and do student outreach.
Incorporated federally to better serve the community nationwide.
We’d grown so large that we hired our first professional management company to take care of the admin tasks.
Became the Decorators & Designers Association of Canada (DDA) to better reflect the work of our members.

Mission

We are dedicated to helping our members be the best that they can be for their clients and themselves.

DDA champions decorating and design excellence by setting educational standards and professional development requirements for our members; requiring members to adhere to the DDA Code of Ethics.

DDA fosters the growth of the decorating industry in Canada; advocates for the profession on policy matters; and promotes a positive image of the industry through proactive activities and events.

Vision

  • Uphold ethical service through government compliance and qualification standards within the industry.
  • Consistently strive to provide the highest level of service and quality to our members and to the public through continuing education, public awareness, and professional development.
  • Provide the highest level of service and quality to our members and to the public through continuing education, public awareness, and professional development.

Values

  • Provide growth and opportunity for members to be the best that they can be for their clients and themselves.
  • A commitment to community service and a respect for ethics in both personal and business life.
  • Cooperation and respect among peers.

Governance

Our association is a collection of geography-based regions united by a national board of directors. The board is comprised of members from across Canada who take on a diverse set of roles, from education to awards. The board members meet 10+ times a year to ensure the association is progressing and is responding to changes in the landscape that affect members’ scope of practice.