PROGRESS AND RENEWAL
TIMELINE
April 2015 AGM
Detailed discussion papers on all six topics have been developed, explaining the reasons for the proposed changes. They can be reviewed online at apegalegislativereview.ca. “These are important building blocks. If we can get agreement on these six topics, then we can move to more difficult questions,” says Mr. Benz. Over the past two years, APEGA’s legislative review team has consulted stakeholders and identified about 200 opportunities for renewal. An extensive analysis is in progress to align these opportunities with respective sections of the Act, Regulations, and Bylaws. APEGA will continue to consult with Members and Permit Holders this fall and throughout 2016, and present more discussion papers on many of these topics.
Member and stakeholder consultation began Fall 2012
Discussion paper development and Member consultation
SHAPING THE PROFESSIONS
The legislative review process will take place in three phases, starting with the EGP Act . This will be followed by a review of the Regulations and finally the Bylaws. Proposed revisions of the Act will be presented to Members at APEGA’s 2016 Annual General Meeting. Changes to the regulations will be brought to the 2017 AGM, followed by revisions to the bylaws at the 2019 AGM. The EGP Act is provincial legislation. The changes APEGA proposes to the Government of Alberta will be based on the consultation process, which is why stakeholder input is so vital.
Interim report to Members and Permit Holders
we have consulted with our membership, have received feedback, and have responded to that feedback. As a self-governing profession, we need Members to take part and provide us with their feedback.” For Ana Mayumi Tanaka, E.I.T., a mechanical engineer from Brazil, being involved in the review is an opportunity to serve her profession. A Member of the Peace Region Branch, she lives in Grande Prairie and is a volunteer with the champions collaborative. “As an internationally educated engineering graduate, I have a strong desire not just to understand the culture of my new home, Canada, but also the Act, Regulations, and Bylaws that govern my profession,” she says. “As an E.I.T., I think it is very important to get involved. One of the proposed changes is to provide M.I.T.s the same governance privileges as Professional Members.” It’s been exciting for her to see the process of self-regulation in action, as Members dig into the various issues at hand. In Brazil, engineers are regulated by a national council and don’t have the privilege of self-governance. “I have learned and experienced what being a self-regulating profession means,” says Ms. Tanaka. “This is our opportunity to provide relevant feedback on what we would like to see changed in the Act to reflect our current needs.” Updates to the legislation will better serve the public, she says — and ensure that Professional Engineers and Geoscientists “can work more synergistically among themselves.”
VICTOR BENZ, P.ENG.
ANA MAYUMI TANAKA, E.I.T
Consultations are a way for APEGA Members and Permit Holders to shape the day-to-day practice of the professions for years to come. Decisions made during the review process — if the government accepts them — will define the work professionals can and can’t do, and the ethical and professional standards they must meet. As a longtime APEGA volunteer and a Professional Engineer with almost 40 years of experience, Mr. Benz encourages all Members to participate. “This affects all Professional Engineers and Geoscientists in Alberta,” he says. “The government needs to be clearly shown that
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