PROGRESS AND RENEWAL
Mr. Afonso says changes to the EGP Act will enhance the professions. The new Act will help Members develop technically and help the province retain professionals and other technical resources. “Inherent in Professional Engineering is our obligation to be socially responsible and technically proficient in our areas of practice, and to deliver quality services with objectivity and corporate integrity,” he says. “The legislative review must adopt balanced yet practical changes that uphold these virtues through the application of innovative solutions with long-term value for the public — while also allowing engineering companies to thrive and achieve business success.”
Looking Back COUNCIL ENDORSES WINTER RECOMMENDATIONS — WITH A CHANGE BASED ON MEMBER FEEDBACK At a March 23 meeting, APEGA’s Council endorsed the proposed recommendations in the We’re Listening: Winter 2016 Consultation Summary . The report can be found online at apegalegislativereview.ca. It includes full details on proposed recommendations to improve standards for Member and Permit Holder professional practice reviews. Feedback gathered from Members and Permit Holders during the winter consultations is included in the report. Topics reviewed and endorsed by Council include: • authority of the Practice Review Committee (PRC) • Member and Permit Holder compliance with practice standards and bulletins • authority of practice reviewers • authority of practice reviewers to make recommendations for improved professional practice • creation of practice review panels to make orders related to practice review findings • authority of practice reviewers to refer matters to practice review panels • types of orders Council revised one proposed recommendation related to the authority of practice review panels. It had been proposed that decisions of practice review panels would be final. After Council’s revision — and consistent with Member feedback — the new proposed recommendation states that a practice review panel decision can be appealed. Also at a Calgary session was Ms. Chutny, a managing partner and senior process engineer with Process Ecology Inc. “What gets decided here will shape how we practise for the next 10, 20, or more years, so it’s best to have input now,” she explains. “As professionals, we can shape what the legislation looks like in real practice.” Looking ahead to the fall of 2016, she’s especially interested in one of the topics: more clearly defined criteria for obtaining a Permit to Practice. “The issue of contractors — who is covered by what permit if we are subcontracting or hiring subcontractors ourselves — is a challenge. This needs to be really clear, as it’s not right now,” she says. In Edmonton, Mr. Afonso attended a session as a representative of Associated Engineering. He’s the Vice- President and General Manager of the company’s Alberta North operations. Membership engagement is critical to the success of the legislative review, he says, especially for consulting engineering companies like Associated Engineering.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? legislative-review@apega.ca
Looking Ahead REGISTRATION OPENS JULY 30 FOR FALL 2016 CONSULTATIONS
To date, we’ve held three consultation rounds with Members and Permit Holders — spring of 2015, fall of 2015, winter of 2016. This fall, in October and November, a fourth round of consultation takes place. Topics are still being refined, but they will include: • criteria for obtaining a Permit to Practice • authentication of professional documents • additional tools for self-regulation As well, there will be further discussion related to the authority of APEGA practice reviewers and investigators to clarify questions brought forward by Members during earlier consultations. Face-to-face consultation sessions will be held in: • Edmonton, October 18 and 19, and November 8 • Calgary, November 1, 2, and 15 Four webinars and two videoconferences are planned for: • October 25 and 26 • November 10, 15, 17, and 23 All Members and Permit Holders are invited to attend a free two-hour session. Members may claim credit under the APEGA Continuing Professional Development Program for their participation. Registration opens July 30 at apegalegislativereview.ca.
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