The three-times-per-year publication of APEGA. This edition features Council Candidates Announced, Why Vote infographic, APEGA Celebrates Successful Century, the Member Experience Program: You Spoke and We Listened, Experience Assessment System: A Primer, Salary Survey Enters New Era, Movers & Shakers, The Watch, Not Your Ordinary Science Event, the Discipline File, and more.
The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta
Contents
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WINTER 2019
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Salary Survey
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FEATURES
35-46 The Watch 47-50 APEGA Outreach 51-61 The Discipline File 62 The Record
7–14 Election Approaches 15 MEx—It's About You 16
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President's Notebook
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RCEO's Message
15-19 APEGA News 20-34 Movers & Shakers
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President’s Notebook
APEGA
The PEG (ISSN 1923-0052) is published online in the spring, summer, and fall/winter, by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. The PEG’s content relates primarily to APEGA, our statutory obligations, our services to Members and Permit Holders, and the professional development of Members. The magazine also celebrates Member and Permit Holder accomplishments in Professional Engineering, Professional Geoscience, and other areas. The PEG is not a technical, peer-reviewed publication. Although we publish items about accomplishments in research, we do not publish actual academic or scientific papers and presentations, even in summary form. The PEG does not accept advertising. Opinions published in The PEG do not necessarily reflect the opinions or
APEGA Creates a Strategic Plan Worthy of Our Centennial BY GEORGE EYNON , P.GEO. , FGC, FEC (HON.) APEGA President
VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 3 | WINTER 2019 ISSN 1923-0052 Director of Communications Nancy Biamonte Nancy.Biamonte@apega.ca Editor George Lee , FEC (Hon.), FGC (Hon.) George.Lee@apega.ca
policy of APEGA or its Council. Inquiries: George.Lee@apega.ca
Over the years, I’ve read some good strategic plans and some not-so-good ones. Now I’ve seen a great one. I’ve spent much of my career involved in industry, regulatory work, and stakeholder consultation; many strategic plans have crossed my desk. In 2019, Council approved APEGA’s Building a Safe and Resilient Alberta . It’s the best strategic plan I’ve seen from any organization I’ve worked with in any capacity. Full disclosure: as President, I did play a part in the plan’s development. However, I was just one of many people involved. Participants in the plan’s creation included all of Council, several past-presidents, other licensed professional members, the staff leadership team, and other key senior staff members. How this group created the plan is a story all its own, but for now I want to talk about the document itself: what’s great about it and why it matters. It’s the Right Document for the Times Your association is about to start celebrating 100 years of being an Alberta self-regulator. Events and promotions during 2020 will shine a public spotlight on APEGA, and we want to look our best through today’s lens. APEGA continues to excel as a Canadian leader in self-regulation of our professions—under constant scrutiny all the while. In that context, our strategic plan lets the government and all our other stakeholders know that we’re an organization that’s ready for whatever comes our way. We exist to protect the public safety and welfare, so our most important stakeholders are all the members of the public. We can never lose sight of that, and it comes across clearly in Building a Safe and Resilient Alberta .
EXECUTIVE TEAM Registrar & Chief Executive Officer Jay Nagendran , P.Eng., FCAE, ICD.D, FEC, FGC (Hon.)
COUNCIL President
George Eynon, P.Geo., FGC, FEC (Hon.) Vice-President Timothy Joseph , P.Eng., PhD, FCIM President-Elect John Van der Put, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) Past-President Nima Dorjee, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) Councillors
Deputy Registrar & Chief Regulatory Officer Matthew Oliver , CD , P.Eng. Chief Financial & Corporate Officer Sharilee Fossum , CPA, CMA, ICD.D, MBA Director, Communications and Acting Chief Membership Services Officer Nancy Biamonte Senior Advisor & Director of Council Relations Sloan d’Entremont , P.Eng. BRANCH CHAIRS Calgary Tibor Kaldor, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) calgarybranch@apega.ca Central Alberta Jeff Krehmer, P.Eng. centralalbertabranch@apega.ca Edmonton Andrew Liu, P.Eng. edmontonbranch@apega.ca Fort McMurray Siddarth Gautam, P.Eng. fortmcmurraybranch@apega.ca Lakeland Anmol Bansal, P.Eng. lakelandbranch@apega.ca Lethbridge Ahmed Ali, P.Eng. lethbridgebranch@apega.ca Medicine Hat Clayton Bos, P.Eng. medicinehatbranch@apega.ca Peace Region Kimberly Chin, E.I.T. peaceregionbranch@apega.ca Vermilion River Dustin Wiltermuth , P.Eng. vermilionriverbranch@apega.ca Yellowhead Leonard Sanche, P.Eng. yellowheadbranch@apega.ca
Jennifer Enns , P.Eng. Darren Hardy , P.Eng. Tim Hohm, P.Eng. RaeAnne Leach, P.Eng. David Johnson, P.Geo., PhD Walter Kozak , P.Eng. Manon Plante, P.Eng., MDS, CD1 Melanie Popp, P.Eng. Bob Rundle , P.Eng., PMP Jason Vanderzwaag, P.Eng. Claudia Villeneuve, P.Eng., M.Eng. Emily Zhang , P.Eng., PMP
It’s the Right Document for the Future That seems a bit obvious, I know. Strategic plans are supposed to look ahead. However, none I’ve seen do it quite as well as this one. Other than a few Government of Alberta priorities that we know will affect APEGA, we can’t see specifically into the future. What we can do is recognize and understand the implications of trends and make sure we—our professional members and staff—constitute an organization that’s nimble enough to react quickly to change. Our strategic plan does not lock us into operational detail that could become irrelevant or less important tomorrow. Instead, it looks at the big picture, in a clear and inspiring way. Continued next page
Mary Phillips-Rickey , F CA Georgeann Wilkin , RN, LL.B., MBS
Public Members of Council
APEGA CONTACT INFORMATION HEAD OFFICE 1500 Scotia One, 10060 Jasper Avenue NW Edmonton AB T5J 4A2 PH 780-426-3990 TOLL FREE 1-800-661-7020 FAX 780-426-1877
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION Engineers Canada Directors Lisa Doig , P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.), MBA
Gary Faulkner , P.Eng., PhD, FEC, FGC (Hon.) David Lynch , P.Eng., PhD, FEC, FGC (Hon.),
FCAE, FEIC, FCIC (President-Elect) Jane Tink , P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) Geoscientists Canada Director Colin Yeo , P.Geo., FGC, FEC (Hon.)
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President’s Notebook
Registrar & CEO's Message
APEGA
MASTER APEGA
tactics and initiatives. Performance Culture underpins the other two priorities. From what I see, a performance culture already exists— but it can always be improved. Now it has the official status of being a strategic priority. There are already forward-looking initiatives launched under the leadership of Registrar & CEO Jay Nagendran, P.Eng. You can learn more by going through this and other PEG editions, and by clicking around apega.ca. During my time on Council and the executive, there’s been a dramatic improvement in our governance effectiveness and in our focus on excellence in self-regulation. Our strategic plan concerns you as licensed professionals. When they reach out to me, professional members often refer to APEGA as “they” or “them,” meaning the staff. I always respond that APEGA is you: our professional members! It’s called self-regulation for a good reason! It is professionalism by peer review. There are all kinds of opportunities to get involved—importantly and especially in our self-regulatory role. Be a true professional: volunteer! Please read and absorb Building a Safe and Resilient Alberta . Think about the ways you can incorporate its strategic priorities into your practice. Think about what you might do to contribute to our professions’ self-regulation. I think I’ve given you enough to think about. Have a wonderful holiday season. Be safe and enjoy your time with family and friends. It’s been a fruitful and enjoyable 2019. I look forward to APEGA’s centennial year, when we can all start building Alberta’s next century.
It Sets the Right Priorities Regulatory Excellence. Trust and Relevance. Performance Culture . These are our distinct yet related priorities. They form a whole and need each other, which for me is the magic of this document. Regulatory Excellence speaks to our very existence. It’s how we will maintain the privilege of self-regulation into our second century. This priority is not an end of its own, though. Regulatory excellence is a pursuit influenced by the political, socio-economic, and technological environments within which we operate. Yet it must never lose sight of the public interest. The plan puts it this way: “For APEGA to perform our role effectively, we need to demonstrate our commitment to upholding the standards of a strong, credible, yet compassionate regulator while safeguarding the public. We must strive for excellence with rigorous and regular reviews of our regulatory operations.” Trust and Relevance , our second priority, is necessary in the successful pursuit of regulatory excellence. We need it to keep demonstrating that we deserve the trust of our professionals, of governments, of the public, and of other stakeholders. To do that, we must present a clear and compelling picture to the public of our people and our work. During our centennial year, we’ll show stakeholders how developing that trust got us this far. We’ll show them that we’ve earned it and that we’re going to continue earning it. In fact, one of the taglines for our centennial is Build Trust and You Can Build Anything . We’ll continue putting ourselves out there, after the centennial year, with an ongoing awareness campaign. Why does this matter? As I said after being sworn in as President, too many Albertans don’t know who we are, what we do, or why we do it. That’s going to change. Performance Culture is a call to action to all of us. Our plan’s third priority, it refers to what Council does in governing the professions. It refers to what you do as licensed members as volunteers fulfilling our self-regulatory responsibility (but we need more volunteers to improve that piece of our mandate; without strong volunteer involvement, we cannot call it self-regulation). It refers to what APEGA staff members do alongside you to turn strategies into
Looking Back, Looking Ahead How a Performance Culture is Setting Up APEGA for Our Next 100 Years BY JAY NAGENDRAN , P.ENG., FCAE, ICD.D, FEC, FGC (HON.) APEGA Registrar & Chief Executive Officer
As I look back on APEGA’s achievements of 2019, it strikes me that the performance culture we’re emphasizing and building upon is critical to our success. Performance culture not only refers to the approaches we take as mem- bers and an organization. It is also a nod to our dedicated staff who set a high bar for both expectations and perfor- mance. Your APEGA Council has made performance culture one of our three strategic priorities. We’re fully embracing it in the work we do, as APEGA’s first century of service winds down and our second one is about to begin. So, from a staff perspective, what has APEGA’s performance culture looked like over this past year? Let me give a quick sum- mary before you dive in to the details in our 2019 Annual Report, which we’ll publish in April. The Consultative Process Many of our performance lessons came from a consul- tative process we honed during a five-year review of our governing legislation, the Engineering and Geoscience Profes- sions Act and General Regulation . The review was like none other in APEGA’s history, and it led to a comprehensive series of recommendations now in the hands of the Govern- ment of Alberta (GoA) to consider. During the review, we engaged a cumulative total of more than 6,000 stakeholders. At the same time, we were also taking a close look at our practice standards and guide- lines. Which ones were most in need of an update? Which ones were generating the most member questions and concerns? We decided to use a consultation system similar to the one we used in the legislative review, as we went to work on the first major update: the Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard. We held about 30 online and in-person sessions with more than 1,200 stakeholders
across the province, and close to 300 respondents provided input through a follow-up survey. Enforcement of this new authentication standard begins in July 2020. We’ve created online learning materials to help members and permit holders incorporate the proce- dures and processes they’ll need. Next up is a similar upgrade of the Guideline for Rely- ing on Work Prepared by Others . In the coming months, you’ll have more opportunities to learn about and provide input on
Questions or comments? president@apega.ca
LINKS APEGA Strategic Plan 2020 Centennial Celebrations
improvements we’re proposing. Practice Review Process
Also highly consultative is our practice review process, which we’ve been improving over the last several years. Our reviewers work directly with permit holders to make sure their practices represent the professionalism neces- sary to properly protect the public welfare. The practices
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Registrar & CEO's Message Member Experience Program We’re in the middle of creating a new online relationship with members. Although the launch happens later in 2020, its development has been underway for more than a year. In 2018, about 7,700 members responded to our survey on the subject. You told us that you want modern, fast, and easy-to-use online services. You want these services to be visually appealing, with a similar look and feel across func- tions. You want more control of your information, and you want regular notifications to help you manage your regulatory obligations. We heard you and are confident that our Member Experi- ence Program will meet those desires and much more. A Few Final 2019 Reminders Members are connected to everything we do. As profes- sionals, we must always keep in sight who it is we ultimately serve: the public. They deserve our efforts and vigilance. Christmas is just around the corner, and then APEGA’s centennial year arrives. We’ll be turning the spotlight on a century of engineering and geoscience achievement through self-regulation. Let’s welcome the attention and excitement that our centennial celebrations will generate. In the meantime, I wish you and yours a wonderful holi- day season. Special greetings go out to APEGA President George Eynon, P.Geo., and the elected executive and Council, along with all our other APEGA volunteers and the dedicated staff I have the pleasure to lead. It’s been a great year, and I’m excited to celebrate our 100th birthday next year. Some things really do keep getting better with age! A century well built!
MASTER APEGA
MASTER APEGA ELECTION
of our permit holders must accurately reflect our require- ments. The procedures in their own Professional Practice Management Plans must be followed. The learning goes both ways. We’re finding out about the common challenges our permit holders face, which we’re now addressing in the materials we create for them. We’ve also increased our resourcing, to make our review system more thorough and robust. Over the past two years, we’ve initiated 65 practice reviews. In 2019 alone, our reviewers have spent 93 days on-site with permit holders. CPD Assessments We’re also increasing the number of assessments we do of the records you submit under our mandatory Continu- ing Professional Development (CPD) program. In 2019 so far, the number of assessments has reached 5,583—far more than in any other year. We do our best to simplify the CPD compliance process for members, while ensuring rigorous oversight in keeping the public safe. Watch for stories on apega.ca in the new year about the common challenges we find in these reviews and tips on how you can proactively address them. Competency-Based Assessment In 2018, we rolled out our competency-based assess- ment (CBA) system for examining the experience of engi- neering applicants. Now we’re working on a similar system for geoscientists. CBA requires some up-front work from applicants to show how they meet the experiential competencies required to be good engineers. CBA is the self-regulatory gold stan- dard for assessing experience, and our version is tailored for the competencies required to practise professionally in Alberta. These and other improvements in our registration pro- cess were already underway when the GoA announced Bill 11, the Fair Registration Practices Act . Regulations under this Act will require more action from us. In this area, we plan to work closely with APEGA’s Board of Examiners to stream- line and improve our processes.
Candidates Announced for Centennial Year Council
Who will you choose in 2020 to serve the public and represent the APEGA professions on our governance team? The nomination process for our centennial year election is complete and candidates are preparing their messages. That means it’s time for members to start thinking about who to vote for in APEGA Election 2020.
Three candidates seek the President-Elect position for the 2020-2021 term and 16 others hope to serve three-year terms on Council. Four Council seats will be filled. Elected last year as President-Elect was John Van der Put, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.), so he automatically advances to the presidency in 2020-2021.
Questions or comments? Registrar_CEO@apega.ca
You can vote for up to four candidates for Council and one for incoming President.
LINKS Legislative Review Professional Practice Management Plan CPD Program Competency-Based Assessment Member Experience Program
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Incoming President (President-Elect) Your 2020 Candidates APEGA ELECTION Lisa Doig, P.Eng.* • Executive with experience across the energy industry from petrochemicals and oil and natural gas, to electricity • Skilled in in leading large and small teams, bridging the technical/business gap to work collaboratively to develop and commercialize new clean technology • Experience on APEGA Council including APEGA’s Governance and Audit committees, as well as Engineers Canada, and industry and community board work Jennifer Enns, P.Eng.* • Proven, practical, and change-oriented leader committed to quality and sustainable professional practice, with engineering and management experience in the public and private sectors • Strategic thinker with broad service to the professions, including APEGA Council, Audit Committee, Policy & Standards Task Force, Practice Review Board, and the Consulting Engineers of Alberta • Extensive community service including schools, regional and national science fairs, science journalism, Alberta Association of Architects, and Schulich School of Engineering Faculty Council Brian Pearse, P.Eng.* • Vice-president, president, CEO, and chief business officer experience in a major consulting engineering firm, working his way up from various positions including site inspector, design engineer, and engineering manager • Experience overseeing multi-disciplinary teams involved in civil, environmental, and geotechnical engineering, along with surveying, historical resources, and land acquisition • Former vice-president and councillor for APEGA, and now working part-time with an Indigenous collaborative assisting First Nations with project completion
APEGA ELECTION
Councillor Muyiwa Akinyosoye, P.Eng. • 23 years of oil and gas experience, primarily in facilities, project, and construction management, at home and in South America and Africa • Leadership experience that includes managing projects worth more than $2 billion • Increasing responsibilities through major oil and gas players, reaching current role of Vice President, Major Capital Projects, Gran Tierra Energy Margaret Allan, P.Eng., P.Geo.* • Environmental experience since 1987, an engineer, geoscientist, and mentor, with projects involving contaminated site assessment and remediation, risk assessment, liability management, environmental compliance • Roles as consultant, sole proprietor, and principal; author of scientific documents for federal government and peer- reviewed journals • Volunteer experience on APEGA Investigative Committee and moderating APEGA’s ethics seminar; an appointed member of a municipal subdivision and development appeal board; member of a trail development committee advancing sustainable recreation opportunities Joseph Amalraj, P.Eng.* • Nearly four decades of global engineering experience in various capacities, including subject-matter expert, technical leader, feasibility study lead and member, and senior investigator of safety and reliability incidents • APEGA volunteer service on the Board of Examiners, as a mentor in the mentoring program, and on the Fort McMurray Branch executive from 2002 • Professional accomplishments including a joint patent, and lead and co-authorship of technical publications John Duhault, P.Geo. • 40-plus years professional experience as entrepreneurial geoscientist in oil and gas discovery, development, risk mitigation
RaeAnne Leach, P.Eng.* • 13-plus years of experience in civil and municipal engineering in the Peace Country, including residential, commercial, and industrial design, stormwater management, hydrological analysis, and planning • APEGA service as a Councillor and held positions on the Peace Region Branch Executive, including chair • Active volunteer for elementary science nights and the Peace Country Science Olympics, and through delivery of career presentations to high school students Paige Mamer, P.Geo. • Business development manager in the energy services industry who is expanding products and analytics services in the Canadian market • Background is geology, geophysics, and geomechanics, working up from junior to senior positions • Technical society and industry organization experience, including organizer and chair of the Canadian Society for Unconventional Resources Induced Seismicity Forum, industry advisory board member of University of Calgary’s Microseismic Industry Consortium, and regular speaker with the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists and others Bernd Manz, P.Eng. • 30-plus years of experience including executive-level leadership of organizations in the creation, implemen- tation, and evaluation of strategic planning, talent and resource management, and achievement of board- approved goals and objectives • Recent CEO experience leading a full-service utility corporation, plus public sector municipal experience as a director • APEGA experience as Environment Committee mem- ber and member of the Peace River Branch executive, and governance experience as board member of vari- ous non-profit organizations
• President, principal geoscience consultant for Starbird Enterprises, a Calgary consulting and advisory company, with direct ownership over data analysis and interpretation, team training and mentoring, and consulting to oil and gas organizations • Past president Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, past chair Prairie Action Foundation (researching reducing the cycle of family and child abuse), past president of Scenic Sands Community Association Darren Hardy, P.Eng.* • Energy executive with business training and 30 years of safe, responsible operations and leadership experience, along with a history of building strong and cohesive teams • Strategic experience as a senior strategic advisor and senior vice-president of operations with major oil sands players • APEGA Council member and chair of its Audit Committee, past director with the Alberta Chamber of Resources, and board member for the Bow View Ringette Association (VP of coaching development) Lorna Harron, P.Eng.* • 20-plus years of experience in oil and gas, and now president of her own consulting company, Harron Risk Management Ltd. • Experience in stakeholder relationships, talent management and competency development, strategic planning, leadership, project management and development, interacting with regulatory bodies, and more • Past chair of the Women in APEGA Strategic Advisory Committee Geoffrey Kneller, P.Eng.* • 24 years of professional engineering experience in oil and gas, high tech, municipal infrastructure, and public service, recently joining TC Energy in pipeline integrity engineering • Seven years of regulatory experience as an APEGA volunteer, currently chair of the Enforcement Review Committee • Professional leadership and execution experience as a Canadian Armed Forces reservist
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APEGA ELECTION
APEGA ELECTION
Your 2020 President (Elected in 2019) John Van der Put, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.)* • Energy industry executive with 35-plus years of experience, whose accomplishments span the Americas in upstream oil and gas, and pipeline development • Extensive knowledge of process engineering and project executive leadership • Experience on APEGA Council, 2007 to 2010 and 2012 to 2015, including service on Act, Regulations, and Bylaws Committee, Audit Committee, and Finance Committee, plus further APEGA volunteer experience on Discipline Committee and professional development, and in mentoring and student outreach
Election Dates Electronic polling opens February 3, 2020, and closes March 5, 2020. You’ll receive full details in 2020. Who Are the Candidates? You’ll have plenty of opportunity to find out more about the candidates, between now and voting time. Professional highlights for each candidate will be added to this item and the election area of our website next week, when we promote the candidate list in the ePEG Extra. Personal statements will be posted in the spring edition of The PEG and on the election area of the website, then promoted in our electronic newsletter, the ePEG. We’ll also post video introductions of the candidates on apega.ca in mid-January. Shortly after polling starts, you’ll be able to mingle with candidates in an informal setting. For the second consecutive year, we’re running Coffee & Conversation events—in Calgary, February 4, and in Edmonton, February 11. You’ll even be able to cast your votes at the same time. Why Vote? To keep improving as a leader in self-regulation, APEGA relies on a diverse team of strategic thinkers to provide sound, visionary governance. It’s a key to our success, and you are part of the process. Demonstrate your commitment and engagement to self- regulation by learning about candidates and voting during the election. Head into our centennial year with a renewed commitment to your professions. Be sure to vote, and be sure to encourage your professional peers to do the same.
Tim Moran, P.Eng.* • Nearly two decades of engineering experience as a con- sultant, project manager, or manager in the environmental, regulatory and operational areas of the oil and gas industry • Experienced in organizational governance as a member of the APEGA Discipline Committee, Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, and other industry associations • Professional development including Sauder School of Advanced Leadership (in progress) and volunteering with community sports and local services, as well as Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010 Ross Plecash, P.Eng. • 13 years of executive leadership with APEGA and nine years of operations leadership and corporate engineering governance in private industry • Demonstrated knowledge of administrative law, regulatory law, and board governance in a wide range of professional regulators and not-for-profits • Skilled in negotiation and mediation, stakeholder consensus building, policy development, strategic planning, risk man- agement, workflow development, budgeting and financial analysis, staff mentoring and team building, and written and verbal communications Jonathan Prill, P.Eng.* • Extensive experience in oilfield equipment design, with primary focus on downhole drilling and remediation equipment • Leadership experience running an engineering firm, chairing the Society of Petroleum Engineers Edmonton board of directors, and leading diverse, international engineering teams in a large corporation on multi-million- dollar projects with complex and abstract deliverables • Named inventor on 22 industry patents and author of two technical papers for the Society of Petroleum Engineers
Bob Rundle, P.Eng.* • Program and project management, and construction and team leadership experience, in industrial and utility development, dating from the mid-1990s, and holder of about 10 professional development and safety course certificates or registrations • Overseas experience on major Indonesian projects, from mid-1990s to early 2000s • Experience as an APEGA Councillor and on the Edmonton Branch Executive as chair, vice-chair, treasurer Inc., an engineering company specializing in technical solutions to diverse oilfield problems, here and abroad • Expert witness and engineer with expertise in data analytics, wellbore integrity, regulatory development and compliance, liability and risk management, carbon capture and storage, and more • Many published works, presentations, and lectures, plus experience with the Energy Resources Conservation Board in governance, strategic planning, and quasi-judicial proceedings Lian Zhao, P.Eng. • 30-plus years of experience in energy and environmental consulting industries, PhD in petrology at the Geology and Geophysical Institute in Chinese Academy of Sciences, PhD in environmental engineering at University of Guelph • President at CEPro Energy Group, which is fully engaged in sustainable development goals to serve its clients, stakeholders, collaborative partners in industrial and academic sectors • Service on APEGA Practice Standards Committee Environmental Subcommittee, five-year recipient of APEGA Volunteer Award in 2018 Theresa Watson, P.Eng.* • Since 1992 the President of T.L. Watson and Associates
*recommended by the APEGA Nominating Committee
LINKS More About Council Election
*recommended by the APEGA Nominating Committee
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WHY VOTE? Everything you do as a professional member is informed by a Council that oversees the APEGA professions. Council is a critical element in
APEGA
Your Vote. Your Council. Your APEGA.
The 2020 APEGA Election takes place February 3 to March 5, 2020 . Will you be ready to cast an informed vote?
maintaining and enhancing self-regulation, and your vote demonstrates that you want the right people making decisions on your behalf.
Help build a strong governance team for your professions.
The 2020 APEGA election runs from Monday, February 3, at 9 a.m. to Friday, March 5, at 4:30 p.m.
APEGA’s Council is made up of 16 professional members and 3 public members .
To send you a link to your electronic ballot, we need your current email address. Please check it now: Member Self-Service Centre.
All professional members are elected by you!
All public members are appointed by the Government of Alberta.
NOTICE
COUNCIL’S ROLE
"[To] manage and conduct the business and a airs of the Association." — Section 12(2), the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act
2020 Annual General Meeting
Friday, April 24, 2020 | 2 p.m. Edmonton Convention Centre | Edmonton, Alberta Luncheon 12:00 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.
Attendance Qualifies for CPD credit
To ensure responsible use of resources to e ectively execute APEGA's strategic plan
To develop and drive APEGA's
To provide ongoing oversight of APEGA’s function and activities
To make decisions that a ect the professions and the membership
To provide nancial oversight
apega.ca for more details.
strategic direction
In accordance with APEGA Bylaw 16(20) of the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, official notice of the 2020 APEGA Annual General Meeting is hereby given.
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APEGA
YOU SPOKE, WE LISTENED
MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE PROGRAM ROLLOUT BEGINS IN APEGA’S CENTENNIAL YEAR
THE DETAILS Through MEx, we’re redesigning our digital presence to serve you better. During 2020, we’ll be: • making changes to better protect your personal and company account information • merging functions of the existing member and company self-service sites into a single portal • developing dashboards that provide a visual summary of important information and activities • initiating notifications that help members and permit holders understand their regulatory obligations and how to keep compliant • moving all invoices, payments, and receipts online for members and permit holders As we progress, we’ll be checking in with members and permit holders to ensure we’re meeting your needs and expectations. We’ll also be looking for feedback throughout the process, so we encourage you to look for MEx updates throughout the new year. We look forward to continuing to improve your expe- rience as a member into our next century of service.
More than a year ago, we asked members and permit holders how we could improve the way we serve our membership. Some 7,700 responses later, we were able to start creating better and more consistent ways to interact with you. Based on the feedback we received, you’ll start seeing improvements in 2020, APEGA’s centennial year. And we’ll keep you updated throughout the year on how we’re progressing. WHAT WE HEARD You told us that you want modern, online services that are fast, easy to use, and visually appealing. You asked to see and manage all your member and permit holder information in one place. You requested more control over the personal and company data APEGA collects. And you said you want personalized notifications to help you manage your regulatory obligations. This high-quality experience we build should be the same, you said, whether you’re working in the office, from home, or from the road. We heard you, and your comments have become a force for change called the Membership Experience (MEx) Program.
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APEGA
APEGA NEWS
Our Experience Assessment System: A Primer
Engineering Applicants, APEGA, and the Public Benefit From Competency-Based Model
APEGA Salary Survey Enters New Era
If you’re a professional engineer in Alberta or applying to become one, you may have heard about our competency-based assessment (CBA) model of evaluating applications. But do you know what it’s all about? Rolled out in 2018 and funded in part by the Government of Alberta, CBA assesses not only whether applicants meet the work experience requirements to practise engineering in Alberta, but also whether they possess the appropriate competencies to ensure that their practice is safe and skilled. This approach is well tested and proven by Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia, and it’s widely recognized as a best practice for examining experience. It benefits all APEGA engineering applicants by enabling them to play a bigger role in the success of their application. And it benefits members and the public by ensuring properly experienced and competent people are being moved forward into engineering positions. Internationally trained applicants realize an extra benefit, because they are more likely to hit timeliness targets set by the federal Forum of Labour Market Ministers for recognition of foreign qualification. CBA has helped eliminate multiple rewrites of work experience, which were often required under the prior system. Although the CBA model increases the upfront time it takes applicants to submit their information, it
also helps APEGA provide a high level of fairness and consistency. Every applicant’s experience reflects on APEGA, our professions, and our relationship with applicants, members, and the public. A clearer and more efficient system means: • less frustration about APEGA • a better APEGA brand • improved value for the professional engineering designation After releasing the CBA system to members last year, we’ve gathered your feedback on system performance and are using it to make improvements. We’re also currently making strides with our Membership Experience (MEx) program, which has strong ties to CBA. We’re combining feedback from our members and working sessions with subject-matter experts to create a modern portal—one that will greatly improve the online experience of our membership. Once we’ve completed CBA for engineering applicants, we will use it to inform and create the foundation of a CBA model for our geoscience applicants.
To minimize disruption in 2019, the questionnaire itself was the same as the one the year before. But the report itself is different. For one thing, we’re no longer publishing full highlights in The PEG . You’ll still be able to download the report from the website, of course. The member report provides information on: • Regional compensation trends • Employment trends • Responsibility level guide • Base salary and total compensation median values • Base salary by gender In previous years, our highlights included mean values. In 2019 median values are reported, because on occasion the mean may not be representative of the market due to the range of salary reporting. In 2020 and beyond, the salary survey member report will be released and promoted in a fall edition of the ePEG newsletter, and you’ll be able to click through from there. We’ll continue to provide a full report for those who would like to purchase it. Questions or feedback? Email salarysurvey@apega.ca
For good reason, results of our annual salary survey make up one of APEGA’s most sought-after publications. Rebranded this year as Health Wealth Career: APEGA Member Report , the publication is better than ever. Why? In 2019 we switched survey administrators, helping us align the report with our vision of improving member and permit holder services on every platform. Mercer, the new administrator, is a wholly owned subsidiary of MARSH & McLENNAN, a global professional services firm. This change will help us leverage Mercer’s global survey arm and develop the salary survey to a world- class level. The member report, online now, is a compilation and analysis of data collected during our survey. It provides you, our members and permit holders, with unbiased salary and benefits comparisons across a wide range of industries in Alberta. Data for this study are collected and reported using eight distinct responsibility levels, 10 industry sectors, and 10 branch regions across the province. In 2019, 201 permit holders participated in the survey, representing more than 14,441 APEGA members. Those numbers are a decrease from last year, but they’re still part of an overall upward trend. In 2015, the total number of members represented was 13,464, employed by 156 permit holders.
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Please note: engineering licensee applicants do use our competency-based assessment system, but P.L. (Eng.) and P.L. (Geo.) applicants do not . These are two different types of membership. An engineering licensee has met all academic and experience requirements for licensure as a P.Eng. and can practise independently—but is not yet a Canadian citizen. Those with a P.L. (Eng.) designation practise within a clearly defined scope of practice only.
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2019 Member Report 2019 Member Report
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APEGA
APEGA
Our Professional Engineers and Professional Geoscientists Help Make the World a Better Place APEGA Celebrates 100 Years of Self-Regulatory Success
Eight engineering students—leaders in their student communities—received a financial boost earlier this year by way of the Ivan Finlay Leadership Award. This program, sponsored by past Presidents of APEGA, sees $1,000 go to select Alberta students enrolled in university engineering or geoscience programs who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities. On the list this year are four students from the University of Calgary and four from the University of Alberta. One of the recipients, Eric Wu, E.I.T., of U of C, said his appreciation goes beyond dollars and cents. “In addition to the financial support, awards serve as strong reminders about the importance of giving back to the community and leading by example,” he said. Leadership prompts others to give of their time, too, often stemming from the challenges they've faced and the help they've received along the way. The Ivan Finlay Award is “extremely rewarding, since it shows that my efforts on committees are being recognized.” Mr. Wu, a PhD student, serves on the Calgary APEGA Student Liaison Committee. He’s passionate about giving back, offering advice to other students, and establishing connections with members of his profession and the greater community. The award helped with his tuition and family expenses, he said. Another recipient is APEGA student member Callie Lissinna, a student leader of a University of Alberta group that launches satellites, called AlbertaSat. She’s a co-founder of Wyvern, a company that uses satellites to deliver Earth imagery. Award Recognizes Leadership Qualities in Alberta Students The Future Starts Here
She said the Ivan Finlay Leadership Award helped send her to the 70th International Astronautical Congress in Washington, D.C., in October, where she was able to network with more than 5,000 like-minded attendees from around the world. Ms. Lissinna is currently preparing for AlbertaSat’s 2021 launch of a cube satellite that will monitor Alberta for wildfires and advance Wyvern’s objectives. This year’s complete roster of award recipients consists of six engineers-in-training and two student members of APEGA:
One hundred years. Ten decades. One century. No matter how you divide it, reaching a centennial is an
Edmonton, Calgary, and the province itself will provide official recognition of our centennial. Edmonton’s High
impressive achievement. Since 1920, our members have been enhancing the quality of life for people in Alberta and around the world. Over the same period, APEGA has established itself as the largest self-regulating organization of professionals in Western Canada. Our members’ work and their professional organization’s work carry on today. We’re proud of our skilled community of permit holders and members for getting us here, pointing us to a bright future—and, most important, serving the public. Through Habitat for Humanity, we’ll be building a home to support a family in need. APEGA’s branches will hold events, including activities such
Level Bridge and the Calgary Tower will be lit with APEGA colours on April 24. In the digital sphere, we’re showcasing 100 historical and current stories that showcase the incredible contributions our members have made. We’ll also be posting videos during the year that look back and look ahead. We’ve got centennial gear you can purchase. We’ll be working with the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary on various events. Keep an eye on all our platforms and channels next year to make sure you get involved in the fun and interesting activities we’re planning. Thank you for sharing this journey in self-regulation with your association and
Name
University
Amanda Calleberg, E.I.T.
University of Calgary
Heidi Cossey, E.I.T.
University of Alberta
Jiani Deng, E.I.T.
University of Calgary
Georgia Dunn, E.I.T. Callie Lissinna, student member
University of Alberta
University of Alberta
Meghana Valupadas, E.I.T.
University of Alberta
Joel Wong, student member
University of Calgary
as planting 100 trees, building structures out of canned food (and donating the food afterwards), and holding family BBQs.
the public of Alberta.
Eric Wu, E.I.T.
University of Calgary
See you in our next century!
If you are a potential recipient or you know someone who may be interested in submitting a nomination for next year’s Ivan Finlay Leadership Award, don’t hesitate—download the 2020 nomination package today. There are up to 10 awards available, each with a prize of $1,000. Nominations are due at 9 a.m. on February 14, 2020.
LINKS 2020 Centennial Celebrations Photo Contest Winners Buy Centennial APEGA Gear
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PHOTO CREDITS 1. Canadarm2 and Dextre Robot, credit: NASA 2. Pioneering female geoscientist, credit: Glenbow ip-14a-1828 Diana Loranger 1947 3. Gorgosaur, credit: Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller 4. Jasper SkyTram, credit: Jasper SkyTram 5. Bitumount engineer, credit: Glenbow pa-1599-451-4 Chemical engineer Bitumount 1951 6. Syncrude employee, credit: Syncrude 7. Soil testing at the Research Council of Alberta, credit: Provincial Archives of Alberta PA3011.2 8. Phone calls get through, credit: Glenbow Archives ip-6f-18os
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- photo courtesy Georgia Dunn
INVESTING IN TOMORROW Eight community-minded engineering students received a financial boost this year—to the tune of $1,000 each—through APEGA’s Ivan Finlay Leadership Award program. From left: Georgia Dunn, E.I.T.; Heidi Cossey, E.I.T.; Callie Lissinna, student member of APEGA; Eric Wu, E.I.T.; Amanda Calleberg, E.I.T.; Meghana Valupadas, E.I.T.; Joel Wong, student member of APEGA, Jiani Deng, E.I.T.
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Movers & Shakers
Movers & Shakers
LATITUDE
LATITUDE
Call it fate or call it good fortune. Regardless, chance was certainly involved in one University of Alberta professor’s decision to attend a conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 13 years ago in Vancouver. “I decided to go because of the short flight,” Pierre Mertiny, P.Eng., PhD , says in a story on the U of A website. Now the mechanical engineering professor has earned an ASME fellowship, the highest elected honour the ASME presents to members. Fellows are nominated by other ASME members and fellows in recognition of their significant professional contributions and outstanding achievements. Dr. Mertiny liked the folks he met at the Vancouver conference, so he decided join and get involved in the ASME. He organized a few ASME sessions the next year and a few more after that. Last year he organized an ASME conference in Prague. As his involvement has grown, so too has Dr. Mertiny’s leadership. He’s gone from presenting at conferences to chairing ASME’s pressure vessels and piping division. He’s also cultivated a strong relationship with the executive. A proponent of mentorship and recruitment, Dr. Mertiny thinks deeply about the future of the organization. “The ASME is working hard to diversify and develop a younger base population. As an academic, I have daily contact with a wide range of young engineers, so I can contribute to developing that diverse membership.” Of course, he’ll continue attending ASME conferences. PAST TO PRESENT In 2009, Jim Beckett, P.Eng. FEC, FGC (Hon.) , was busy leading APEGA as our President. Ten years later, he’s still giving back, a fact underlined when he received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers from Alberta Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell in November. The medal is awarded to Canadian volunteers for the time, commitment, and compassion they share with a wide array of community organizations. Mr. Beckett, a volunteer for more than 25 years, has served as a senior board member for various organizations, including at the helm of APEGA and Engineers Canada. He has also taken part in Iron Ring ceremonies for engineering graduates as an honorary warden. “There are so many aspects of the quality of life we all enjoy that depend on the energy, compassion, innovation, and resources offered by hard-working community volunteers,” said the Honourable Ms. Mitchell. “These medals are a way to recognize their tireless contributions on behalf of all citizens.” FLIGHT TO VANCOUVER LEADS TO AN ASME FELLOWSHIP
Movers & Shakers
As communities around the world celebrated International Women’s Day this year, Ania Ulrich, P.Eng., PhD , had an extra reason to hold her head high: Women’s Initiative Edmonton was presenting the 2019 Women’s Leadership Award—and her name was on it. As associate dean of outreach in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Ulrich champions diversity and inclusivity among faculty and students, inspiring future engineering professionals and leading with compassion. “Dr. Ulrich exemplifies the best traits of a leader, mentor, and engineer,” says Meghana Calupadas, vice- chair of Women’s Advocacy Voice of Edmonton Vice- Chair. “She continues to pave the way. . . for women to feel included and successful throughout their program.” Under Dr. Ulrich, the faculty is attracting a diverse range of students, some of whom are establishing their own inclusivity initiatives. One such group supports engineering students of Métis or First Nations heritage. Another connects engineering students with young women interested in the profession. The faculty’s engineering and science outreach team also drums up interest in the fields known as STEM: science, technology, engineering, and math. “I was recently invited to speak to over 300 school teachers, from kindergarten to Grade 12, who wanted to hear from a female engineer on this topic and how they could contribute in their classroom,” she says in a story on the U of A website. “Most people think that engineers only build bridges, buildings, and cars, and they’re really surprised to discover how vast engineering work is and how we help people and society. It makes me so happy that we are blowing up paradigms. The message of women in STEM is gaining traction and there’s more awareness. It’s very exciting.” ‘BLOWING UP PARADIGMS’—U OF A OUTREACH LEADER PUSHES OPEN DIVERSITY DOORS
ONCE A LEADER, AWAYS A LEADER Jim Beckett, P.Eng., an APEGA past-president, has long been devoting his time to causes he believes in.
But now it will be in fine fellow fashion: no more strings around his neck. “We get these really nice name tags for our shirts.” Ah. The perks of success.
Of course, women aren’t in it alone. “When 88 per cent of your faculty members are male, they’re a huge part of the community, and many of them want to help work toward greater equity, diversity, and inclusivity,” Dr. Ulrich says. “We need men who really care about this and want to be part of the process. They’re the ones who are going to swing the majority and it is important to share that work.” Her commitment to improving diversity and inclusion not only builds the reputation of the university. It pays forward into the profession. “We want to make sure our faculty reflects a diversity of lived experiences, expertise, values, and opinions. It is fact that a diverse engineering community creates high-calibre solutions to problems.” INSPIRING INCLUSION Ania Ulrich, P.Eng., PhD, is certain there’s room for women and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math, and she’s finding ways to get them there and keep them there. - photo courtesy Engineering at Alberta
ASME HONOURS U OF A PROF Pierre Mertiny, P.Eng., PhD, is now a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. - photo courtesy Pierre Mertiny
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