INNOVATION January-February 2015

Professional Development Consultation • Proposed Act Changes • Public Opinion Poll Results

JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS OF BC

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

R.A. McLachlan Award Recipient Paul Willis, P.Eng. Salary Negotiation for the Woman Professional

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content s

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2 015 [ volume 19 number 1)

features 18

Envisioning Change: R.A. McLachlan Award Recipient Champions Energy Efficiency in Industry Tom Ruffen

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Public Opinion Poll Yields Insights on Perceptions of the Professions

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How Much Are You Worth? Salary Negotiation for the Woman Professional Dr. Elizabeth Croft, P.Eng., FEC, Rebekah Parker, Jennifer Pelletier

news

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President’s Viewpoint – The Value of Membership

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Association Notes – APEGBC Recruiting Members for 2015/2016 Council; Nominations Open for APEGBC Awards; New Affinity Partners Offer Discounts on Hotel, Car Rental and Shipping; APEGBC Student Program Now Open to Master’s Students; It’s not too late to declare your CPD Hours for 2014

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Council Report – November 28, 2014

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Bylaw Amendment Consultation Underway – Members Respond on Professional Development Bylaw APEGBC Consulting Members on Proposed Changes to Engineers and Geoscientists Act

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ON THE COVER: Paul Willis, P.Eng. is the 2014 winner of the R.A. McLachlan Memorial Award, recognizing a career championing energy efficiency. Page 18. Photo: Andrea Sunderland

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Insurance Claim Considerations – What Professionals Need to Know

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Branding APEGBC

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National Engineering and Geoscience Month 2015

depar tment s

7 Newsmakers 22 Practice Matters 28 APEGBC Professional Development 29 Membership 34 Professional Services 38 OQM List

National Engineering and Geoscience Month calendar of events. 23

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 1

v iewpoint

While attending an APEGBC event in Vancouver last year, I had a conversation with an engineer employed at a university. The conver- sation centered around her opinion that APEGBC did not offer any real benefits to its members and she could not see the value of paying around $400 per year to be a member. I was grateful for her willingness to engage me on this matter, and I recognized that her opinion is likely more widespread, both among prospective and current members. Therefore, I thought I should voice my dissenting view. Below are my top five reasons why membership in APEGBC is valuable. At the top of my list is the privilege of self-regulation. Membership in the association means that you are included in a professional com- munity where members have the right and power to collectively gov- ern themselves and set their own standards of admission and practice. This right is granted to us by the BC Government under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act . Of course, there is a cost to self-regulation, and most of our annual member fees pay that cost. I ask members to con- sider the alternative—the government or some non-engineering body regulates us. Not only would this be undesirable (I do not want people without engineering or geoscience backgrounds regulating my activi- ties), it would also come at a cost—you would still pay fees to practice to some body, but would be regulated by others. Second on my list: The legal right to practice and receive compen- sation for engineering and geoscience work. Individuals independent- ly practising professional engineering or geoscience without being licensed are not legally entitled to compensation for that work. Third: Advocacy and influence. APEGBC provides valuable input on issues, regulations, codes, and policy decisions relevant to BC en- gineers and geoscientists to authorities at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. Examples include the School Seismic Upgrade Program and a range of practice issues such as dam safety and flood assessments. Fourth: APEGBC staff are always available to provide advice to members on practice and ethical issues. In fact, we have a dedicated staff practice advisor for this purpose. Staff also provide services to prospective members, such as internationally trained professionals, to facilitate professional registration in British Columbia. Fifth: Professional status. I take pride in my designation “profes- sional geoscientist.” Professional engineers and geoscientists are well respected by the public based on the standards of admission, ethics, and practice associated with membership in a regulated profession. Membership in APEGBC sets us apart as trusted professionals. Ultimately, APEGBC is a member-driven organization. Value is not just what is provided to you; it is also the extent to which you engage with the organization in order to derive that value. People who put a lot of time and effort into the association more easily perceive its value. We are served by nearly 1,000 volunteers (3.5% of the member- ship). Volunteers continue to contribute to APEGBC because they recognize its value to both their colleagues and the public. Another way of looking at value is that those who are not regis- tered are in fact benefitting from the reputation accorded to registered professional engineers and geoscientists based on the high ethical, education, and practice standards that they ascribe to. Why would a geoscientist or engineer not want to be part of our association?

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 6N2 Tel: 604.430.8035 Fax: 604.430.8085 E-mail: apeginfo@apeg.bc.ca Internet: www.apeg.bc.ca Toll free: 1.888.430.8035

2015/2015 COUNCIL, APEGBC P resident J.J. Clague, P.Geo., FGC V ice P resident M.C. Wrinch, P.Eng., FEC I mmediate P ast P resident M.B. Bapty, P.Eng., FEC

The Value of Membership

COUNCILLORS C.J. Andrewes, P.Eng.; C.D. Anglin, P.Geo. D.E. Campbell, P.Eng.; A. Fernandes, CIM, FCSI D.I. Harvey, P.Eng.,Struct.Eng., FEC; H. Hawson, P.Eng., FEC D.M. Howes, P.Eng., FEC; H.G. Kelly, P.Eng. K. Laloge, CA; T. Mitha, LLB

C.L. Park, P.Eng.; R.P. Stewart, P.Eng. K.V. Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng.; S.Wynn

ASSOCIATION STAFF A.J. English, P.Eng. C hief E xecutive O fficer A nd R egistrar T.M.Y. Chong, P.Eng. C hief R egulatory O fficer A nd D eputy R egistrar J.Y. Sinclair C hief O perating O fficer M.L. Archibald D irector , C ommunications A nd S takeholder E ngagement J. Cho, CGA D irector , F inance A nd A dministration D. Gamble D irector , I nformation S ystems P.R. Mitchell, P.Eng. D irector , P rofessional P ractice , S tandards A nd D evelopment D. Olychick D irector , M ember S ervices G.M. Pichler, P.Eng. D irector , R egistration E. Swartz, LLB D irector , L egislation , E thics A nd C ompliance V. Lai, CGA A ssociate D irector , F inance A nd A dministration J.J.G. Larocque P.Eng., LLB, CD A ssociate D irector , P rofessional P ractice

Dr. John Clague, P.Geo., FGC President

Melinda Lau M anaging E ditor

EDITORIAL BOARD S. Chiu, P.Eng.; R. Gupta, P.Eng., P h D; C.L. Hall, P.Geo.; S.K. Hayes, P.Eng.; K.S. Hirji, P.Eng.; M.A. Klippenstein, P.Eng.; I. Kokan, P.Eng.; M.E. Leslie, P.Eng.; B. Thomson, P.Geo., FEC (Hon)

president@ apeg.bc.ca

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Subscription rates per issue $4.50; six issues yearly $25.00. Annual subscriptions of Association members are apportioned from membership dues in the amount of $15 per member (rates do not include tax). Innovation is published six times a year by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. As the official publication of the Association, Innovation is circulated to members of the engineering and geoscience professions, architects, contractors and industrial executives. The views expressed in any article contained herein do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Council or membership of this Association. Submission Guidelines: Innovation encourages unsolicited articles and photos. By submitting material to Innovation, you grant Innovation a royalty-free, worldwide license to publish the material in Innovation magazine; and you warrant that you have the authority to grant such rights and have obtained waivers of all associated moral rights. Innovation reserves the right to edit the material for length, clarity and conformity with our editorial guidelines (www.apeg.bc.ca/innovation-editorial) and is under no obligation to publish any or all submissions or any portion thereof including credits. All material is copyright. Please contact the Managing Editor for reprint permission.

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4 questions to ask about critical illness

The financial impact can be as devastating as the disease itself. Because of medical advances, Canadians are more confident about physically surviving cancer or other critical illnesses than surviving the impact on their net worth. Find out if you’re financially prepared for a critical illness.

How can critical illness insurance help? 4 The Engineers Canada-sponsored Critical Illness Plan pays a lump sum upon diagnosis of a covered condition. You and your spouse may apply for benefit amounts between $25,000 and $1 million to help meet the costs associated with surviving a serious illness, including cancer, heart attack and stroke. Choose from two types of coverage: Can you afford the financial impact? 3 • Cancer drugs taken outside the hospital – and not automatically covered by the government – cost about $20,000 for a course of treatment. Newer drugs cost over $65,000 . 1 • Recovery from heart disease and stroke can continue for years , resulting in more medical bills and lost income and productivity 2 • Family caregivers also have to deal with wage loss and the real potential of a decreased standard of living 3

Are you at risk for a critical illness? 1 About 2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetimes. In 2013, it was estimated that: 1 • 96,200 Canadian men will be diagnosed with cancer • 91,400 Canadian women will be diagnosed with cancer • Over 500 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer every day

About 9 in 10 Canadians already have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke. In Canada, there is: 2 • 1 stroke every 10 minutes • 1 heart attack every 7 minutes

What are your chances of surviving it? 2 • 63% of Canadians diagnosed with cancer are expected to survive for 5 years or more after diagnosis 1

• The cardiovascular death rate in Canada has declined by nearly 40% in the last decade 2 • 1.3 million Canadians are living with the effects of heart disease, and 315,000 are living with the effects of stroke 2

• Essential – covers 6 conditions • Enhanced – covers 18 conditions

LEARN MORE AND APPLY FOR: Engineers Canada-sponsored Critical Illness Plan www.manulife.com/APEGBC/CI 1-877-598-2273 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET)

Sources: 1 Canadian Cancer Statistics, 2013. 2 Heart & Stroke Foundation Statistics, 2013. 3 Colleen Nelson B.Ed, PBCE, “The Financial Hardship of Cancer in Canada: A Literature Review,” Canadian Cancer Society, 2010. Underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company. Manulife and the Block Design are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license.

l et ter s

Letters to the editor of 300 words or less can be e-mailed to innovation@apeg.bc.ca. While we welcome your input, due to space limitations we may be unable to publish all letters received. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are not necessarily endorsed by APEGBC.

Value of Mandatory CPD Should be Demonstrated

technology available, there remains no open forum for the members to express their views and ask questions. Why not? Niall Parker, P.Eng. Pender Island, BC Editor’s Note: For more information on the professional development consultation, see page 13. Flawed Climate Change Position Paper APEGBC’s Position Paper on climate change published early in 2014 raises more questions than it answers. The Task Force report of February 2010 and the new position paper are highly flawed. Both ignore the revelations of scientific corruption in the climate community revealed by the Climategate scandal in November 2009 and the now well-demonstrated lack of global warming for some 17 years and counting. Instead, engineers are led to believe that the world will face “...hotter summers…and warmer, wetter winters,” clearly contrary to the evidence from the instrumental record. The 17-year temperature pause clearly is at odds with the Task Force statement “...that mankind is affecting the rate at which the climate is changing, above the natural levels, primarily through our consumption of carbon based products that are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.” Furthermore, no peer-reviewed literature was cited to support the position paper. Indeed, the only relevant reference is to the average of 30 climate models identified by the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC) at the University of Victoria. Not one of those models predicted the current temperature stasis—they all run overly “hot.” One of the models, the University of Victoria’s Earth System Climate Model (ESCM), is the worst predictor in the group. The unfortunate outcome is that an ill- conceived policy that will affect engineers’ practice has been foisted on APEGBC members without a broad and full consultation with all members. Imposition of policy by diktat does not befit an organization of this stature. Other major policy issues facing APEGBC are put to

APEGBC members have been recently asked to participate in a survey to find out what information we need to become more informed on the topic of Mandatory CPD. As always, I have taken the view that such a program should only be considered if it can be demonstrated that it provides value to both the members of our association and the public at large. The typical response from council has been along the lines of “everyone else is doing it,” “public perception,” “optics” and similar fuzzy reasons more in line with marketing than engineering. It has already been decided that we will have a bylaw to vote on next year defining what the shape of the Mandatory CPD program should be, and yet we have not had a proper discussion as to whether a mandatory program will actually help! What we need is an objective review of engineering practice in both those areas where a mandatory program is in place and where it remains optional. Is there a difference in the quality of engineering?

Is the public safer? What does such a system cost? Who should pay for it? The bottom line is whether making CPD mandatory is worthwhile, then we can decide what shape it should be if it is necessary. As an engineer, I prefer hard facts and rational analysis, definitely some statistics. Thus far, the proponents of MCPD have not shown us any. A broader discussion by all the members of APEGBC would be helpful as well. Despite many promises and abundant web

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newsmaker s

UBC Iron Pin Ceremony Introduces Students to Code of Ethics A PEGBC councillors, members and staff were pleased to participate as speakers and observers at UBC Engineering’s inaugural Iron Pin Ceremonies this fall. Organized by UBC’s Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS), each event served to introduce engineering students to the code of ethics and instill in them the importance of values and responsibility. Current and former members of APEGBC’s Council were invited to speak at five separate events at UBC on what it means to be a professional engineer. Members of the engineering and geoscience community Left: APEGBC representatives with UBC faculty and students at the first Iron Pin ceremony. Photos: Mike Tian. Right: UBC engineering students pledging to uphold the values of ethics and responsibility.

Ceremonies marked students’ entrance into this community and defined the expectations throughout their university and professional career. With the support of APEGBC, the EUS developed a UBC Engineering Code of Ethics based on the association’s own Code of Ethics. This code reminds students to commit themselves to integrity, safety, professionalism and lifelong learning. After reciting the UBC Engineering Code of Ethics, the students were presented with an iron pin by way of commemoration and reminder. More information on the Iron Pin Ceremony is available at ubcengineers.ca/eus/traditions/ironpin/.

pledge to uphold a common set of values and hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public. UBC’s Iron Pin

BCIT School of Construction and the Environment Gets New Dean Wayne Hand, P.Eng., has been appointed the Dean of the School of Construction and the Environment at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). A civil engineer by training, Hand was previously Associate Dean, Building Design and Construction Technology, for 15 years. Under his direction, the School of Construction and the Environment has seen the development of significant research programs and capacity building relating to building science and architectural ecology, and the application and execution of various industry and government grants such as BCIT’s first Canada Research Chair. He has also led the development of numerous new credentials, including an architectural science degree and two master’s degrees in building science (the first master’s program at BCIT). Mr. Hand holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Alberta and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Calgary. BCIT has accredited civil, electrical and mechanical engineering programs, and also offers courses on building science and mining and mineral exploration. A growing number of new APEGBC student members and engineers-in-training are from these programs.

Wayne Hand, P.Eng., is BCIT’s new dean of the School of Construction and the Environment.

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as soc ia t i on notes

APEGBC is Recruiting Members for Its 2015/2016 Council

BC engineers and geoscientists play an essential role in the province. Through the nomination process, we are seeking visionary members to provide strong leadership for APEGBC. APEGBC is inviting members who wish to run in the fall 2015 Council election to contact the Nominating Committee to express their interest in becoming a candidate. Why get involved? Engineers and geoscientists enjoy the privilege of self-regu- lation. This means that they are responsible for determining and maintaining the standards of admission and practice for their professions. As an organization, APEGBC relies on the participation of members to carry out its regulatory functions. Members of the association’s Council provide leadership and strategic direction to APEGBC, establishing its priorities and policies under provincial legislation, the Engineers and Geoscientists Act . Professional engineers, professional geoscientists and li- censees in good standing are eligible for office. Councillors are generally elected for a two-year term, beginning October 17, 2015. The President and Vice President are elected for a one-year term. Our Process APEGBC is governed by a Council of elected members

and government appointees. Each year, members have the opportunity to elect a President, Vice President, and a minimum of five councillors. Candidates can be nominated in two ways: either by the Nominating Committee, or as a write-in candidate with the support of 25 members. The election will be held during September–October 2015, and those elected will take office at the Annual General Meeting on October 17, 2015. APEGBC’s Nominating Committee, will meet from January to April 2015 to select a slate of candidates. These nominees will be selected based on their qualifications, experience and expertise. Members are encouraged to submit referrals or expressions of interest to this committee for consideration by contacting the Chair, Michael Bapty P.Eng., FEC, at pastpresident@apeg.bc.ca by Thursday, February 26, 2015 . Alternatively, members may also submit nominations of candidates for election directly to the Registrar, with the sup- port of 25 members in good standing. This requires a nomi- nation form signed by the members making the nomination, and the written consent of the nominee. The forms are due Friday, June 26, 2015. More detailed information including nomination forms and Nominating Committee candidate criteria can be found online at apeg.bc.ca/Nominations-2015-16.

Interested in Running for Office? Here’s what the Nominating Committee is looking for:

All nominees for Councillor must be members or licensees (P.Eng., P.Geo., Eng.L., Geo.L.) in good standing. Nominating Committee Candidates for the office of President must have served on Council for at least two years, and candidates for the office of Vice President must have served one year. Previous experience on Council is not required for write-in candidates. Desirable skills and experience include: • Financial fluency, such as relating to financial statements, cash flow, budgeting, financial planning, investing and risk management. • Familiarity with governance structures of corporations and/or large organizations. • A minimum of five years of professional practice as a member. • Leadership roles, including strategic thinking and public speaking. Experience with service on boards of companies or voluntary, professional or community organizations. For more detailed information on the Nominating Committee’s criteria, go to apeg.bc.ca/Nominations-2015-16. 2015 Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee ensures that a slate of nominees is put forward for election in consideration of criteria vital to strong and balanced leadership of the association. This includes management and professional practice experience, financial fluency, diversity and more. The committee is composed of eight professional members or licensees representing APEGBC regional branches and five professional members or licensees appointed by Council. It is chaired by the current past president. For more information about the Nominating Committee, visit: apeg.bc.ca/Nominations-2015-16.

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Stand Out from the Crowd Nominations now open for APEGBC Awards Nominations are now being accepted for APEGBC’s President’s Awards, Environmental Award, Sustainability Award and the Mentor of the Year Award. The awards will be presented at APEGBC’s 2015 Annual Conference, to be held October 15–17 in Kelowna, BC. 2015 APEGBC President’s Awards The APEGBC President’s Awards are British Columbia’s top honours for professional engineers, professional geoscientists and licensees. APEGBC needs your help to identify deserving individuals within the engineering and geoscience community— professionals who serve as role models, excel at what they do, and inspire others. The awards program was created to recognize the exemplary and outstanding professional, technical and community contributions of APEGBC members, and allows the association to showcase the professions to the public. Award winners are selected by a committee of APEGBC members based on nominations submitted by their peers. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 President’s Awards and the deadline for nominations is Friday, April 11, 2015. There are seven categories of President’s Awards. They include: meritorious achievement, community service, professional service and teaching at the post-secondary level. A fifth award, the Young Professional Award, recognizes an individual not older than 35 years of age who combines professional achievement, community service and professional service early in their career. The remaining awards, the R.A. McLachlan Memorial Award and the C.J. Westerman Memorial Award, are APEGBC’s premier awards for engineering and geoscience respectively. These two awards recognize those who have made a significant contribution to their profession throughout their careers. Award terms of reference, nominations forms and additional information are available online at: apeg.bc.ca/Presidents-Awards. Questions about the President’s Awards can be directed to Laurel Buss, Communications Officer at lbuss@apeg.bc.ca or 604.412.6052. APEGBC’s Sustainability Award and Environmental Award APEGBC Sustainability Award From innovative processes that do more with less to adaptive measures to address an uncertain climate future, APEGBC engineers and geosci- entists practice at the leading edge of sustainability.

APEGBC recognizes these leaders through the annual Sustainability Award as a means to celebrate and share positive contributions to a sustainable future. The award is open to any project that has demonstrated a commitment to, and understanding of, the concept of sustain- ability and/or has applied one or more of the Sustainability Guidelines. The Sustainability Committee welcomes diverse nominations from sustainable projects both large and small. The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 6, 2015 . Full details on the submission process and awards criteria are available online at apeg.bc.ca/Sustainability-Award. APEGBC Environmental Award APEGBC’s Division of Environmental Professionals encourages submissions for the Environmental Award, which highlights profes- sional engineers’ and geoscientists’ roles in responsible environ- mental management, environmental protection and/or sustainable development. The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 6, 2015. Full details on the submission process and award criteria are available online at apeg.bc.ca/Environmental-Award. Questions about the Sustainability Award or Environmental Award can be directed to Laurel Buss, Communications Officer, at A PEGBC’s Mentor of the Year Award recognizes excellence amongst mentors in the engineering and geoscience community in British Columbia. Mentorship plays a key role in supporting a successful career in engineering and geoscience. APEGBC wishes to acknowledge the importance of mentoring relationships amongst association members with the Mentor of the Year Award. Nominations for the award are now being accepted and will continue to be until March 31, 2015. Nominees must be a mentor in the APEGBC Mentoring Program. Full details on the nomination process and awards criteria can be found on the APEGBC website: apeg.bc.ca/mentoringaward. Questions about the Mentor of the Year Award can be directed to Amit Plaha, Mentoring Program Coordinator at aplaha@apeg.bc.ca or 604.412.4885. lbuss@apeg.bc.ca or 604.412.6052. APEGBC Mentor of the Year Award

New Affinity Partners Offer Discounts on Hotel, Car Rental and Shipping APEGBC is pleased to welcome two new Affinity Program partners: Local Hospitality Inc. (LHI) and UPS. Through its Affinity Program, APEGBC partners with selected suppliers to offer discounts to members on various products and services. LHI provides members with discounts on car rentals and hotel rooms in Canada and internationally. Discounted rates are avail- able from their worldwide inventory of hotels, as well as from over 1,200 car rental suppliers at over 30,000 locations. Offered through Engineers Canada, UPS offers a broad range of services for the transportation of packages and freight for engi- neering and geoscience professionals. Savings with the UPS Members Benefit Program include 30% off the base price on domestic and export services, no weekly service charge and discounts starting at 70% for UPS Freight Standard LTL Services. For details on each of these new partners and the full Affinity Program line up, please visit apeg.bc.ca/affinity. To ensure that we continue to have quality partners, we welcome your feedback, comments or suggestions based on experience with these new services. Please contact Maria-Carmen Kelly at mckelly@apeg.bc.ca or 604.639.8179.

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as soc ia t ion notes APEGBC Student Program Now Open to Master’s Students APEGBC’s student program was created to help students bridge the gap between university and professional life, keeping them connected to their future professional association and providing access to helpful resources and events. There are currently more than 2,900 student program members. Now, APEGBC is expanding its student program to accept master’s students. Since its inception, the program has only been available to undergraduate students; however, engineering and earth science master’s students have frequently expressed interest in maintaining their connection to APEGBC and accessing member benefits throughout their education. With the goal of greater engagement with its future BC engineering and geoscience professionals, APEGBC has grown its program to accommodate these students. Undergraduate student members who are continuing on to pursue master’s programs will have the option of applying to become members-in-training or remaining as student members. An option for maintaining student membership will be added to the annual renewal process that existing student members undergo. For new registrants, online registration is available at apeg.bc.ca/student-membership. Registration as a student member costs $25 + tax. University bulk buy programs currently only include undergraduate students. APEGBC’s Student Program offers its members professional and financial benefits. They have access to industry nights, seminars and other events aimed specifically

at students throughout the year. And, for every year that they are enrolled, student members receive a credit of $12.50 toward their first annual EIT/GIT membership fee (up to $50 for undergraduate members, and $25 for master’s students). Student members also receive discounted student pricing on seminars, branch events and the APEGBC conference. For more information about the APEGBC Student Program, or for assistance with enrolling, contact Andrea Wilson at awilson@apeg.bc.ca or 604.412.4860. You can also visit the website at apeg.bc.ca/student-membership. It’s not too late to declare your CPD Hours for 2014! During the membership renewal process, APEGBC asks members to indicate whether they have met the requirements of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Guideline for the 2014 calendar year by checking a box on their 2015 annual membership renewal form, or through the online membership renewal process. If you haven’t done so yet, you can still complete this step online. To update your member record, log on to the APEGBC website through the APEGBC Member Portal, under “Manage Professional Development” where you will be provided with options to declare your professional development compliance, and indicate your CPD hours for the 2014 year. Adherence to the CPD guideline is recommended but not

mandatory; however members who choose to declare their compliance with the guideline are recognized with a “Declared CPD Compliant” note in the public member directory. This is one of the ways that APEGBC aims to demonstrate to the public that engineers, geoscientists and licensees are keeping up to date in their area of practice The current CPD Guidelines require completion of an average of 80 Professional Development Hours (PDH) per year (240 PDH on a three- year rolling total) in at least three of the six categories. For members’ convenience, APEGBC has an online CPD recording centre to help you keep track of your CPD activities. For more detailed information about professional development or to access the current APEGBC CPD Guideline, please visit apeg.bc.ca/ Professional-Development.

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counc i l repor t

“That Council consider providing an appropriate level of support to the APEG Foundation (to be determined in consultation with the Foundation) to achieve the Foundation’s long term strategic goals.” Council referred this motion to the Executive Committee so that additional support for the Foundation can be considered within the context of overall budget planning for the associa- tion. The Executive Committee will deliver a recommendation to Council as part of the 2015/2016 budget approval process. “That Council consider reintroducing a practice followed by Council of previous years – the practice being the publishing of the APEGBC budget for the coming year.” Council referred this motion to the Executive Committee. This committee has been delegated responsibility for financial oversight, including reviewing and recommending finance related policy recommendations. The Executive Committee will deliver a recommendation to Council for the June 19, 2015 meeting. Budget Guidelines Approved for Upcoming Year Council’s budget planning process aligns with the three year strategic plan. Now preparing for year two of the three-year cycle, Council approved budget guidelines for 2015/2016 that will also be used as the guidelines for the proforma 2016/2017 budget. Council approved general updates to the guideline, and also approved the recommendation that there be no member fee increase for 2015/2016.

APEGBC’s Council of elected members and government representatives meets throughout the year to conduct the business of association governance. The following are the highlights of the November 28, 2014 meeting.

Members to be Consulted on Proposed Bylaw and Legislative Amendments Council is seeking member feedback through two consultation processes now underway. Member input is being sought on a proposed bylaw for professional development, as well as on several proposed amendments to APEGBC’s governing legislation. For more information on these topics, see pages 13 and 14. Pilot for Canadian Environment Experience Alternatives Council approved APEGBC’s participation in a national pilot to assess proposed alternatives to the requirement for applicants to have one year of Canadian environment experience. Since March 2013, with funding support from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, APEGBC has been leading a national project to articulate the competencies and outcomes that must be met for safe engineering practice in Canada, and to identify potential routes to registration with alternative require- ments that will meet the intent of the current one-year Canadian environment experience requirement. This project, which has garnered national and international interest, aligns with the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Policy on removing the Canadian experience barrier (July 2013) that states in part: “…a strict requirement for ‘Canadian experience’ is prima facie discrimination (discrimination on its face) and can only be used in very limited circumstances.” In May 2014 a report on research and recommendations was submitted to the Ministry. The second phase of this project is looking at ways to implement the recommendations, and involves representatives from Engineers Canada and the provincial/ter- ritorial engineering regulatory bodies. This group has identified alternative methods of demonstrating the required competen- cies that currently can only be approved by gaining one year of experience in a Canadian environment under the supervision of a professional engineer. Consultation with the regulatory groups is underway prior to initiating a pilot of the proposed routes. The one-year pilot is expected to commence in March 2015 under the At the Annual General Meeting, APEGBC members and licensees have an opportunity to put forward motions for Council consideration. The following outlines the three motions passed by the assembly at the October 25 AGM, as well as Council’s actions on them. “That Council consider granting Honorary Professional Engineer status to Col. Chris Hadfield to recognize his outstanding contribu- tion as a Canadian-trained engineer.” Council referred this motion to the Standing Awards Committee. This committee has been delegated the responsibil- ity of recommending awards and special recognitions including honorary membership. A recommendation will be delivered to Council in February. project management of APEGBC. Follow Up on Motions Passed at AGM

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Competency Profile for Professional Geoscientists at Entry to Practice Council adopted in principle Geoscientists Canada’s Competency Profile for Professional Geoscientists at Entry to Practice as the foundational document that describes entry-to- practice competency for professional geoscientists. The pro- file is not in itself an assessment tool, but sets outs in general terms what the profession as a whole accepts nationally as the competencies necessary for safe, effective and ethical geosci- ence practice. It was developed by the Canadian Geoscience Standards Board (CGSB) and adopted by Geoscientists Canada at their November board meeting. APEGBC members, staff, and the Geoscience and Registration committees were consulted throughout the development of the profile. As it has a successful competency assessment tool in place, APEGBC expects to play a key role in the CGSB’s future work to determine the model for assess- ment of these competencies. Council-Branch Pairings Members of Council were assigned to APEGBC branches. The councillor-branch pairings facilitate communication between the branches and Council by providing the branch executives with one or two councillors that they can contact concerning Council matters. While councillors are not required to attend all branch events, they participate when they can and are placed on the branch’s emailing list for upcoming meetings. Public Opinion Survey Results Presented To support its role as a public safety regulator, as well as the work it does on public awareness of the contributions of engi- neers and geoscientists, APEGBC conducts a public opinion survey every three years. This survey gauges public awareness and perceptions of the engineering and geoscience professions; public awareness and perceptions of APEGBC; and perceived barriers to careers in the professions. The most recent public opinion survey was conducted in fall 2014, and the results were presented to Council at its November meeting. More informa- tion on the survey is available on page 22.

Nominating Committee Terms of Reference Amended Council approved updates to the Nominating Committee terms of reference to align with recent bylaw amendments. In October, members approved amendments to Bylaw 3 that removed the requirement for disciplinary diversity on the can- didate slate, enhanced the overall requirement for diversity on the candidate slate, required the appointment of both a P.Eng. and a P.Geo. to the Nominating Committee, and increased the number of council appointees to the committee from 12 to 14.

APPOINTMENTS Building Codes Committee Emmanuel Domingo, P.Eng. Consulting Practice Committee Randall Hillaby, P.Eng. Discipline Committee Frank Denton, PEng, FEC, FGC (Hon) Elevator Subcommittee Michael Chadney, P.Eng. Timothy Brown, P.Eng. Houssam Hamze Albert Leung, Architect AIBC Wah Hong Cheung, P.Eng. Thomas Leung, P.Eng., Struct. Eng., FEC Emilia Mazzonna, P.Eng. Investigation Committee Andy Mill, P. Eng., Struct. Eng., FEC Mentoring Committee Keith Recsky, P.Eng. Bob Gill, P.Eng.

Nominating Committee Dr. Michael Isaacson, P.Eng. FEC Dr. Catherine Hickson, P.Geo. Mr. Chris Newcomb, P.Eng., FEC Dick Fletcher, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) Doug Barry, P.Eng. Registration Committee David Harvey, P.Eng., Struct. Eng., FEC Standing Awards Committee David Harvey, P.Eng., Struct. Eng., FEC Sustainability Committee Canisius Chan, P.Eng. Geoscientists Canada Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., FGC – Director Shiloh Carlson, P.Eng. Dr. Martin Fandrich, P.Eng.

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Bylaw Amendment Consultation Underway Members Respond on Professional Development Bylaw

This fall, BC engineers and geoscientists will be asked to vote on a bylaw for continuing professional development. If passed, the bylaw will commit all practicing members and licensees to undertake a minimum amount of professional de- velopment each year and to report annually that this require- ment has been met. The primary duty of a self-regulating body is to ensure that the public interest is protected, and clients, employers and the public expect professional engineers and geoscientists to be up to date on the knowledge required to practice competently within their areas of expertise. Mandatory programs are now standard for regulated professions, including BC architects, doctors, lawyers and accountants, as well as most engineering and geoscience regulators across the country. The Proposed Bylaw Given the diverse nature of both engineering and geoscience practice, Council recognized that the requirements for CPD compliance had to respect the many ways in which engineers and geoscientists keep up to date in their areas of expertise. The proposed bylaw therefore allows members the flexibility to

determine how and when they participate in CPD, and what ac- tivities they undertake. As professionals, it is up to each mem- ber to determine what professional development is relevant to their professional practice. Consultation Results and Ongoing Opportunities Consultation has been underway since late 2014 with members and internal stakeholder groups, including branch and division representatives, various committees, and past presidents. Members have demonstrated great interest in this topic and the breadth and depth of feedback provided to date has been significant. A member survey was conducted between December 12 and January 16. The response was very strong, with just over 5,000 members participating in the survey. There are still many opportunities for you to provide your feedback to Council on this issue. Consultation visits are being scheduled throughout the province and a webcast will be held on March 11. You can also submit your comments by email at any time to cpd@apeg.bc.ca. For the most up-to-date informa- tion, please visit apeg.bc.ca/mcpd.

Your Questions About the Bylaw I’m retired, but I want to keep my P.Eng./P.Geo. What are my options?

Members who do not actively practice engineering or geoscience have the option of Non-Practising Status. Members in this category will be exempt from the requirements of the bylaw. You will retain your designation as a registered professional, but must refrain from practice. A common misconception is that you must list “non-practising” after your designation, but this is not required. I spend a lot of time on remote sites and can’t access courses specific to my expertise. How can I comply with the bylaw? CPD is not just about attending seminars. Your professional practice can account for up to 50 out of 80 of your CPD hours each year. Your remaining 30 hours could be spent on activities outside a formal course environment that contribute to your professional knowledge—such as mentoring, reading technical journals, writing papers, and attending online courses. And, the program is based on a rolling total. So, if you have 110 CPD hours one year, 50 the next year, and 80 in your third year, you are in compliance. What can I count as CPD? Does ______ count? There is no “one size fits all” answer to this very common question. The key is that the activity must be relevant to your professional practice, and fall into one of six categories. Beyond that, there is a great deal of flexibility to recognize the many ways that members stay up to date. I’m a member of APEGA too. Can I count my Alberta CPD towards APEGBC requirements? Yes. As other provincial regulators may have differing CPD requirements, please be sure you confirm requirements for each jurisdic- tion in which you are registered. I’m on parental leave. Do I still need to comply with the bylaw? Members on parental leave, as well as members who are unemployed, not working due to health reasons, or who may be in other circumstances that prevent them from complying with the bylaw may apply for full or partial exemption from the requirements. What happens when someone doesn’t meet the CPD requirements? If this bylaw is ratified, compliance will be a requirement for maintaining your APEGBC membership. Members who do not comply may be referred by the Investigation Committee to the Discipline Committee for an inquiry. APEGBC is seeking an amendment to the Act to enable a more efficient process to handle issues of non-compliance, such as fines and reminder notices, followed by even- tual cancellation for non-compliance. You can learn more on page 14.

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APEGBC Consulting Members on Proposed Changes to Engineers and Geoscientists Act

Association seeks to improve regulatory effectiveness and bolster public safety role

APEGBC is looking to propose seven amendments to the Engineers and Geoscientists Act , the legislation that governs the engineering and geoscience professions. Only government has the power to make amendments to the Act , so any proposed changes would come as a request from APEGBC to the Ministry of Advanced Education. Before making that request, APEGBC is seeking to consult with members on a number of regulatory challenges it faces as well the solutions it is proposing through these seven amendments. This article outlines the issues at hand, as well as what APEGBC is looking to achieve, and we hope to prompt your input. Why seek changes to the Act now? The Engineers and Geoscientists Act is in need of modernization. As the Act has never been completely rewritten since its inception in 1920, archaic components of the legislation are in need of fixing. Additionally, new provisions are needed to address conditions or challenges that either didn’t previously exist, or hadn’t been considered. These proposed amendments would allow APEGBC to perform its regulatory duties more effectively and support its mandate to protect public safety. Successive APEGBC Councils and committees have worked towards the modernization of the Act . In 2008, recommendations for 35 reforms and changes were made by a committee of APEGBC members and government appointees, and of these, 11 priority requests were passed by the BC legislature in June 2012. In September of last year, APEGBC Council prioritized seven further requests, which are the subject of this consultation. Understanding the proposed amendments Through changes to the Act , APEGBC is hoping to address a number of issues related to the work it does as a public safety regulator for engineering and geoscience. Broadly speaking, the proposed amendments can be divided into five categories: 1. Housekeeping updates to accurately reflect regulatory processes

2. Tools to address public safety challenges 3. The ability for qualified practitioners to fully participate within their scope of practice 4. Accountability in Governance 5. More effective handling of non-compliance with the proposed CPD bylaw. While government would determine the wording of any amendments made to the Act , the following outlines the concepts APEGBC would present to government in its request. 1. Housekeeping Updates to Accurately Reflect or Simplify Regulatory Processes Removal of references to Board of Examiners - Prior to the creation of the Registration Committee, the Board of Examiners figured more prominently in the registration process. Now, references to the Board of Examiners in the Act no longer align with current practice for registration in BC, and we are seeking an amendment to remove or rewrite these outdated references. Additionally, to reflect the significance of its role in the registration process, the Registration Committee may become a statutory committee. 2. Tools to Address Public Safety Challenges Interim Suspension or Conditions by the Investigation Committee – In the most serious cases where it is believed that a member’s conduct poses an immediate danger to the public, APEGBC’s Discipline Committee has the ability to issue a temporary suspension. However, this option does not become available until after the issue has first been considered by the Investigation Committee, legal counsel has been engaged to prepare a Notice of Inquiry, and a referral is made to the Discipline Committee. This limits APEGBC’s ability to act swiftly in order to protect the public. However, it is in the public interest for APEGBC to take action as soon as possible when, for example, a professional’s judgment is in serious question and that person is involved

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