INNOVATION January-February 2022

Professional Governance Act Q&A | Continuing Education Requirements | Award Nominations

INNOVATION ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BRITISH COLUMBIA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

MORE THAN A DOZEN BC ENGINEERING AND GEOSCIENCE EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THE NOVEMBER 2021 ATMOSPHERIC RIVER EVENT DISASTER IN BC

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5 LETTERS 6 REGULATORY NEWS 10 COMMUNITY 12 COUNCIL REPORT 14 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 42 DISCIPLINE AND ENFORCEMENT 43 DISPLAY ADVERTISERS' INDEX 45 IN MEMORIAM 47 CONTINUING EDUCATION NEWS / DEPARTMENTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 | volUmE 26 NUmBER 1 INNOVAT ION

COVER STORY DISASTER IN BC

The November 2021 atmospheric river event deposited a substantial amount of precipitation in a short period of time, triggering dangerous geoscience hazards, impacting important infrastructure and public safety.

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Most standard home insurance policies provide coverage for sudden and accidental water damage caused by a burst pipe or appliance*. You may need to take certain precautions during the usual heating season.

LANDSLIDES, FLOODS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS Five experts from the Department of Civil Engineering at UBC discuss how the floods triggered dangerous debris flows, and the impact on dikes, transportation networks, and pipelines.

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8 FIRST-YEAR REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM 9 COUNCIL NOMINATIONS 24 THE PROFESSIONAL GOVERNANCE ACT: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON THE COVER Damage caused by heavy rains and mudslides earlier in the week is pictured along the Coquihalla Highway near Hope, BC, on November 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/J oNATHAN H AywARD . All photos from the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in this edition of Innovation are included under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 found at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 ). Photos are provided at flickr.com/photos/tranbc.

THE NOVEMBER 2021 ATMOSPHERIC RIVER AND GEOSCIENCE IMPLICATIONS Three leading BC experts explain the November 2021 weather event and how it related to slope runoff and landslides that impacted important infrastructure.

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THIS DIGITAL EDITION OF INNOVATION INCLUDES VIDEO EXTRAS. LOOK FOR THIS PLAY ICON, AND CLICK ON IT TO VIEW VIDEO AND OTHER MULTIMEDIA CONTENT. AN INTERNET CONNECTION IS REQUIRED.

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INNOVAT ION JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 | volUmE 26 NUmBER 1 ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BRITISH COLUMBIA Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 6N2 Tel: 604.430.8035 Fax: 604.430.8085 Email: info@egbc.ca Web: egbc.ca Toll free: 1.888.430.8035

L E T T E R S

IN CRITICAL MOMENTS, BC’S ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS SHINE In November 2021, British Columbia was struck by three successive atmospheric rivers that delivered a concentrated and massive amount of rain on the southwest portion of the province—a weather event that triggered dangerous landslides, debris flows, and floods, and damaged or destroyed farmland, highways, bridges, and other

Letters to the editor containing your views on topics of interest are encouraged. Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily endorsed by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Letters should be 300 words or less and can be emailed to innovation@egbc.ca . Find information at egbc.ca/Submitting-to-Innovation .

A VANCOUVER STRUCTURAL ENGINEER MARKS THE PASSING OF A FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE The Vancouver design community lost one of its more visionary and colourful structural engineers on October 27, 2021. Dr. Boguslaw (Bogue) Babicki, P.Eng., was born in 1924 in Poland. During the Nazi occupation, he joined the resistance and fought in the Warsaw uprising of 1944. He then studied engineering at Warsaw University of Technology, immigrated to Canada in 1958, and found employment with the Vancouver firm Read Jones Christoffersen. In 1962, he established Bogue Babicki Associates, which very quickly established itself as a firm with a reputation for creative design. His eagerness to push the envelope with structurally and architecturally ambitious designs led to collaborations with many prominent architects, including Arthur FORMER ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BC PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGES PASSING OF DON DOBSON When you lose a great friend and colleague, it gives you the opportunity—albeit a very sad one—to reflect on the impact that person had personally and professionally. You realize that their impact wasn’t just on you, but on many colleagues and the professions of engineering and geoscience. Unfortunately, this opportunity presented itself on December 18 last year, with the passing of Don Dobson, P.Eng. (Retired). As a graduate of the UBC Geological Engineering program, Don began his career with Environment Canada, completing hydrologic assessments on the Fraser River dikes before managing BC Ministry of the Environment’s engineering section for the Okanagan, Similkameen, and Kettle River

I had the privilege of working with Bogue during the EXPO ‘86 era on his ingenious design of the International Modular Pavilion System and the double-layer geodesic dome housing the Preview Centre (now known as Science World). Those days had a formative impact on my career and led to a lifelong friendship with Bogue. He was Socratic and headstrong by nature, and never one to shy away from controversy; however, we enjoyed hours of stimulating conversation covering a broad range of subjects, often ending with talk about life, death, and the hereafter. Along with his wife Maria, daughter Dominica, son-in-law Alastair and two granddaughters, he leaves behind a legacy of bold structural designs that serve to inspire future generations of engineers. Paul Fast, P.Eng., Struct.Eng. confident was invaluable during these difficult times. In 2003, Don contacted the US Burned Area Emergency Response team and received training in post-wildfire risk management, becoming an advocate of community planning around wildfire management. Many groups and colleagues sought Don’s expertise in these areas. The role that Don adored the most was that of the family man. Unfortunately, he was just hitting his stride as a grandpa when he passed. I will miss my friend, as will those who knew and worked with him. His smile and laugh always made me feel at ease and helped guide me in difficult times throughout my career. Timothy Smith, P.Geo., P.L.Eng, FGC, FEC (Hon.), Engineers and Geoscientists BC Past President, 2006-2007

Erickson and Geoff Massey, Paul Merrick, Bruno Freschi, Rand Iredale, and Bill Rhone. His relationship with Arthur Erickson led to some of the most notable additions to the Greater Vancouver building landscape: the first constructed buildings on the SFU campus, including the steel-timber lattice- roof structure for Convocation Mall, the steel and glass roof over the Robson Square Law Courts, and the large portal structures at the Museum of Anthropology, all which bear his engineering genius. However, his greatest impact on Vancouver’s skyline was the column-free 12-storey Westcoast Transmission Building (now known as “the Cube”), with the floors suspended via steel cables off a central concrete core. It still stands proudly but now cluttered by surrounding tall buildings as a beacon of gutsy engineering and was the topic of Bogue’s doctoral dissertation. areas. He later formed Dobson Engineering and advised governments, water purveyors, industry, and the public. He was the consummate professional, always having a smile, laugh, and calming influence on those around him. From my first encounter with Don in the 1990s, I knew he was passionate about engineering and geoscience. His encouragement and support were always focused on how we can do better as professionals. He spent countless volunteer hours at Engineers and Geoscientists BC and received the D.C. Lambert Professional Service Award in 2020. Don’s approach focused on common sense and was always rooted in science. During his career, there were few emergency situations around water management in the BC interior where his leadership was not sought out. His ability to stay calm and

COUNCIL 2021/2022 Pre sident C. Park , P.Eng . Vice Pre sident M. Adams, P.Eng . Immediat e Past Pre sident L. Spence , P.Eng .

COUNCILLORS Emi l y Lewi s, CPA, CMA; Suky Cheema, CPA, CA;

Lesl ie Hi l debr andt , ICD.D, LLB; Michel l e Mahovl ich, P.Eng./P.Geo.; Jessica St eeves, P.Eng.; Kevin Tur ner , P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.); Dr . Br ent War d, P.Geo., FGC, FEC (Hon.); Jens Weber , P.Eng. David Wel l s, JD ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BC EXECUTIVE TEAM Heidi Yang , P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.), Chief Execut i ve Of f icer Jennif er Cho, CPA, CGA, Chief Financial and Admini st r at i ve Of f icer Deesh Ol ychick, Act ing Chief Oper at ing Off icer Mar k Rigol o, P.Eng., Act ing Chief Regul at or y Of f icer and Regi st r ar

infrastructure. The event led to widespread evacuations, headlines around the world, and loss of both human and livestock life. The toll—both financial and otherwise—is nearly incalculable. It was a moment that required quick responses and skilled contributions from engineering and geoscience registrants across the province. Municipal, provincial and federal governments, as well as the public, looked to BC geoscientists for insight on the reasons behind the debris flows, and BC engineers for ideas about how to approach infrastructure design so that our networks can withstand the reality of a climate that is changing. While we all obviously wish this weather event had never happened, it nonetheless underscores the critical role our professions play in our communities. And it reminds us that our professions are regulated primarily for one reason: the safety of the public. This edition of Innovation Magazine includes the contributions of more than 13 leading engineering and geoscience experts around the province, who provide their understanding of the event and thoughts about how engineering and geoscience work can mitigate and protect against future similar events. For its part, Engineers and Geoscientists BC has developed helpful resources for registrants, like professional practice guidelines on landslide assessments, flood mapping, and building climate-resilient highways (found at egbc.ca/Guidelines ). We’ve also developed a Climate Change Information Portal ( egbc.ca/climateportal ), where registrants can find dozens of resources on climate change adaptation and a link to Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s Climate Change Action Plan. The November 2021 event was difficult to anticipate and tragic for many. It also raised important questions for the future of critical infrastructure and public safety in the province. The questions are necessary to help us build a better world—and I’m grateful that our registrants are prepared to help provide the best answers.

Chris Hawley, Managi ng Edi t or

EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP M.I.H. Bhuiyan, P.Eng.; E.A. Brown, P.Eng.; K.C. Chan, P.Eng., CPA; H. Ghalibafian, P.Eng.; G. Grill, P.Eng.; G. Kwong, P.Eng.; R. Ord, P.Eng.; R. Smertina, P.Eng.

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Innovation is published six times a year by Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia. As the official publication of the association, Innovation is circulated to members of the engineering and geoscience professions, architects, contractors and industry 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 Engineers and Geoscientists BC a royalty-free, worldwide licence to publish the material; 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 material for length, clarity and conformity with our editorial guidelines ( egbc.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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contributing to an inclusive workplace environment. Individuals who have been in the industry the longest are usually in positions of leadership and, in Nicole’s experience, can sometimes be the most resistant to change. The guidelines emphasize that registrants in leadership positions have a greater responsibility to consider EDI-related matters, recognize and address power imbalances, and acknowledge that they are an influential link between their staff and the firm. “My mentor said gender, race, and tenure should not be the focus—it should be the level of competence you bring. When others see that someone like him, who is respected and experienced, gives me an equal opportunity, they do the same,” Nicole said. Positive experiences from mentorship and connection in the workplace have prompted Nicole to support other women who are newly entering the field. She believes it is very important to keep the dialogue open and honest with others so if they think they are being treated unfairly, they feel empowered to say something. The guidelines offer advice to registrants for when and how to make formal complaints as part of their Duty to Report if they experience or witness an ethical violation. Since entering the industry, Nicole is encouraged to see that many aspects of EDI have been shifting in a positive direction and is optimistic for the future. “I hope the EDI guidelines allow for more openness and conversations about the topic—increasing awareness and including others that might not normally have a voice,” Nicole said. To view the EDI Guidelines and learn more about our EDI initiatives, visit egbc.ca/EDI-Actions .

to reflect the new requirements of the Professional Governance Act (PGA) and recent societal shifts in awareness and understanding of issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). A REGISTRANT’S PERSPECTIVE ON EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION As a woman in engineering, Nicole Bisceglia, P.Eng., is in the minority and has found it difficult at times in her career to connect with her colleagues. “Depending on who you are working with, you can feel the bias sometimes. If you are not mindful of it, it can be a pitfall for people—they might not know why they are not getting the opportunities they should be,” Nicole said. The guidelines aim to highlight potential challenges that may arise (some similar to what Nicole has experienced as a young female in a male-dominated industry) and offer ways registrants can contribute to more inclusive environments. In addition, the guidelines set expectations for firms when creating their own EDI policies and procedures. The guidelines offer additional examples of EDI best practices for inclusive environments that go beyond professional obligations and can make a positive impact on a registrant’s sense of belonging. At Nicole’s current company, Urban Systems, mentorship, open conversations, and diversity among colleagues have all contributed to a more positive and supportive work environment for her. She has taken initiative to help lead events for International Women in Engineering Day and utilizes coaching opportunities and general wellness resources offered by the company. Nicole believes that in order for EDI to be successful in engineering and geoscience industries, everyone—from entry-level staff to the CEO—must be actively

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EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION GUIDELINES: PUTTING PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE Engineers and Geoscientists BC released the updated Professional Practice Guidelines - Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion last month to guide professional practice related to equitable, diverse, and inclusive environments and interactions. The updated guidelines establish expectations for how engineering and geoscience registrants should conduct and educate themselves on issues of human rights and diversity—including considerations around gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, Indigenous people, newcomers to Canada, and those with disabilities—and clarifies that all registrants must uphold the principles of fair and equitable treatment of other professionals, clients, employees, and associates. The guidelines were first published in 2016 (under the title Human Rights and Diversity Guidelines ) to address human rights and diversity issues relevant to professional practice and were updated

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• Complete and record at least one CE Hour of ethical learning. Ethical learning options are available in the online store and if completed by a registrant, hours will be automatically recorded in the reporting system. Ethical learning may also be completed through other resources at the registrant’s discretion but must be recorded by the registrant in the reporting system at egbc.ca/cep-reporting . • Complete and upload a CE Plan. A CE Plan outlines the registrant’s area of practice, risks of their practice, learning goals, and activities to help meet those goals. While the CE activities that a registrant actually completes may not match those listed on the CE Plan exactly, the overall focus should be consistent between planned and completed activities. To assist registrants in creating their CE Plan, templates and an example CE Plan are available on our website at egbc.ca/Continuing-Education . Once completed, registrants must upload their CE Plan to the reporting system. THREE-YEAR REQUIREMENTS In each three-year period, practising registrants must complete at least 60 CE Hours, or 20 hours a year on average. The program is built to be flexible by allowing registrants to identify the areas of learning most relevant to maintaining their competency. Registrants may choose from technical, non-technical, regulatory, and ethical learning opportunities to complete their 60 CE Hour requirement over three years. Annually, practising registrants are also required to complete at least one CE Hour of ethical and regulatory learning, and record and upload their individual CE Plan for the year. For non-practising registrants, the requirements are minimal: they must complete and record at least one CE hour of ethical and regulatory learning every three years. • Complete the Annual Reporting process. Registrants must access the Annual Reporting portal between May 2 and June 30, 2022, to review their personal and professional information, answer declarations, and confirm their CE requirements have been met. For more information on the CE Program, including applicability, areas of learning, number of hours required for each category of registrant, and resources available, visit our website at egbc.ca/Continuing-Education .

REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

SERVICE ON COUNCIL IS A CHANCE TO GIVE BACK TO THE PROFESSIONS

New Continuing Education (CE) requirements came into effect on July 1, 2021, following the introduction of the Professional Governance Act (PGA). The mandatory program applies to all registrants except EITs, GITs, and non-practising Life Members; the first reporting deadline is June 30, 2022. FIRST-YEAR REQUIREMENTS By June 30, 2022, practising registrants must: • Complete the mandatory Regulatory Learning Module. This free module is available in the online store (at egbc.ca/online-learning ) and covers registrant obligations and responsibilities resulting from the implementation of the PGA. The topic of this module will change annually. The module is one hour in length and is required viewing for all practising registrants each year. Once each registrant completes the module, the CE Hours will be automatically uploaded into the reporting system.

Do you have a strong desire to protect the public and enhance public safety? If so, consider applying to serve on Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s Council. Engineers and Geoscientists BC is committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in the governance of the professions and is seeking candidates with diverse backgrounds, experience, and expertise. Engineers and Geoscientists BC Council governs the regulatory body and professions of engineering and geoscience in British Columbia. Council members act collectively to set the policy and strategic direction for Engineers and Geoscientists BC and are accountable to the public through the Ministry of the Attorney General, under the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance. Service as a Council member is an exceptional leadership opportunity. It continues to be a transformative time for Engineers and Geoscientists BC as the organization implements and adapts to new legislation, continues work to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion, We believe equity, diversity, and inclusion promotes different perspectives and ideas, mitigates against uniformity, and ensures the organization can benefit from all available talent in support of good governance. We believe that there needs to be more diversity at Council to better represent the increasing diversity of our province and the professions and encourage candidates from equity-deserving communities to apply. and focuses on introducing a new strategic plan for the years ahead.

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their employer to be compensated for their time. The call for nominations is now open, and the deadline to apply for this opportunity is 5:00 PM on March 11, 2022. If you are interested in being considered but are unable to submit your application before the deadline, please contact nominations@egbc.ca . For more information on the application process and positions available, visit egbc.ca/Council-Nominations.

Council has also recently introduced a Remuneration Policy to recognize the time and effort that Council members dedicate to their work. Remuneration is also important from an equity perspective: while some firms compensate their employees for the time required to participate on Council, other individuals may not have access to the same benefits. Remuneration allows individuals who do not have the opportunity to participate through

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INNOVATION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN Innovation Magazine invites Engineers and Geoscientists BC registrants to submit project photos and project descriptions for the annual Project Highlights edition, planned for May/June 2022. This annual project highlights pictorial features the diverse activities of BC’s professional engineers and geoscientists at home and abroad. Registrants, licensees, and firms are invited to submit photographs and project descriptions of engineering or geoscience projects for inclusion in this edition of Innovation . To be considered

2022 AWARD NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN WITH TWO NEW CATEGORIES Nominations for the Engineers and Geoscientists BC Awards (formerly the President’s Awards), the top awards for professional engineers and professional geoscientists in the province, are now open. These awards recognize exemplary professional, technical, and volunteer contributions made by registrants of Engineers and Geoscientists BC towards public safety and wellbeing. TWO NEW AWARDS ADDED The awards program has undergone a number of changes for 2022, including the addition of two new awards: the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award and the Innovation in Sustainability Award. The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts in the engineering and geoscience professions in BC and is open to registrants who have demonstrated a positive impact on removing barriers to greater EDI in engineering and geoscience in BC. The Innovation in Sustainability Award celebrates ethics, imagination, and innovation and recognizes the leadership roles engineers and geoscientists play in environmental protection and environmental enhancements. This award replaces the former Sustainability Award and Environmental Award and is open to any project (or portion of a multi- disciplinary project) that has demonstrated a commitment to the protection of the environment or action on climate Several additional changes have been made to the awards program to better align its goals with the Professional Governance Act (PGA), which introduced restrictions on certain advocacy activities. Engineers and Geoscientists BC undertook a comprehensive review of its programs against an evaluation framework provided by the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance, which guided regulators away from activities that support registrants’ interests, but also provided for certain change using innovative solutions. ADDITIONAL CHANGES FOR 2022

exceptions by acknowledging that some activities support organizational sustainability—such as those that encourage volunteerism. For more information on the review, visit egbc.ca/Advocacy-Review . As a result of this review, the Terms of Reference for each award have been updated to better emphasize nominees’ contributions to public safety, wellbeing, and interest, and to better recognize volunteer service to Engineers and Geoscientists BC. In addition, the following awards have been discontinued: the Community Service Award, Teaching Award of Excellence, Mentor of the Year Award, and Editorial Award. Nominations for all awards are now open and the deadline to submit an application is Friday, April 1, at 5:00 PM. The awards will be presented in fall 2022. For detailed information about the changes to the awards program, nomination procedures, awards terms of reference, and eligibility, visit egbc.ca/Awards .

for inclusion, projects must be currently underway, or have been completed on or after the end of June 2021. Projects must also involve registrants or licensees of Engineers and Geoscientists BC. More information about submission criteria is provided at egbc.ca/Pictorial , where you can also find a link to the submission form. The form must be submitted by March 1, 2022. Late submissions will not be accepted. Due to space limitations, Innovation is unable to accommodate all submissions. We encourage registrants working for large companies to coordinate their project submissions. Only one submission per company is typically selected.

If you have any questions, email innovation@egbc.ca .

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BYLAW AMENDMENTS Council approved a series of amendments to its Bylaws that include corrections to typographical errors and edits to improve clarity or better reflect the legal framework under the PGA. Bylaw amendments are reviewed and approved Geoscientists BC’s current Bylaws are available at egbc.ca/About/Governance/Legislation-Bylaws . COUNCIL REMUNERATION POLICY UPDATED Council updated its Remuneration Policy (approved in April 2021) to address inconsistencies between the remuneration approach for publicly appointed councillors and elected councillors. The updates will ensure that all councillors are compensated at the same rate; previously, appointed councillors were compensated according to Treasury Board directives, which is inconsistent with Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s new remuneration for elected councillors. Council’s Remuneration Policy is intended to recognize the significant time commitment required of the President and councillors, and the need to continue to attract qualified candidates to support the expanded regulatory role of the organization. The timeline for implementing this policy is being determined and will be confirmed in 2022. by the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance. Engineers and

DECEMBER 3, 2021 Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s Council of elected registrants and government representatives meets throughout the year to conduct the business of organizational governance. The following are the highlights of its December 3, 2021 meeting. EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION GUIDELINES APPROVED Council approved a new guideline that guides professional practice related to equitable, diverse, and inclusive environments and interactions. The Professional Practice Guidelines - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion represent a significant update from the previous version, which were published in 2016 to address human rights and diversity issues. The guidelines reflect the new requirements of the Professional Governance Act and recent societal shifts in awareness and understanding of issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. For more detailed information on these guidelines and their application in practice, see Page 14. Council also approved two additional guidelines for publication following legal and editorial review, addressing landslide assessments in BC, and peer review. Guidelines and other professional practice resources are provided at egbc.ca/Guidelines .

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These guidelines, and other professional practice guidelines and practice-related resources, are provided at egbc.ca/Guidelines .

These webinars, and other professional practice-related webinars, are provided at egbc.ca/Events .

UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WEBINARS egbc.ca/Events

NEWLY PUBLISHED PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES egbc.ca/Guidelines E quity , D ivErsity , anD i nclusion The Professional Practice Guidelines – Equity Diversity and Inclusion have been issued to guide professional practice related to equitable, diverse, and inclusive environments and interactions. These guidelines were first published in 2016 under the title Human Rights and Diversity Guidelines . This revision is intended to address the growing need to understand evolving concepts of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), provide more information on EDI, clarify expectations of registrants, and align content with the requirements of the Professional Governance Act . P rofEssional s ErvicEs in thE f orEst s Ector : c rossings The Joint Professional Practice Guidelines – Professional Services in the Forest Sector: Crossings have been issued to guide professional practice related to the design and implementation of forest road crossings. These guidelines were developed by a team of representatives from the Joint Practice Board of the Association of British Columbia Forest Professionals and Engineers and Geoscientists BC. These guidelines were first published in 2005 and were revised in 2008 and 2014. This current revision was undertaken to reflect changes in current industry standards and to update the content to reference the Professional Governance Act .

P rofEssional P racticE g uiDElinEs : E quity , D ivErsity , anD i nclusion : February 10, 2022 P rofEssional P racticE g uiDElinEs : f irE P rotEction E nginEEring s ErvicEs for B uilDing P rojEcts : February 23, 2022

FREQUENT PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE INQUIRIES How does Engineers and Geoscientists BC support professional practice for registrants? Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s Practice Advice Program provides interpretation and guidance to registrants and other stakeholders (e.g., regulatory authorities, clients, employers, firms, etc.) regarding standards of professional and ethical practice as set out in the PGA, Engineers and Geoscientists BC Bylaws, and guidance published by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. The Practice Advice Program consists of three main components: • providing one-to-one advice to registrants and stakeholders; • issuing formal guidance through advisories, guidelines, and answers to frequently asked questions; and • providing practice training and awareness. Practice Advisors can be reached by email ( practiceadvisor@egbc.ca ) or by telephone, and can respond to inquiries related to professional practice, quality management, ethics, continuing education, regulation of firms, and guidance published by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Advice is intended to guide actions of registrants; it is not prescriptive, but usually outlines considerations for registrants to inform their professional decisions. Practice advisors also help support registrant and stakeholder understanding of the expectations and obligations of engineering and geoscience practice in BC. Practice advisors cannot provide legal advice, endorse or check engineering or geoscience activities or work, advise on employment terms or conditions, or provide mediation or dispute resolution. In addition to individual advice, the Practice Advice Program also includes the development of formal practice guidance through practice advisories and professional practice guidelines. Practice Advisors lead the development of these documents, typically with input from subject matter experts in industry.

Practice Advisories are used to disseminate information on time-sensitive or more focused issues such as legislation changes, public safety or environmental concern, or a shift in a specific professional practice topic. Professional Practice Guidelines provide more comprehensive treatment of a professional practice topic and go through a rigorous development review and consultation process before publication. Registrants must stay informed of, knowledgeable about, and meet the intent of professional practice guidelines relevant to their area of practice. Practice Advisors also support registrant training and awareness on professional practice topics, often related to the practice advice or formal practice guidance. Training and awareness can include webinars on professional practice guidelines, training on quality management standards, or presentations on professional practice topics. To contact a Practice Advisor at Engineers and Geoscientists BC, or for additional information on the Practice Advice Program, visit egbc.ca/Practice-Advice-Program .

OTHER PRACTICE RESOURCES

Amy Fehr, P.Eng. Manager, Practice Advice Program

g uiDE to l EttErs of a ssurancE The Guide to Letters of Assurance in the BC Building Code 2018 and Vancouver Building By-law 2019 was developed to guide professional practice related to Letters of Assurance in BC. This guide is a 2021 revision of the 2010 version of this publication and is jointly endorsed by the Architectural Institute of BC and Engineers and Geoscientists BC and was developed with the cooperation and assistance of the Building Officials’ Association of BC, the Union of BC Municipalities, the City of Vancouver, and the Building and Safety Standards Branch of the Province of British Columbia.

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DISASTER IN BC: CATALYST FOR CHANGE

The record-smashing atmospheric river event highlighted the need for changes to building codes and standards, flood management, and communication with the public as engineers and geoscientists design for a non-stationary climate. Nicole D. Barlow, P.Geo.

Flood waters cover Highway 1 in Abbotsford. P HoTo : THE CANADIAN PRESS/J oNATHAN H AywARD

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F E A T U R E B C’s weather in 2021 was extreme. The “heat dome” in June smashed temperature records and was linked to hundreds of deaths. Forest fires destroyed Lytton, along with vegetation across hundreds of hectares of land, creating hydrophobic soil conditions. September and October 2021 brought antecedent moisture to 98 percent of BC soils, even saturating those affected by forest fires. Elise Paré, P.Eng., WSP’s National Practice Lead for Climate Risk and Resilience, drove through the Lower Mainland in November, noting that the ground was already filled with water. “Farmers’ fields were saturated or flooded already, so the runoff from any type of rain event in any kind of significant volume had no place to go,” she said. That was before the massive atmospheric river hit.

John van der Eerden, P.Eng. and Vice President of Water Resources for Associated Engineering. “[They’re] like the end of a fire hose that’s not being held; [they] can whip around and it is very challenging to predict exactly where the most intense precipitation will be concentrated.” BC has weathered intense atmospheric rivers before, but this one targeted southern BC and, on November 13, struck an area that hosted critical highways and bridges, along with substantial population centres. The storm smashed precipitation records in much of the province, flooding farms and triggering landslides that tore down mountainsides into valleys, taking down highways, bridges, and rail lines in their path. Highway 7 near Agassiz succumbed to two landslides, stranding travellers on the stretch of highway between them. Hundreds more people were stranded in Hope as the Coquihalla and Highway 1 became unpassable. The Sumas Prairie dike breached, and City of Abbotsford began issuing evacuation orders on November 14, followed by Merritt and Princeton on November 15. Another landslide on November 15

with assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces. This work, combined with emergency works undertaken by Abbotsford, provided additional protection against future breaches along the entire length of the Sumas Prairie dike. November 24 to 30 saw the next three atmospheric rivers unleash another barrage of precipitation on already flooded areas of the province, although these were faster moving and far less damaging than the first major event. Don Kennedy, P.Eng., Vice President, Transportation Structures for Associated Engineering, said, “Our engineered systems are vital to our continued function as a society in the coming decades. [The importance of] our transportation networks have been demonstrated from natural disasters over decades to the arteries of response and recovery […] We have quite a bit of redundancy of our transportation networks in the Lower Mainland and in British Columbia, a lot of numbered highways, but in this case, which highways were hit? Highways 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 97, 99 […] but still, it proved not to be enough for these events.” While the atmospheric events exposed the

blocked Highway 99, the last remaining route (by road or rail) between the Lower Mainland and the rest of Canada. Van der Eerden joined the PREOC (Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre) in Surrey after the first atmospheric river. While responding to the initial event, the team began planning for the next three forecasted atmospheric rivers. They evaluated weather and river forecasts from Hope to Pemberton and, using hydrologic and hydraulic models, determined areas of elevated risk. “We were in touch with Abbotsford almost continuously,” van der Eerden said. When Abbotsford received emergency approval to complete a temporary upgrade to the Sumas Prairie dike between the Barrowtown Dam and Highway 1 (including the section that breached), the team at PREOC identified Highway 1 in Abbotsford as the next most vulnerable spot. PREOC reached out to the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) to highlight this vulnerability and to provide support. In response, MoTI installed a Tiger Dam (water-filled tubes that act like sandbags) across Highway 1

Meteorologists sounded the alarm of a pending storm, but the unpredictable nature of an atmospheric river’s path made advance warnings challenging. “Atmospheric rivers can be quite narrow, not like traditional frontal systems,” said

A rail line falls victim to a landslide. P HoTo : m INISTRy of T RANSPoRTATIoN AND I NfRASTRUCTURE ( flICkR . Com / PHoToS / TRANBC /)

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mechanisms of what we understood from historical records. Van der Eerden said that future extreme weather events are hard to predict because they’re not part of the historical data, “So applying statistical analysis to the historical record is becoming increasingly less valid,” he said. Van der Eerden and Kennedy are referring to a standard metric for extreme events—return periods. The water resources community is moving away from this term because of how the public often misinterprets the idea. For example, if this event was a 200-year flood, it isn’t true that it won’t recur for another 200 years—it means that there’s a 0.5 percent probability it will happen in any year—known as the annual exceedance probability (AEP). The AEP is also changing with a non-stationary climate. “We’ve often looked at annual exceedance probabilities on a singular basis—one event, one storm, one critical issue,” said van der Eerden. But what about when they compound?” For example, combining wet antecedent

vulnerability of our infrastructure, it also highlighted the resiliency of British Columbians. Many others joined the effort to protect the province from further damage: neighbours helped pull drowning livestock to safety, communities organized sandbagging efforts, and more than 150 volunteers worked tirelessly to save the Barrowtown Pump Station in Abbotsford. One of the most expensive disasters in Canadian history—a disaster that took six lives—leaves us with the lingering, uncomfortable knowledge that our infrastructure resilience and transportation redundancies proved to be no match for extreme weather events. What can we learn from this? HISTORICAL STATISTICS VERSUS MODELLING THE FUTURE Van der Eerden said atmospheric rivers are increasing in frequency and intensity, targeting the west coast of North America. Climate change—a leading suspect in the root cause of intensifying weather events—is altering the fundamental Associated Engineering offers specialized advisory services in emergency response and community resilience planning. In our approach, we collaborate with clients to create sustainable and resilient solutions that shape a better future for us all. We are hiring in our BC offices and across Canada. For more information, visit our website for details on our currently available career opportunities.

conditions with heavy precipitation and rapidly rising temperatures (contributing to snowmelt) can lead to extreme runoff. Kennedy agreed: we know with a high level of confidence that temperatures are going up at a given rate, but how that translates to rainfall, wind and snow, we know with less confidence. Compound events, like these events in BC, make this confidence decrease even further. Because of the cascading impacts of these compound events, “there is not a singular scenario that could result in this type of impact and the combination of events could be extensive,” Paré said. With a non-stationary climate, we can’t simply look at historical records to determine AEP. We must turn to climatological, hydrological and hydraulic modelling. Paré works with climate scientists “to determine what are representative climate indicators for typical design criteria and how we should apply the models that they run to get the indicators to help us inform design.” OVERWHELMED INFRASTRUCTURE The dikes and highways that failed were built to the standards of the day. “The Coquihalla Highway was built to a very good engineering standard, especially for the mid-1980s,” said Kennedy. But we can improve highway and bridge standards: railway companies often support their bridge abutments on piles so they don’t fail as easily from scour, hence rail lines were able to reopen quickly. Van der Eerden added that the overtopping dike breach in the Sumas Prairie was a result of the volume of water the system had to deal with. Neil Peters, P.Eng., of Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, agreed: the primary problem with the dike was that it was just overwhelmed. Older standards can be problematic given our new climate conditions. Peters said the Fraser River dikes were generally

Crews work to repair sites near the Othello Interchange on Highway 5. P HoTo : m INISTRy of T RANSPoRTATIoN AND I NfRASTRUCTURE ( flICkR . Com / PHoToS / TRANBC /)

Paré, who works across Canada, said that BC is off to a good start. “In their approach to looking at how to incorporate climate change into design, engineers and geoscientists in BC are

future preparedness: How do we prevent this from happening again? How do we mitigate risks to public safety in our professional practice? How do we design and build for a non-stationary climate?

built to design levels established in 1969, without the benefit of computer modelling or climate change projections. Monica Mannerström, P.Eng., also of Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, has extensive experience with flood modelling and mapping of the Fraser River. “We could view this Abbotsford flooding as a mini, confined Fraser River flood,” she said. “We saw a limited portion of the floodplain underwater, but in a Fraser event the entire floodplain, from Hope to the ocean, could be affected. We saw some supply chain problems during the Nooksack/Sumas flooding and I think those would be much worse in a Fraser event.” Peters estimates that a Fraser River flood could be ten times as severe as the event this fall, and Mannerström and Peters agree that more preparedness is needed to protect the floodplain from future disaster. BUILDING FOR FUTURE RESILIENCE Engineers and geoscientists are now helping to answer questions about

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