INNOVATION May-June 2014

2014/2015 Council Election •●APEGBC Strategic Plan •●Mentorship Program • NEGM Results

JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS OF BC

MAY/JUNE 2014

Earthquake Early Warning System Could Save Lives Biogas in BC Gender Balance in Engineering

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content s

MAY/JUNE 2 014 [ volume 18 number 3)

features 18

Earthquake Early Warning System Could Save Lives D’Arcy Jenish

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Homegrown Technology Reshaping the Economics of Biogas Production Jean Sorensen Gender Balance in Engineering: Is This an Issue Worth Pursuing? Katherina V. Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng.

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President’s Viewpoint – New Strategic Plan Sets Three-year Scope for Association Association Notes – 2014/2015 Council Election; New Strategic Plan Seeks to Address Future Challenges, Opportunities; APEGBC Annual Conference and AGM; In Memory of Bhavik Pachchigar; NEGM Results; Receive Innovation by E-mail

ON THE COVER: The Star of the Sea Catholic Elementary School was the first school in BC to receive the earthquake early warning system in the spring of 2014. Photo credit: Tina Mohns

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Council Report – April 11, 2014

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Practice Matters: APEGBC Seal; Letters of Assurance

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APEGBC Plans for the Future with New Three-year Strategic Plan to Support and Promote the Profession

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APEGBC Mentorship Program Helps Launch Professional Careers

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Preserving Our Geoscience Library

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Re-imagining Education with AfriLEAD Institute

MicroSludge unit installed at the demonstration plant. 22

depar tment s

5 Letters 31 APEGBC Professional Development 38 Membership 42 Professional Services 47 OQM List

i n n ova t i o n MAY / J UN E 2 0 1 4 3

MAY/JUNE 2014

VOLUME 18 NUMBER 3

v iewpoint

Throughout the period between our last AGM in October, and approv- ing a budget in April (for the new fiscal year beginning in July), Council crafted and approved an updated strategic plan. This was no small task. Prior to any of this work, a facilitated work- shop considered the relevance of our association from the viewpoint of members, prominent business leaders and professionals. Discussion highlighted strengths and weaknesses with our model. Participation and demographics were topics of special interest: Examples include the registration rate of those graduating from BC engineering and geology programs, the fact that women make up a very small portion of our new registrants and the perceived value of an APEGBC membership for many graduates in emerging or related disciplines. The question of how Canada will continue to grow its engineering and applied technology business in the face of stiff international price competition was a special concern. Mentorship and succession planning is before us as we accept that more than 25% of our members are over the age of 60 years. Beyond vision and mission statements, the 2014 – 2017 Strategic Plan considers three outward-looking facets of our organization with a fourth, enabling goal. The first pillar concerns our responsibility to attract and register quali- fied and potential members. The plan indicates the need to allocate more resources to maintain and enhance the professional competency of our engineers, geoscientists and licensees throughout their working careers. The second facet considers the association’s relationship with mem- bers’ employers, whether it be a formal employer or our clients. The initiative is to have them recognize that the association is a valued partner in supporting the delivery of quality, value-added professional services of our members. Initiatives will continue with a range of quality of practice features from professional development, practice reviews, an expanded Organizational Quality Management program and protection from non- compliant or unregistered practitioners. The third goal is to recognize the relationships that the association has with other stakeholders. Stakeholder interests are now more promin- ent and diverse than previously, and our attention to these relationships increases accordingly. Activities include managing the association’s relationship with the provincial government, our face with the public-at- large, educational and other institutions, and our communications and responsibilities with technical associations. The fourth, enabling goal is to provide for the sustainable delivery of the responsibilities assigned under legislation in how the association delivers its fundamental operations. A whiteboard video which describes the development process and the detailed strategic plan are available online at apeg.bc.ca/strategic-plan. You are invited to have a look. The translation of this overview into detailed actions and accountabilities within the fiscal and administrative capacity of the organization takes shape within the inaugural budget. Comments are welcome at president@apeg.bc.ca. This is the first pass at using the plan. It is expected that revisions will be made as more information is developed. Your Council and staff are pleased with the inclusiveness of the concepts, and look forward with interest to the implementation of the plan to better serve our future needs.

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 2013/2014 COUNCIL, APEGBC P resident M.B. Bapty, P.Eng., FEC V ice P resident John Clague, P.Geo., FGC P ast P resident M.D. Isaacson, P.Eng., PhD, FEC, FGC (Hon.) COUNCILLORS A.E. Badke, P.Eng.; S.M. Carlson, P.Eng. A. Fernandes, CIM, FCSI; D. Harvey, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC

New Strategic Plan Sets Three-year Scope for Association

H. Hawson, P.Eng., FEC; D.M. Howes, P.Eng., FEC H.G. Kelly, P.Eng.; G.D. Kirkham, P.Geo., FGC K. Laloge, CA; A. Mill, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC K.E. Savage, P.Eng., FEC; K. Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng. M. Waberski, BCLS; S. Wynn, PhD

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

Michael Bapty, P.Eng., FEC President

Michelle Grady, 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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been taken up by government. As such, engineers are obliged to address the issue in their work and make, support or oppose decisions accordingly. On the other hand, for the association to be unequivocal as to the causes of climate change would be harmful since it would impose closure on the emerging field of climate science. As philosopher Roy Clouser writes, science can disprove theories but can never ultimately prove them. The thesis of CO 2 being the main cause of climate change keeps being challenged by researchers (e.g., last year by University of Waterloo researchers who identified a correlation with chlorofluorocarbons but not with CO 2 ), and this process of challenging, reassessing and defending is healthy and necessary for scientific progress to be made. APEGBC should not take any position that shortcuts this ongoing process and should continue to encourage its members to follow best practices and consider the precautionary principle wherever uncertainty about specific environmental impacts remains. As a practitioner in renewable energy and

Letters to the Editor containing your views on topics of interest are encouraged. Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily endorsed by APEGBC. Letters can be e-mailed to mgrady@apeg.bc.ca.

Neutral Position on Climate Change a Necessary Step The reactions to APEGBC’s Position Paper on Climate Change understandably expressed some disappointment with the association’s decision to omit references to anthropogenic causes of climate change. I’d like to commend the association for this decision, given the issue of climate change is very divisive and, as such, it should remain neutral in this respect and not take sides that could marginalize members that may disagree with the details of how our society contributes to the problem of climate change. The role of deciding how to address climate change in a context of scientific uncertainty has correctly

Continued on page 6

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best practices, as part of our everyday professional practice.” I would suggest that a fundamental flaw in the whole global warming/climate change debate is our persistence in characterizing it as a problem. In fact, global warming is not a problem—it is a symptom. The root cause of the problem is too many people. Until our global society is prepared to confront the root cause of the problem, which is uncontrolled population growth, anything we can do by way of technological innovation and best practices will at best delay the inevitable by a few decades. If we’re really serious about curing global warming, we will start by characterizing the alleged problem properly. Neil A. Cumming, P.Eng. Richmond, BC Flawed Climate Change Position Paper APEGBC’s recently published Position Paper on Climate Change 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 16 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 16-year temperature pause clearly is at odds with the task force’s 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 a vote. Why not this one? J.E. Christoffersen, P.Eng. White Rock, BC

sustainability, climate change issues form an integral part of my professional work. I believe it is necessary for engineers to be deeply engaged in this discussion, take into account the emission impacts of all projects they are involved in and also stay informed about the scientific debate that continues despite politically motivated attempts to declare that the current majority view on anthropogenic climate impacts should be immune from further scientific scrutiny. Martin Tampier, P.Eng. Laval, QC Position Paper Next Steps After reading the flurry of letters in the March/April issue of Innovation regarding APEGBC’s Position Paper on Climate Change, I would suggest that future direction could focus on specific measures that members might adopt to minimize impacts. As an example, cement plants are believed to be second only to coal-fired power plants in CO 2 emissions. Between 3/4 t to 1 t of CO 2 is generated in the production of 1 t of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). By considering molecular weights it can be seen that 44% of the CO 2 comes simply from the burning of the limestone, the remainder coming from fuel consumption in the kiln. Over the past three years, my colleagues and I at Pacific Bentonite have been researching and experimenting with the burning of clay as a partial replacement of OPC. We have been carrying out the work in conjunction with UBC in Kelowna. The results are promising and have attracted the attention of cement producers. Given that worldwide cement production is well in excess of 3 billion t annually, and fly ash supplies are forecast to diminish rapidly with new EPA regulations on coal-fired power production, we feel that our work could lead to a positive step in emissions reductions. APEGBC could identify similar such innovations that engineers could bring to the attention of their clients, as well as provide informed advice for government policy. The position paper is a starting point, and I commend APEGBC on the climate action initiative. Nigel Skermer, P.Eng. Penticton, BC Global Warming Is a Symptom—Not a Problem I was intrigued by Patrick Johnstone’s letter in the March/April issue of Innovation . In it he states, “…we must go beyond merely evaluating impacts, and we must make the move towards reducing then eliminating the root cause of anthropogenic global warming, through technological innovation and

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E A R T H

W A T E R

W A S T E

R E S O U R C E S

as soc ia t ion notes

2014/2015 Candidates for Election to Council In accordance with APEGBC’s Bylaw 3, there are two ways by which a member or limited licensee may be nominated to stand for Council election: 1) by the Nominating Committee, or 2) in writing by any 25 or more members and/or limited licensees in good standing. The 2014 Nominating Committee selected the following nominees: Discipline Branch Presidential Candidate J.J. (John) Clague, P.Geo., FGC Geology Sea to Sky 2014/2015 Council Election

2014 Nominating Committee Dr. Michael Isaacson, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) Past President, Chair Branch Appointees Doug Barry, P.Eng. (Peace River Branch) Ravee Ramakrishnan, P.Eng. (Richmond/ Delta Branch) Piotr Mazur, P.Eng. (Sea to Sky Branch) Andrew Watson, P.Eng., Struct.Eng. (South Central Branch) Tomer Curiel, P.Eng. (Tri-City Branch) Ben Skillings, P.Eng. (Vancouver Branch) Lee Rowley, P.Eng. (Vancouver Island Branch) Elroy Switlishoff, P.Eng. (West Kootenay Branch) Council Appointees Dr. Catherine Hickson, P.Geo., FGC Christopher Newcomb, P.Eng., FEC Dr. Ernest Portfors, P.Eng., FEC and for the office of Vice President, must have served at least one year on Council prior to taking office in order to qualify as a Nominating Committee candidate. The Nominating Committee is charged with seeking and selecting a slate of candidates for election to Council that they believe best demonstrates the qualities needed for strong leadership of the association. Specifically, the committee sought candidates that have demonstrated skills in strategic thinking, organizational management, financial fluency, governance and strategic planning, in addition to a minimum of five years of experience as a professional member or limited licensee. The committee is required to nominate candidates in six discipline groups as dictated by Bylaw 3. To fulfil its mandate, the committee sought candidates through a series of call for nominations notices sent to the membership, and committee members reached out to potential candidates in regions throughout the Province of BC. Under Bylaw 3(b), candidates for the office of President must have served on Council for at least two full years prior to taking office, Role of the Nominating Committee

Vice Presidential Candidates (one to be elected) G.D. (Garth) Kirkham, P.Geo., FGC Geology Dr. M.C. (Michael) Wrinch, P.Eng., FEC Electrical

Burnaby/New Westminster

Sea to Sky

Councillors (five to be elected) C.J.E. (Caroline) Andrewes, P.Eng. Dr. C.D. (Lyn) Anglin, P.Geo. A.E. (Arnold) Badke, P.Eng. D.E. (Dan) Campbell, P.Eng.

Metallurgical

Vancouver Sea to Sky Okanagan Sea to Sky Vancouver

Geology

Civil

Mechanical

Dr. W.G. (Bill) Dunford, P.Eng., FEC Electrical

Agricultural and Bioresource

Burnaby/New Westminster

J.H. (Jack) Lee, P.Eng., FEC

C.L. (Carol) Park, P.Eng.

Biomedical Mechanical

Vancouver Vancouver Vancouver

Dr. C.C.O. (Conor) Reynolds, P.Eng.

R.P. (Bob) Stewart, P.Eng.

Electrical

Continuing Elected Councillors The following Councillors are entering the second year of a two-year term: David Harvey, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC. (Structural); Herb Hawson, P.Eng., FEC. (Civil); Donna Howes, P.Eng., FEC. (Civil); Harlan Kelly, P.Eng. (Civil); and Kathy Tarnai- Lokhorst, P.Eng. (Mechanical). Michael Bapty, P.Eng., FEC (Mining) will hold the position of Past President for the 2014/2015 Council year. Government Appointees  Ana Fernandes, CIM, FCSI; Ken Laloge, CA; Michael Waberski, BCLS; Dr. Sheila Wynn. Nomination by 25 Members Members are reminded that nominations for President, Vice President and Councillor may also be made in writing by any 25 or more members or limited licensees in good standing. Such nominations, signed by members and/or limited licensees making the nomination and accompanied by the written consent of the nominee, must be received by the Registrar at the association office no later than 5:00 pm, Friday, June 27, 2014. The form for nomination by 25 members is available online at apeg.bc.ca/About-Us/Our-Team/Council/Council-Election- Call-for-Nominations or by contacting Janet Sinclair at jsinclair@apeg.bc.ca or 604.412.4874.

Important Dates

Election results will be posted to the APEGBC website by Wednesday, October 15, 2014.

Friday, June 27, 2014 Nominations by 25 members must be received at the association office by 5 pm.

Friday, July 11, 2014 Nominees Statement of Candidacy must be received at the association office by 5 pm.

Friday, September 12, 2014 Election package and ballots will be available online to all members by this date. Paper ballots available upon request.

Friday, October 10, 2014 All ballots must be submitted and received by 12 pm.

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New Strategic Plan Seeks to Address

Annual Conference and AGM to Take Place in Vancouver, BC, October 23 – 25, 2014 APEGBC’s 2014 Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place October 23 – 25 in Vancouver, BC. The conference and AGM will be held at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and will be the venue for two days of professional development sessions, networking opportunities and a tradeshow, followed by the 95 th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC. This year’s professional development sessions will feature the following streams: Engineering and geoscience in the resource sector, municipal engineering, environmental engineering and geoscience, management, young professionals, consulting practice, structural, better business, energy efficiency and renewable energy, geotechnical, women in leadership, APEGBC and technical tours. The association’s AGM will be held at 8:30 am – 12:30 pm on Saturday, October 25. All members are welcome and are encouraged to attend. There is no charge to attend the AGM business portions of the annual conference. More information on the conference sessions and activities, as well as online registration, is available on the conference website at apeg.bc.ca/Annual-Conference-and- AGM. A print brochure is included as a pull-out insert in the centre of this issue of Innovation. Conference sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of levels with benefits to meet the needs of businesses, including recognition on site, at events, on promotional materials or online. For information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Maria- Carmen Kelly at mckelly@apeg.bc.ca or 604.639.8179.

Future Challenges, Opportunities

APEGBC’s new Strategic Plan for 2014 – 2017 will come into effect in July 2014 and provide direction and focus for the association’s work for the next three years. Council set about creating the new Strategic Plan in the fall of 2013, with the results of focus groups, the 2013 Member Satisfaction Survey and a communications audit informing the development of the association’s vision, mission and goals for the 2014 – 2017 period. The first communication around the new plan appeared in the November/December 2013 issue of Innovation and follow-up information was included in the Council Report of the January/

February 2014 issue. (See page 16 for more information.) The goals and objectives set by the plan will determine the priorities for APEGBC’s programs and activities, and provide guidance for Council, committees, branches, divisions, task forces, boards and staff. A whiteboard video providing highlights of the plan is available for viewing on the APEGBC YouTube channel at youtube.com/apegbc1. The 2014 – 2017 Strategic Plan will act as the association’s compass when facing the opportunities and challenges in BC’s future. APEGBC and its members face unprecedented challenges in this era of global economies and global practice. The increased pace of technological change, rapid expansion of commerce in international and digital markets, trends towards deregulation and shifting demographics all present disruptions to the old model of professional regulation. When developing the plan, Council focused on making a marked shift from a reactive regulatory and administrative body to a relevant, proactive, forward-thinking organization that delivers value to its members, industry, government and the public. The new plan will position APEGBC to be more active in its actions and reaffirms APEGBC’s commitment to support and promote the engineering and geoscience professions as a trusted partner and progressive regulator that serves the public good. To learn more about APEGBC’s Strategic Plan for 2014 – 2017 or to view the whiteboard video, visit the Strategic Plan section of APEGBC’s website at apeg.bc.ca/strategic-plan.

In Memory of Bhavik Pachchigar APEGBC regrets to announce the passing of Bhavik Pachchigar, Administrative and Accounting Assistant, on Sunday, April 27, 2014. Bhavik was a valued member of the Finance and Admin- istration department, who supported the team in a variety of ways including junior accountant activities and accounting related to branches/divisions as well as office administration. His major projects included the centralization of branch accounting and significant support in setting up groundwork

and operations of branches accounting. Bhavik also provided excellent customer service to members and the public at the front desk. He contributed countless hours of support to the entire Finance team when required during month end, budget and other crunch times. Aside from his unerring professionalism, Bhavik was a team player who exuded sincerity, kindness and positivity. His time at APEGBC was short but he will be remembered fondly by his colleagues.

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The Winning Results Are In! National Engineering and Geoscience Month (NEGM) events wrapped up at the end of March. It was a great success with many APEGBC members participating in activities around BC. NEGM was an opportunity to showcase diversity of career choices, awareness about the professions and a time for the spirit of competition. The results are in for all submissions and contests.

APEGBC Works Challenge APEGBC received 22 video submissions from across the province for the Works Challenge. Creativity, innovation and teamwork were displayed by all participants who were to invited to submit videos of their teams moving five supplied items from point A to point B as quickly as possible. After careful review, APEGBC crowned Team BCIT the 2014 APEGBC Works Champion, with a speedy time of 4.6 seconds. Team members Marco Piovesan, Yinan Shi, Daine Strankman, Joshua Fraser and Alex Martins designed and built a transportation device that stood up to fierce competition. This is the first time a student team has ever won. You can watch their video and others at apeg.bc.ca/negm. APEGBC Photo Search APEGBC’s photo search asked members to submit photos of themselves and tell us why they love what they do. Congratulations to environmental engineer, Steve Sumsion, P.Eng., whose name was drawn for two tickets to see retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield speak at the 2014 APEGBC Annual Conference and AGM. In this picture, Steve is staying warm in the mine water treatment plant. Thank you to McCue Engineering who tweeted us the photo of Steve.

GroundwaterManagementStrategies •AlbertaHumanRightsComplaint • ForestPracticesBoardReport MARCH/APRIL 2014

JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS OF BC

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in lieu of having a hardcopy of the magazine mailed to you? If you opt in for this service, you will receive a notification e-mail every time the magazine is published with links to access the latest issue. The magazine can be viewed on a desktop or mobile device, or downloaded for later reading. To make the switch, simply update your communication prefer- ences by signing into the APEGBC member portal at apeg.bc.ca/For- Members/Member-Portal/Update- Communication-Preferences, or con- tact Michelle Grady, Managing Editor, at mgrady@apeg.bc.ca or 604.412.4893.

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NEGM Drawing Contest To get youth thinking about the relevance of engineering and geoscience in their lives, APEGBC teamed up with the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC) and held a drawing contest that encouraged children to think creatively about science and science-based jobs. They were asked to submit drawings of an example of something that was once impossible but has been made possible because of engineering or geoscience. We received over 100 submissions from around BC. Here are first place winning entries in each age category:

Ages 4 – 5 Isabel Legg, age 5

Ages 6 – 8 Abdullah Siddique, age 8

Ages 9 – 12 Aiden Cumming-Teicher, age 9

APEGBC would like to thank everyone who submitted photos, videos and drawings. To view all submissions, visit apeg.bc.ca/negm.

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c ounc i l repor t

fundamentally different systems of qualifying candidates for profes- sional designation” with the aim of improving APEGBC’s systems. Over the years, APEGBC has reviewed its Admissions/Registration policies and process annually with the objective of improving their efficiency, effectiveness and user-friendliness. These reviews have in- cluded research of practices of regulators in other local, national and international jurisdictions; recommendations of provincial fairness commissioners and compliance with administrative law. They have resulted in the implementation of many policy and process changes that have in turn resulted in reduced decision times and enhanced consistency, objectivity and fairness. SAARS was to build on this work and review a broad spectrum of professions and look for emerging and innovative approaches to improve the registration process at APEGBC. The task force presented a report to Council on their findings and made three recommendations: Firstly, that Council endorse five promising practices identified by the report for implementation (use of technical reports/essays, learning experience portfolio, enhancedMember-in-Training program, Accredited Employer Training program, currency of experience guideline); second, that Council recognizes that future bylaw consultation will be required for the enhancedMember-in-Training program and Accredited Employer program; and thirdly, that Council give priority consideration to approv- ing funding in the budget for development and implementation of the five promising practices identified, and an enhancedMentoring program. Council approved the recommendations of the task force, which was then stood down with thanks for its service. Three-year Budget Presented; Includes Membership Fee Increase Council has adopted a three-year budget for 2014 – 2017 aligned with the 2014 – 2017 Strategic Plan. This three-year budget is a step towards improving governance practices through longer-term planning and fis- cal stability. The budget includes a $35 increase to the membership fee in year one with no anticipated increases in years two and three. Council determined that this increase to the annual membership fee was neces- sary to resource the programs and initiatives necessary to the delivery the strategic plan’s objectives. (For more information, see page 16.) Council approved the 2014/2015 operating and capital budget, and accepted proforma budgets for 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 respectively. A target of three months of operating expenses for the total reserves fund balance was also approved. “That Council consider the forming of a working committee with the task of developing policy and guidelines to incorporate archaeological impact studies for members engaged in certain projects involving ground-altering activities. This is to bring engineering practice in compli- ance with BC’s Heritage Conservation Act .” At its November 29, 2013, meeting, Council referred the matter to the Director, Professional Practice, Standards and Development to provide a report to Council outlining options for action. In the report to Council on this matter, it was noted that the Province of BC has put in place a well-documented regulatory framework including policies and guidelines on incorporating archeological impact studies on projects involving ground-altering activities. However, it was felt that APEGBC should make its professionals aware of the existing framework that is in place so that, where relevant, engineering practice includes considerations in order to comply with BC’s Heritage Conservation Act. Based on the report, Council approved a motion to recommend that archaeological Action on AGM Motion Regarding Archaeological Sites At the 2013 AGM, the following motion was passed:

APEGBC’s Council meets throughout the year to conduct the business of association governance. The following are the highlights of the April 11, 2014, meeting of APEGBC Council. Changes Made to AGM Rules and Procedure for Advance Motions Amendments to the rules for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) were adopted by Council for the consideration of members at the 2014 AGM. The changes consider advice provided by APEGBC’s registered parliamentarian and address who is entitled to speak to motions, re- view of motions prior to presentation, the format of motions and the procedure for debating and voting on motions. A change to the procedure for submitting motions in advance of the AGMwas also made. Where previously members were encouraged to sub- mit their motions for the purpose of publication in advance of the AGM, they will now instead be invited to submit draft AGMmotions for the purpose of obtaining information and advice from staff prior to the AGM. This will then provide members with the option of revising or submitting the motion in advance of the meeting or at the meeting as they choose. Special Task Force on Alternative Admission/Registration Systems Report The Special Task Force on Alternative Admissions/Registration Systems (SAARS) was appointed by Council in November 2012 as an outcome of the Value for Money Review recommendation to, “appoint an independent special task force to research and consider

Areas

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considerations on site assessments be appropriately referenced in the relevant professional practice guidelines related to ground-altering activities so that the requirements in the BC Heritage Conservation Act are addressed. Canadian Framework for Licensure – Code of Ethics APEGBC is participating in an Engineers Canada initiative to develop a Canadian Framework for Licensure (CFL) in order to create national consistency and enhance equity, consistency, fairness and timeliness of services across all Canadian engineering regulators. The group has identified 12 essential elements of the regulated engineering profession in Canada, which will initially be developed collaboratively by engineering regulators with extensive consultation to identify best practices. To date, Council has reviewed and provided feedback on a number of elements of the framework. At their April meeting, Council reviewed elements on Code of Ethics, Enforcement Practices. Council and approved motions expressing concurrence with the Code of Ethics element subject to modifications of key consideration 4(i), and concurrence with the Enforcement element subject to modifications to a number of key considerations, including 1(d) and 5, and the addition of a consideration on corporate enforcement strategies and non- traditional enforcement strategies. APEGBC Input on Geoscientists Canada Strategic Plan In late November 2013, the Chair of Geoscientists Canada’s Strategic Planning Committee requested input from each Constituent Association with respect to its vision for Geoscientists Canada’s role in the next five to 10 years. It is intended that responses will be gathered to inform a strategic planning session for the Geoscientists Board in June 2014. A response was drafted, in consideration of input provided by APEGBC’s Geoscience Committee, and at its April meeting, Council approved the In June 2013, the Women in Engineering and Geoscience Task Force (WIEGTF) provided a report to Council with recommendations on how gender diversity could be improved in the professions. Council received a progress report from staff on the implementation of the recommendations of WIEGTF. Examples of work completed to date includes the review of APEGBC policies, the sourcing and promotion of resources for gender diverse workplaces, the development of female-targeted career awareness materials and the recruitment of female career awareness volunteers. Task force recommendations were also taken into account during the preparation of the 2014 – 2017 Strategic Plan and the 2014 – 2017 operating budget. Responses to the Climate Change Position Paper APEGBC published a Position Paper on Climate Change in January 2014, spearheaded by the Climate Change Advisory Group (CCAG). Staff pro- vided Council with an update and summary of the nature of responses received in response to the paper. Generally speaking, a relatively small number of members responded to the release of the paper, and these were mostly by e-mail. Of the feedback received to date, the majority expressed that the APEGBC Position Paper on Climate Change did not go far enough. The common message from these members is that the position paper should have included discussions on anthropogenic global warm- ing and the impact on climate change. Furthermore, they expressed that climate change mitigation should have been emphasized in the position paper. By contrast, the feedback from those opposing the position paper questioned the science behind climate change forecast models, especially anthropogenic causes. Going forward, the CCAG will continue to focus on ways to raise awareness on climate change and on assisting our mem- bers to adapt to climate change by recommending best practices and more tools in addressing climate change. response for submission to Geoscientists Canada. Women in Engineering and Geoscience Task Force

APPOINTMENTS INTERNAL Building Codes Committee Dragan Majkic, P.Eng. Fred Tai, P.Eng. Building Enclosure Committee Dr. Rodrigo Mora, P.Eng. Continuing Professional Development Committee Jerrick Dangaran, P.Eng. Tejas Goshalia, P.Eng. Radka (Kerri) Holan, EIT Anja Lanz, EIT Mahmoud Mahmoud, P.Eng., FEC Dennis McJunkin, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) Foundation Nominating Committee Arnold Badke, P.Eng. Donna Howes, P.Eng., FEC

Harlan Kelly, P.Eng. Lianna Mah, P.Eng., FEC Geoscience Experience Review Lee Andrew Groat, P.Geo. Investigation Committee Neil Nyberg, P. Eng., FEC Mentoring Committee Shiloh Carlson, P.Eng. Ashok Abhyankar, P.Eng. Sustainability Committee Terry Moldstad, P.Eng. (Chair) Jody Rechenmacher, P.Eng. Gord Tycho, EIT Temporary Works Committee Sean Dingley, P.Eng.

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p ract i ce ma t ter s

Duty to Seal of an APEGBC Professional Gilbert J. Larocque, CD, P.Eng., LLB, Associate Director, Professional Practice

Along with the right to represent themselves as professionals, APEGBC members and licensees are granted the right to use a professional seal. The possession of an APEGBC seal, however, conveys much more than a right-to-title. The purpose of the proper and appropriate use of the seal is to authenticate documents prepared and delivered by APEGBC professionals. Aside from the issue of authentication, the seal is important because it is a visible commitment to the standards of the professions, and signifies that an APEGBC professional has accepted professional responsibility for a document. The Engineers and Geoscientists Act specifies that, upon receipt of a seal or stamp, a member or licensee “must use it, with signature and date, to seal or stamp estimates, specifications, reports, documents, plans or things that have been prepared and delivered by the member or licensee in the member’s or licensee’s professional capacity or that have been prepared and delivered under the member’s or licensee’s direct supervision.” As such, the Act imposes a prescriptive obligation that transcends other commitments and arrangements that non-professionals may otherwise consider acceptable. A client may specify in an agreement for services that sealed documents are not required. Parties cannot contract out of the law and, consequently, the The Letters of Assurance provided in Division C, Part 2 of the British Columbia Building Code and the Vancouver Building By-law are legal accountability documents intended to clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of the keys stakeholders in a build- ing construction project. Uniform, mandatory Letters of Assurance have been included as Schedules in the Building Code since December 1992. In addition to ascertaining the division of responsi- bilities between professionals—engineers and architects —the Letters of Assurance give assurance that a building has been designed and constructed in substantial compli- ance with the requirement of the applicable building code, and that the required professional obligations have been fulfilled. Confirming these assurances is the func- tion of Schedule C-A—Assurance of Coordination of Professional Field Review and Schedule C-B—Assurance of Professional Field Review and Compliance. For each building project, Schedule C-A and Schedules C-B (at the rate of one Schedule C-B for

APEGBC professional must nonetheless comply with the Act and seal documents prepared and delivered in a professional capacity. The application of the APEGBC seal with the signature and date is the confirmation process used to verify that a document has not been modified or tampered, and that it represents the original content for which the APEGBC professional, by sealing, signing and dating the document, has accepted professional responsibility. Some employers may see little or no point in having their APEGBC professional employees seal documents solely intended for internal use. Company policies and employment contracts do not trump the requirements of the Act . While it is neither a mark of warranty nor a guarantee, a seal should be considered as a mark of reliance, an indication that others, including colleagues and co-workers, can rely on the fact that an APEGBC professional held to high standards of knowledge, skill and ethical conduct, provided the opinions, judgments or designs in the sealed documents. The APEGBC Quality Management Guidelines – Use of the APEGBC Seal offer an in-depth analysis of the proper use of the APEGBC seal, including a table that provides guidance on the requirements to seal an extensive list of documents. These guidelines are available on the APEGBC website at apeg.bc.ca/Resources/ Professional-Practice/Quality-Management-Guidelines. each previously submitted Schedule B) must be sub- mitted by the applicable professionals after completion of the project but before an occupancy permit is issued or a final inspection is made by the authority having jurisdiction. Since the authorities having jurisdiction usually require Schedules A and B prior to issuing a building permit and any work commencing, it logi- cally follows that the issuance of Schedules C-A and C-B cannot precede the issuance of a building permit. As their name implies, Letters of Assurance provide the assurance of the professionals. They are not just a clerical exercise. While it may seem administratively expeditious to seal and date Schedules C-A and C-B in advance of a project being completed, such prac- tice is inappropriate. In particular, the sequencing of Schedule C-A and C-B must reflect the chronology of a building project and be issued and dated to indicate that the work was performed and the associated pro- fessional services provided after the required building permit were in place. v

Sequencing and Dating of Letters of Assurance Gilbert J. Larocque, CD, P.Eng., LLB, Associate Director, Professional Practice

Innovation is rerunning this article to include the author’s original language that is aligned with the BC Building Code . Members are asked to refer to this more current revision instead of the article that appeared in the March/April edition of Innovation .

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ADVERTORIAL

A closer look at health and disability insurance How coverage can help the self-employed, contractual and underinsured

coverage while unemployed. If you become disabled within 12 months of your last job, you remain eligible for a monthly benefit payment. Look for a disability plan that offers coverage for different types of disability, such as total disability, partial disability, residual disability (you are able to return to your regular occupation but in a limited capacity), and catastrophic loss. And if you pay your own premiums (not your partnership), your monthly disability benefits may be tax free. 2 Are you among those with protection? Across British Columbia, many residents have chosen to protect themselves with supplementary health and disability coverage. Make sure you’re protected as well.

Being ill or injured can be challenging enough without worrying about being driven into debt. With health and living costs rising steadily, those who are self-employed or don’t have coverage at work could face financial hardships. Without an employer’s group insurance benefits, you are left to your own means when it comes to protecting yourself and your family . You don’t hesitate to insure your home, car and other valuable possessions, so why wouldn’t you insure those that are much more valuable than all those things — your health and your ability to earn an income? Health insurance Supplementary health insurance starts where government coverage ends.

47 % of British Columbia residents have supplementary health coverage 3

25 % of British Columbia residents have disability income protection 3

British Columbia household health spending 1 (Annual, excluding health insurance premiums)

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APEGBC Members can learn more and apply for: Health and Dental Care Disability Income Replacement Sponsored by Engineers Canada www.manulife.com/APEGBC/DI 1-877-598-2273 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET) Cost is a common reason offered by those who are not covered by any plans to explain the lack of coverage. Affordable coverage is available for professional engineers through the Engineers Canada-sponsored plans . This allows you to enjoy many of the benefits of a group plan (e.g., lower cost) so you can focus on your recovery, not on the bills. 1 2012 Average household annual spending (Source: Statistics Canada. Table 203-0021 - Survey of household spending (SHS), household spending, Canada, regions and provinces, annual (dollars), CANSIM (database)). 2 Contact your financial advisor or the Canada Revenue Agency for details. 3 Percentages are based on persons covered at end of 2012 (Source: Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, Facts & Figures, Life and Health Insurance, 2013 Edition) and 2012 provincial population figures (Statistics Canada, CANSIM, table 051-0001).

Dental

Vision Practitioners †

$ 528 $ 435 $ 253 $ 147

† Other than physicians, dental and vision care professionals

With no supplementary health coverage, you would have to pay out of your own pocket for common expenses like prescriptions, dental care, vision care, therapeutic services and more. If your spouse doesn’t have coverage at work, your out-of-pocket medical expenses can get even bigger, especially if you have children. Private health insurance can be more affordable than you think. Plus, if you’re self-employed, you may be able to deduct the cost of your health insurance premiums from your business income. 2 Disability insurance Disability insurance helps to replace a portion of your income if you become ill or injured and can’t work. These plans provide monthly benefit payments , based on a percentage of your monthly earnings, while you are disabled and unable to perform your occupation. Unlike employee disability plans that end when you change jobs, some association-sponsored disability plans can provide continuation of coverage between jobs so you are not left without

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