INNOVATION May-June 2021

A S S O C I A T I O N

PREPARING FOR REGULATION Beginning July 2, new legislation will require the regulation of firms engaged in engineering and geoscience practice. This change will bring BC in line with other jurisdictions across Canada, enhance public safety and environmental protections, and codify and enforce the responsible level of practice most firms already have in place. Firms that engage in the practice of professional engineering or professional geoscience must register for a Permit to Practice with Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Firms can apply beginning July 2, 2021, and must submit their application before September 30,

2021. A Permit to Practice grants firms the legal authority to engage in the practice of professional engineering or geoscience in BC. DO I NEED A PERMIT TO PRACTICE? Any public or private entity that practices engineering or geoscience as part of their operations—including firms that provide service or advice internally—falls under the regulation and must acquire a Permit to Practice. This includes sole practitioners (both incorporated and unincorporated), and municipalities. If you are unsure whether your firm should register, visit egbc.ca/Firms , and use the “Permit to Practice Assessment Tool” to determine if your firm requires a Permit to Practice.

PREPARING TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT TO PRACTICE To apply for a Permit to Practice, a firm must: ࡛ Identify a Responsible Registrant. The firm’s Responsible Registrant will acknowledge responsibility for the firm and complete the application on the firm’s behalf. The Responsible Registrant must be an engineering or geoscience professional who will be responsible for ensuring that the firm’s practice meets ethical, quality management, and continuing education requirements. They will also serve as a point of contact for practice reviews, audits, and investigations. Firms can identify more than one Responsible Registrant if needed. ࡛ Identify a Responsible Officer. The Responsible Officer is the executive lead for their firm, and may be the same person as the Responsible Registrant. This person does not need to be a registered engineering or geoscience professional but must have the

authority to make binding decisions on behalf of the firm. ࡛ Build the firm’s employee roster. Identify all staff (including contract staff) who are registered with Engineers and Geoscientists BC and other regulators under the Professional Governance Act , including P.Eng., P.Geo., P.L.Eng, P.L.Geo, EIT, and GIT. Registrant names, and ID numbers or License numbers are required. ࡛ Identify all areas of practice relevant to the firm. To view a full list of industries and areas of practice visit egbc.ca/Industries-Areas-of-Practice. The Responsible Registrant can apply for a Permit to Practice through our website beginning July 2, 2021. Once declarations of responsibility have been signed by the Responsible Registrant(s) and Responsible Officer and the fees are paid, a Permit to Practice will be issued. WHAT HAPPENS THEN? Within 12 months of being issued a Permit to Practice, the firm must develop a

Professional Practice Management Plan (PPMP), the Responsible Registrant must complete mandatory training, and the firm must prepare for its first audit. The firm must update its contact information and its PPMP each year and comply with mandatory audits every three-to-five years.

Need to register a new design with Technical Safety BC? Take advantage of our new online registration portal: Ŷ (DV\ WR ƼQG DQG ƼOO WKH IRUP \RX QHHG Ŷ $WWDFK DOO VXSSRUWLQJ GRFXPHQWV DQG GUDZLQJV Ŷ 7UDFN WKH VWDWXV RI \RXU VXEPLVVLRQ Ŷ &RPPXQLFDWH GLUHFWO\ ZLWK WKH HQJLQHHU reviewing your design Design registration is now easier and faster than ever

LEARN MORE Engineers and Geoscientists BC has tools and materials available, at egbc.ca/Firms , that provide guidance to firms on completing the requirements of a Permit to Practice. These resources include Professional Practice Management Plan templates, the Regulation of Firms Manual, online training (comprising six courses through 15 self-paced modules), and the webinar “Understanding the Regulation of Firms”. For questions about the Regulation of Firms, email firms@egbc.ca .

Get started at technicalsafetybc.ca/register-a-design

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