INNOVATION Sept-Oct 2019

A S S O C I A T I O N

ultimately bring more attention and profile to professional regulation than before. But despite this change to our reporting structure, the fundamental tenets of self-regulation remain. One defining characteristic of self-regulated entities is the ability of members to elect the governing body—in our case, our Council. This is still true and will not change under the Act . As we transition to this new legislation, the size and composition of our Council will change over time, but the membership will still have the ability to elect the majority of Council members. Of the reduced 12-member Council, 8 will be members of the profession and four will be lay members appointed by the BC Government. We currently have four government-appointed lay members, so while this number will not a change, the percentage of lay members will be higher once Council size is reduced. These changes are anticipated to take place in 2020. registration, professional practice, and investigation and discipline matters to be determined by members of the professions. This critical element will remain intact under the Act . The transition from the 100-year-old Engineers and Geoscientists Act to the new Act has already begun, and is expected to take about two years to complete. There are many positive aspects to the new legislation, and some that Council still has concerns and questions about, but there is positive dialogue with the OSPG on these latter items. In any case, the fundamental elements of self-regulation are not in question. They are, and will remain, foundational and central to our role as a progressive regulator, serving the public interest. I encourage you to learn more about the new legislation by visiting our webpage, egbc.ca/professional-governance . Another important tenet of self- regulation is the ability for key

Engineers and Geoscientists BC, and our professions, are still fully self- regulating, as they were before. The most significant change introduced by the Act is that Engineers and Geoscientists BC no longer reports through the Ministry of Advanced Education, but through the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance (OSPG) to the Ministry of the Attorney General. Under this structure, the OSPG has more prominence and a more targeted and focused profile than under the previous reporting structure. The OSPG is the centre of provincial expertise for professional governance of regulatory bodies (outside the health sector), and will conduct research and promote best practices of professional regulation. This will

Ann English, P.Eng. CEO and Registrar

CLARIFYING MISCONCEPTIONS OF SELF-REGULATION

As the CEO and Registrar, I sometimes receive questions from members about whether Engineers and Geoscientists BC has lost self-regulation under the new Professional Governance Act (the Act ). I wanted to take a few minutes to emphatically assure you that

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