INNOVATION September-October 2017

INNOVAT ION

V I E W P O I N T

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | volume

21 number

5

PLAYING THE LONG GAME I first became interested in being involved with the association three years ago when the strategic plan was launched for 2014-2017. In that time, participating in this organization’s governance has made me more acutely aware of all the work that the association has been doing, as well as the challenges we face and our successes to date. Engineers and geoscientists lead busy professional lives. Often, beyond the immediate sphere of, How does this affect me, my practice, and my ability to do safe and responsible work? our thoughts don’t always extend to the various happenings of this association.

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 Internet: egbc.ca Toll free: 1.888.430.8035

COUNCIL 2016/2017 President Bob Stewart, P.Eng. Vice-President Dr. Ed Casas, P.Eng. Immediate Past President Dr. Michael Wrinch, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) COUNCILLORS C.J.A. Andrewes, P.Eng.; S. Cheema, CA, CPA R. Farbridge, P.Eng.; C. Hall, P.Eng./P.Geo. S. Hayes, P.Eng.; K. Laloge, CPA, CA, TEP; S. Martin, P.Eng. C. Moser, P.Eng.; R.B. Nanson, P.Eng. S.R. Rettie, P.Eng., FEC; L. Spence, P.Eng. K. Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng., FEC; J. Turner, P.Ag. (ret); D. Wells, JD ASSOCIATION STAFF A.J. English, P.Eng. Chief Executive Officer and Registrar T.M.Y. Chong, P.Eng. Chief Regulatory Officer and Deputy Registrar J.Y. Sinclair Chief Operating Officer M.L. Archibald Director, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement J. Cho, CGA Director, Finance and Administration D. Gamble Director, Information Systems P.R. Mitchell, P.Eng. Director, Professional Practice, Standards and Development D. Olychick Director, Member Services G.M. Pichler, P.Eng. Director, Registration E. Swartz, LLB Director, Legislation, Ethics and Compliance V. Lai, CGA Associate Director, Finance and Administration M.A. Rigolo P.Eng., Associate Director, Engineering Admissions L. Steele, P.Geo., Associate Director, Professional Practice EDITORIAL BOARD J. Bracho, P.Eng.; E.A. Brown, P.Eng.; K.C. Chan, P.Eng., CPA; S. Chiu, P.Eng.; T. George, P.Eng.; H. Ghalibafian, P.Eng. G. Grill, P.Eng.; R. Ord, P.Eng.; A.M. Westin, GIT; M.J. Zieleman, EIT Advertising material must reach the publication by the first day of the first month (e.g., May 1 for the May/June issue), or by the first business day immediately preceding the first day of the first month. Advertising Contact: Gillian Cobban Tel: 604.929.6733 Email: advertising@egbc.ca 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. Design/Production: Fusion FX Design & Marketing Inc Printed in Canada by Mitchell Press Ltd on recycled paper Subscription ratesper issue$4.50;six issuesyearly$25.00. (Ratesdonot include tax.)

Bob Stewart, P.Eng. President president@egbc.ca

Yet, were you to ask, we’d agree that someone should be responsible for making sure that standards and practices are upheld and up to date; that someone should ensure that the current system of licensing professionals in BC is equipped to handle the increasing number of applications as well as international and inter-provincial mobility; that someone is working to ensure that scientific expertise informs policy decisions affecting The 2014–2017 Strategic Plan has sought to tackle these challenges in a very real way, setting goals and objectives with clearly defined outcomes and performance indicators. Progress has been reported regularly at Council meetings throughout the year and summarized in our annual reports. In line with the plan, in 2016/2017, we have: • Increased available practice guidance to members, as well as access to and awareness of practice guidelines and resources. • Worked with employers/industry to improve the standard of organizational quality management practices. • Communicated to the public how we’ve upheld standards of conduct and ethics for our professions. • Developed and implemented a strategy to increase public understanding and awareness of engineers and geoscientists and the work of the association as a regulator. • Collaborated with other Canadian regulators to develop practices for greater harmonization of registration requirements. • Reached out to and engaged with government to improve public safety, respond to climate change, and increase emergency preparedness. The strategic plan provided a frame for us to tackle complex long-range challenges, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as an organization. I’m also full of optimism for where we are going as we embark on the new 2017–2020 Strategic Plan , which will bring our duties under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act even more sharply into focus. Over the next three years, the plan’s back-to-basics framework will see Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia: • Increase clarity about our regulatory responsibilities for members and the public. • Identify, improve and introduce processes and tools that will allow us to carry out our regulatory duties and licensing functions more effectively. • Deliver timely, outcomes-focused complaints and enforcement processes. • Increase members’ awareness and use of professional practice resources. • Support greater diversity and inclusion in our professions. It’s my hope that this roadmap for the future sparks your interest as it did mine—it’s up to all of us to champion the association and professions we want to see. For ethics. For excellence. For progress. the practice of engineering and geoscience in our province. For an association like ours, that someone is us. You and me.

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