Innovation March-April 2023

Improvements to CE Repor ting | Accredited Employer Program | Firms Renewal

INNOVATION ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BRITISH COLUMBIA MARCH/APRIL 2023

SOLID CARBON TAKES SHAPE REPORT ASSESSES DEADLY AMMONIA LEAK GEOSCIENTISTS: ARE THERE ENOUGH TO MEET RISING DEMAND?

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5 LETTERS 10 COUNCIL REPORT 12 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 26 COMMUNITY 33 DISPLAY ADVERTISERS' INDEX 33 IN MEMORIAM 34 DISCIPLINE AND ENFORCEMENT 39 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEWS / DEPARTMENTS MARCH/APR I L 2023 | volume 27 number 2 INNOVAT ION

COVER STORY GEOSCIENTISTS SHORTAGE Geoscientists are in demand as mineral exploration heats up. But are there enough new geoscientists going into the pipeline to fill the need? Those in the industry look at ways to spark interest in the profession, starting with students.

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COMMENT

GOING FORWARD SAFELY Report investigates human and technical incidents over many years that led to a deadly ammonia leak in Kamloops in 2022–and recommends ways to avoid dangerous situations in the future.

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OTHER

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6 FIRMS PERMIT TO PRACTICE RENEWAL 8 IMPROVEMENTS TO CE REPORTING 26 ACCREDITED EMPLOYER PROGRAM

STORING SOLIDIFIED CO 2 BENEATH THE SEA Solid Carbon, a promising technology to battle climate change, takes harmful CO 2 gas and turns it into rock, stored far beneath the ocean floor. And, one of the best testing sites is off the coast of BC.

ON THE COVER Dr. Bernhard Rabus, P.L.Eng. carrying the steam drill, along with Dr. John Clague, P.Geo. and Dr. Daniel Sughar, investigated a series of large landslides that fell onto Black Rapids Glacier during

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an earthquake in Alaska. P hoto : D r . J ohn C lague P.G eo .

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 MARCH/APR I L 2023 | volume 27 number 2 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 COUNCIL 2022/2023 President Mark Adams, P.Eng. Vice President Michelle Mahovlich, P.Eng., P.Geo. Immediate Past President Carol Park, P.Eng. COUNCILLORS Suky Cheema, CPA, CA; Leslie Hildebrandt, ICD.D, LLB; Emily Lewis, CPA, CMA; Karen Ling, P.Eng.; Mahsoo Naderi-Dasoar, P.Eng.; Mark Porter, P.Eng., Struct.Eng.; Jessica Steeves, P.Eng.; Jens Weber, P.Eng.; David Wells, JD ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BC EXECUTIVE TEAM Heidi Yang, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.), Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Cho, CPA, CGA, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Liza Aboud, MBA, ABC, ICD.D, Chief Operating Officer David Pavan, R.PH., Chief Regulatory Officer and Registrar

V I E W P O I N T

WE’RE LISTENING When Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s Continuing Education (CE) requirements came into effect last year, we heard a lot of feedback from registrants. You told us that some of the reporting requirements were challenging to understand, our communication could be improved, and a simpler way was needed to report your CE activities to us. We shared in-depth information about your feedback in

our January/February issue. As a regulatory body, we want to make sure that the level of regulation we apply to any given issue is proportionate to its level of risk and meets transparency expectations of the public. This is a principle called “right-touch regulation,” and we strive to apply this approach to all our regulatory programs. Based on your feedback, we’ve been considering how we can improve the CE program and continue to bring it closer to the principles of right-touch regulation. In this issue, you’ll read about several changes we’re making, including no longer requiring practising registrants to upload their CE Plan to our system, exempting non-practising registrants from program requirements, and making overall improvements to the reporting system so that it’s simpler and easier to use. Your feedback is important. It helps us understand what challenges you’re encountering—both in interacting with us and in your day-to-day practice—and what actions we can take to address them. It also helps us understand how we are performing as a regulator. That’s why we recently asked for your input through a comprehensive Registrant Insights Survey. If you participated, thank you. The information you shared will help us understand how you are adapting to some of the recent changes we’ve experienced—most notably, the introduction of the Professional Governance Act and changes to our organization’s mandate. Your engagement with Engineers and Geoscientists BC is important to me and to the Board. We believe that an engaged registrant is a safe registrant—someone who is equipped with the knowledge and resources to meet professional standards and to practice engineering or geoscience safely and effectively. As we continue to work together to adapt to the changes of the past several years, I encourage you to continue providing your feedback to us. It will help us maintain our course towards right-touch regulation and, in doing so, work towards our vision of modern regulation for a resilient world.

Shelley Nicholl, Managing Editor

EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Lisa Brown, P.Eng., (chair); Dr. Iqbal Bhuiyan, P.Eng.; Allen Heinrichs, P.Eng.; Mahsa Mohajerani, P.Eng.; Raya Smertina, P.Eng.; Aman Tanvir, P.Eng.

The closing date for advertising for each edition is outlined in the media kit. Generally, advertising bookings close on or near the first of the month preceding each edition (e.g., May 2 for the May/June issue).

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Subscription rates per issue $4.50; six issues yearly $25.00. (Rates do not include tax.)

Innovation is published six times a year by Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia. As the official publication of the organization, 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 Engineers and Geoscientists BC.

All material is copyright. Please contact the Managing Editor for reprint permission.

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.

Mark Adams. P.Eng., President

president@egbc.ca

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Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Innovation , Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC V5C 6N2.

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L E T T E R S

COLLEAGUES PAY TRIBUTE TO DR. MATTHIAS JAKOB, P.GEO., P.L.ENG.

It is with profound sadness that we write about the passing of our dear colleague Dr. Matthias Jakob, P.Geo., P.L.Eng. who passed away suddenly on October 16, 2022. Matthias was an expert in landslide hazard and risk assessment of complex geohazards and his expertise cascaded across the world in academia and among clients in our industry. A curious and young, but well-travelled Matthias chose geography as his primary area of study while in high school in Germany and followed this up with a BSc in Geography at the University of Regensburg. After an intermediate year of studies at the University of Colorado he undertook his master’s degree at the University of Heidelberg studying rock glaciers in the Khumbu Himalayas of Nepal. Matthias moved to Canada to complete his PhD at UBC. Studying under Dr. Mike Bovis, he completed his thesis “Morphometric and Geotechnical Controls on Debris Flow Frequency and Magnitude, Southwestern BC”—a topic he would continue to study throughout his career. Three years later, he returned to UBC for a post-doctorate fellowship under Dr. Oldrich Hungr and developed a new rockfall hazard rating for Canadian Pacific Railways. BGC Engineering welcomed Matthias to the team in 2003, where he enjoyed working among geoscientists, technicians, engineering geologists, and geotechnical engineers. Throughout his career, Matthias made significant contributions to the scientific community on the understanding of steep creek processes; he authored over 100 journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters, and co-authored a Burwell Award-winning book in 2005 on debris flows and debris avalanches. He received

the J. Ross MacKay award from the Canadian Geomorphology Research Group for contributions to the application of geomorphic knowledge, Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s Westerman Award for his work on debris flow risk in communities, and the Thomas Roy Award for excellence in engineering geology. Matthias was a much sought-after guest lecturer and keynote speaker, and was passionate about educating others on the impacts of a changing climate. Those who worked with him benefited from his mentoring, commitment to high quality work, and technical excellence. He is remembered for his creative problem-solving, drive for continuous improvement in methods, and for making work fun. Field work with Matthias was always an adventure remembered. His legacy will live on through the many talented engineers and geoscientists whom he mentored throughout his career. Apart from his geoscience excellence, Matthias was a passionate outdoors enthusiast; he was no stranger to climbing mountains, hiking, cross-country skiing, and physical fitness. He was proud of his cabin in Squamish, BC, and loved hosting fellow BGC staff, clients and

Dr. Matthias Jakob P.Geo., P.L.Eng. P hoto : W endy D P hotography

friends at the oasis he created. He was also an avid gardener who loved plants and could recite the Latin names of many species. Whatever he was working on and wherever his adventures took him, he was happiest when with his family. Hamish Weatherly, M.Sc., P.Geo. BGC Engineering

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R E G U L A T O R Y N E W S

RENEWING FIRMS PERMIT TO PRACTICE This year’s Permit to Practice renewal process for registrant firms opened on April 1, 2023 . As part of the Permit to Practice Program, registrant firms must renew their Permit to Practice annually, have the Responsible Registrant complete the Regulation of Firms Permit to Practice training, and prepare a Professional Practice Management Plan (PPMP) within one year of receiving their Permit to Practice. Registrant firms have until May 31, 2023 , to complete the Registrant firms are required to update their information and renew their Permit to Practice by paying an annual fee. The Responsible Registrant, who is appointed to acknowledge responsibility for the firm and complete the application, must log in to their account through the Engineers and Geoscientists BC website ( egbc.ca/Firms ) and ensure their firm’s information— such as the firm’s business name, the names and contact information of the Responsible Officer and Responsible Registrant, and the firm’s roster of registrants—is accurate and up to date. This information can only be completed by a Responsible Registrant. REGULATION OF FIRMS PERMIT TO PRACTICE TRAINING AND THE PPMP A registrant firm’s Responsible Registrant must complete the Regulation of Firms Permit to Practice training within one year of receiving the Permit to Practice and must complete this training every five years thereafter. The eight-hour training session renewal process. HOW TO RENEW

P hoto : W endy D P hotography

provides guidance on the requirements of a Permit to Practice. It is important to note that after the initial Permit to Practice is granted, each additional individual designated as a Responsible Registrant must complete this training within three months of submitting their Responsible Registrant Declaration. A registrant firm must also complete the PPMP within one year of receiving the Permit to Practice. The PPMP documents the policies and procedures that indicate how the registrant firm will meet ethics, quality management, and continuing education requirements. The PPMP also must include the registrant firm’s organizational structure, names of the Responsible Officer and Responsible Registrant, the registrant firm’s area of practice, and the Responsible Registrant designated to each area of practice at the registrant firm. PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE If the Permit to Practice renewal is not completed by May 31, or the Regulation of Firms Permit to Practice training is not completed within one year of receiving the Permit to Practice, late fees will be applied to the registrant firm and its practice will be prohibited in accordance with Engineers and Geoscientists BC Bylaws. In addition, the PPMP must be completed within one year of the registrant firm receiving its Permit to Practice and is subject to a compliance audit. See the Engineers and Geoscientists BC website, egbc.ca/Firms , for the following: • Information on the Permit to Practice renewal process • Regulation of Firms Permit to Practice Training • PPMP templates • FAQs

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Start early and save more with a group RRSP The earlier you start saving with the Engineers Canada-sponsored Financial Security Program’s registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) , the more you’ll save. Ok, we know that’s not exactly rocket (or geo) science – but do you know how much more you can save? It really adds up!

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R E G U L A T O R Y N E W S

b. Non-Practising Life members are no longer required to complete the AR process. c. Non-Practising and Retired registrants are no longer required to participate in the CE Program. 2. New account dashboard a. A new account dashboard at egbc.ca is coming this spring that will provide a personalized checklist of a registrant’s requirements and the status of each requirement. 3. CE reporting system update a. CE Hours for courses completed in the Knowledge Centre by registrants will be automatically recorded to the CE reporting system. 4. Updated resources a. Improved CE Plan templates are available. b. Website improvements will be made to help with ease of navigation and information sharing. FAQS ABOUT THE CE PROGRAM To provide more clarity about the CE Program, Samantha Williams, Competency Program Coordinator at Engineers and Geoscientists BC, answers some frequently-asked questions. 1. Why is the CE Program mandatory? The practices of engineering and geoscience are constantly evolving. CE supports practising registrants in their efforts to stay current and keep up with changes, which is necessary for maintaining competency and fulfilling registrants’ primary duty to protect the public and the environment with respect to the practice of professional engineering and geoscience.

P hoto : E ngineers and G eoscientists BC

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CE AND AR PROCESS

Engineers and Geoscientists BC is improving the Continuing Education (CE) and Annual Reporting (AR) processes for registrants this year. Last year, many registrants had concerns about the process to comply with the new requirements for CE and AR reporting, which are aligned with the Professional Governance Act (PGA) . In a survey last summer, registrants told the organization they wanted to see improvements to the reporting system, process and communications.

As a result, adjustments have been made for this year's reporting period, ending June 30, 2023.

Key changes to the reporting program and process: 1. Bylaw amendments a. Practising registrants will no

longer have to upload a CE Plan, although they are still required to complete one and provide it in the event of a compliance audit.

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5. What is the difference between the CE Program and Annual Reporting (AR)? See chart below.

2. What counts as a CE Hour or CE eligible activity?

For more information, please see the CE section on egbc.ca .

The program is based around CE Hours, with a CE Hour defined as “one hour of learning that contributes to a registrant’s maintenance of competency in their Area of Practice.” ▶ Registrants record exact time spent learning or advancing skills and knowledge. ▶ CE providers do not need to be accredited and a certificate of completion is also not required. Relevant CE activities can include seminars, webinars, conferences, self study of journals, self-study to learn a new skill, volunteering, presentations, and much more. See Table 6 in the Guide to the CE Program for more examples. 3. Do practising registrants still need to create a CE Plan? Practising registrants must create and maintain a CE Plan annually that notes their area of practice, risks of their practice, learning goals, and activities to help meet those goals. 4. How do I create a CE Plan and where do I need to save it? Registrants can use any CE Plan template and practice risk-assessment tool that meets the minimum criteria. Templates are available from the organization's CE Resources webpage and have been updated to reflect registrant feedback from 2022. A typical CE cycle would include completing the CE Plan, trying to undertake CE activities in line with your Plan throughout the year, then reviewing what was completed and what was not to inform next year’s CE Plan. Completed CE Plans need to be saved in a registrant’s personal records for at least five years and will be reviewed if selected for a compliance audit.

CE PROGRAM

ANNUAL REPORTING

AR is the process by which all registrants update their personal and professional contact information and complete annual declarations.

The CE Program requires practising registrants to record CE activities and prepare CE Plans.

AR must be completed by June 30 each year in the AR System.

CE activities and plans must be completed by June 30 every year and tracked in the CE reporting system. One hour of ethical learning, completion of the Regulatory Learning Module, and completion of a CE Plan are required every year.

The AR submission takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

60 CE Hours of activities are required in each three-year rolling period.

Associated Engineering Appoints New Managers

At Associated, we are passionate about building vibrant, healthy, and resilient communities, and supporting economic growth. Sustainability is part of every project we undertake, and how we operate our business. We are pleased to announce two new members of our senior management team in BC.

Lillian Siu, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., leads our Buildings Engineering Division. Lillian has recently led a major award winning project and has 28 years of extensive experience in structural engineering and project management.

Lewis Macrae, P.Eng., leads our Water Division. With 21 years of experience, Lewis brings team leadership and technical expertise in the full lifecycle for renewable energy, conveyance, vertical water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

ae.ca

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C O U N C I L R E P O R T

FEBRUARY 17, 2023 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 February 17, 2023 meeting. BYLAWS AMENDED Council approved several amendments to its Bylaws. The amendments formalize a series of terminology changes for Council, which will be re-named as the Board beginning this Spring, and update Continuing Education requirements to exempt non-practising registrants and simplify the reporting process for

practising registrants. For information on the changes to Continuing Education requirements, see page 8. Bylaw amendments are reviewed and approved by the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance. Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s current Bylaws are available at egbc.ca/Bylaws . 2023/2024 BUDGET GUIDELINES APPROVED Council approved updated Budget Guidelines, which will guide Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s development of its budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year. The guidelines direct that

initiatives and expenditures must align with the Strategic Plan; that revenue sources, expenditures, and staffing be regularly reviewed for financial sustainability as well as economies and efficiencies; and that reserves are appropriately funded. As part of its budget development process, Council will also review its revenue sources to ensure it can maintain the financial stability of the organization amidst rising inflation and pressures on the organization related to the ongoing implementation of the Professional Governance Act . The 2023/2024 budget will be finalized at Council’s April meeting. UPDATE FROM GEOSCIENTISTS CANADA Council received a report from Del Ferguson, P.Geo., Engineers and Geoscientists BC Director to Geoscientists Canada. Mr. Ferguson reviewed the progress of Geoscientists Canada’s strategic plan and initiatives and highlighted national registration trends. (See page 14 of this issue for the feature story about the demand for geoscientists.) Engineers and Geoscientists BC registrants who are interested in learning how to better engage the public in learning about geoscience can access a free course offered by Geoscientists Canada called Practical Communication. This self-paced course is eligible for up to 10 Continuing Education Hours. Visit egbc.ca/Geologize for more information.

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Enjoy the gift of a 75% rate reduction 1

To celebrate the 75 th anniversary of the Engineers Canada-sponsored Term Life Insurance Plan , we’re offering you and your spouse or partner a 75% rate reduction on new or additional coverage until March 31, 2024. 1 First-time applicants can also get an extra $50,000 of coverage at no cost for up to 2 years! 2 Engineers Canada-sponsored Term Life Insurance has provided financial protection to engineering professionals since 1948. Get a 75% rate reduction on coverage that provides a tax-free benefit to help you and your family deal with the unexpected.

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1 Premium rates have been reduced by 75% for new or additional Member Term Life and Spouse Term Life coverage. Premium rates will increase on April 1, 2024. Please see manulife.ca/Celebrate75 for further details. The premium rate reduction does not apply to existing Term Life coverage. 2 To be eligible for the offer of $50,000 of additional Term Life coverage at no extra cost for up to two years, Members must meet the Engineers Canada-sponsored Term Life eligibility requirements: be aged 18 to 65; be applying for Engineers Canada-sponsored Term Life Insurance for the first time without having previously been declined for Term Life coverage by Manulife; be applying and approved for $25,000 of Term Life coverage or more. Available to Members only (not available on Spousal coverage). For complete details, see manulife.ca/newmember. 3 Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible Entries received. Limit one (1) Entry per entrant. Total of twelve (12) Prizes available. Winner(s) will receive an Apple ® Gift Card valued at approximately CAD $750. Correctly answered skill-testing question required. No purchase necessary. Contest closes February 29th, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET). See full contest rules at manulife.ca/rules75. Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion. Apple ® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Insurance Plans are underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife). Manulife, Manulife Bank, Stylized M Design, Manulife Bank & Stylized M Design, and Manulife One are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license.

© 2023 The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company. All rights reserved. Manulife, PO Box 670, Stn Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2J 4B8. Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. Visit manulife.ca/accessibility for more information.

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P R O F E S S I O N A L P R A C T I C E

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

NEWLY PUBLISHED PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES AND ADVISORIES egbc.ca/Guidelines

R evision – P rofessional P ractice G uidelines – L andslide A ssessments in B ritish C olumbia These guidelines describe expectations and obligations of professional practice related to landslide assessments. The most recent revision of these guidelines, March 1, 2023, is primarily intended to correct equations included in Appendix E3.3. These guidelines were originally published in 2006 to address the need for a common understanding between authorities having jurisdiction and qualified professionals as to the nature and requirements of legislated landslide assessments. The 2022 major revision provided additional clarity on current methods and techniques used to perform landslide assessments and expands the content to encompass the requirements of landslide assessments for non-legislated and existing developments, as well as those of legislated and proposed residential developments addressed in the previous versions of these guidelines.

R evision – P ractice A dvisory – C ontractual P rovisions R egarding R etention and D isclosure of P roject D ocumentation

This practice advisory was issued to provide guidance to registrants related to retention of documents and contractual arrangements for professional services. This practice advisory addresses situations related to document retention, confidentiality of information, mandatory disclosure of information, professional services agreements, and registrant firm and individual obligations. The February 24, 2023, revision provides additional clarity on document retention obligations for registrant contractors (firms or individuals) when engaging with a public entity or crown corporation.

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

UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WEBINARS egbc.ca/Events

M andatory R egulatory L earning M odule for 2022-2023: Available on-demand; practising registrants must complete this mandatory Regulatory Learning module in the current reporting year (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023). ( egbc.ca/Knowledge-Centre ). E thics in C ontractual A greements : May 11, 2023. ( egbc.ca/Events ). P rofessional P ractice G uidelines – L andslide A ssessments in B ritish C olumbia : May 17, 2023. Event will be posted online soon.

FREQUENT PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE INQUIRIES What information can Engineers and Geoscientists BC provide on the qualifications of a practicing registrant? Practice Advisors frequently receive questions from regulatory authorities, authorities having jurisdiction, and the public regarding qualifications of practicing registrants; often these questions are about determining whether a registrant is qualified to undertake a particular scope of work. Registrants of Engineers and Geoscientists BC are required to uphold principle 2 of the Code of Ethics ( egbc.ca/Complaints-Discipline/Code-of-Ethics ), which states that they must “practice only in those fields where training and ability make the registrant professionally competent,” and also principle 6, which states they must “provide accurate information in respect of qualifications and experience.” Registrants must carefully consider whether the scope of their knowledge, education, training and experience is adequate to undertake any professional work–keeping the safety of the public paramount. Engineers and Geoscientists BC has prescriptive and minimum requirements for registration, and (as of 2021) mandatory requirements for Annual Information Reporting, including updating declared Industries and Areas of Practice in the public Registrant Directory ( egbc.ca/Registrant-Directory ). Registrants can gain experience and competency in multiple areas of practice as their career progresses, so the declared Industries and Areas of Practice in our Registrant Directory may change over time and may differ from the discipline of registration.

Registrants are encouraged to confirm that their declarations of Industries and Areas of Practice are comprehensive (i.e. inclusive of all the scopes they are qualified to undertake, should another party choose to confirm this), and are reminded to maintain their own records and documents regarding their education, training, and experience related to these declarations. Regulatory authorities, clients, and/or other parties may choose to confirm declared areas of practice within our Registrant Directory prior to enaging the professional services of a registrant. These other parties may also ask for evidence that registrants are adequately qualified to undertake the work they are doing, and we remind registrants that they should be prepared to provide evidence of this (i.e., in the form of a resume, list of previous projects, references, proof of training) upon request. Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s requirement is that professionals must publicly declare their industries and areas of practice, and only practice in those areas in which they are competent. The only information regarding a registrant that Engineers and Geoscientists BC can provide is contained within the Registrant Directory or otherwise provided on our website; should an individual, such as a client or regulatory authority representative wish to request additional information, they would need to contact the registrant directly. For related professional practice inquiries, please contact practiceadvisor@egbc.ca .

Allison DenToom, P.Eng., P.E. Practice Advisor

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F E A T U R E

GEOSCIENTISTS: ARE THERE ENOUGH TO MEET THE DEMAND?

With opportunities for geoscientists booming, those in the industry believe targeting youth is the way to fill the future pipeline. SHELLEY NICHOLL

A field camp was set up at the landslide investigation site at Black Rapids Glacier in Alaska. P hoto : D r . J ohn C lague P.G eo .

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W e could blame quirky The Big Bang Theory who was constantly lamenting "geology isn't a real science." We could point to images of mining catastrophes from the past. We could cite the path of the stock market. involves digging into several factors. Since 2014, the number of students entering university taking geoscience related programs has steadily dropped, according to figures from Geoscientists Canada. While the number of students was growing for the previous decade, the number enrolling now has fallen back to 2007 levels (see chart page 19). Engineers and Geoscientists BC CEO Heidi Yang, P.Eng., noted that a drop in university enrollments will have downstream effects on professional registration. "The profession of geoscience comes from a pipeline. If right now the university numbers are dropping that means in three to five years, we're going to see a drop in the geoscience applications to us because there are fewer people in the pipeline." theoretical physicist Sheldon from the popular TV series And, we would be right. Because to understand why the demand for geoscientists is outstripping the number of qualified, available geoscientists, it

With a strong uptick in jobs in mineral exploration in BC thanks to healthy market conditions, the fear is there will not be enough qualified applicants entering the field to meet the demand. At the Association for Mineral Exploration BC (AME), Kendra Johnston, P.Geo. president and CEO, said, "I'm hearing that the demand is extremely high and that the supply of new geologists—the kids going into earth science and geoscience programs—is still dropping." Geoscientists Canada CEO Andrea Waldie, P.Geo., has also watched the dwindling numbers over the years. "The trend is not good," she said. "The prevailing thought is it's going to get worse.” WHERE HAVE ALL THE STUDENTS GONE? Dr. Brent Ward, P.Geo., a professor at SFU in earth sciences, remembers a once-booming student enrolment in earth sciences. "Our enrolments were much higher 10 years ago when we started to talk about having to start offering field schools twice a year because it was hard to do a field school with 60 people," explained Ward. "Now, we're not worried about that anymore; we're worried about having enough students to justify running it."

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YOUTH INTERESTED IN PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT At AME, Johnston recognizes the concerns of the young demographic. "Not long ago we had a huge movement of young kids following people like Greta Thunberg and others who were out protesting and being really vocal about protecting the environment, environmental regulation and climate change and all these topics that are very important." As those students head into university, they are looking for career paths that support their concerns. "Mining has an historical stereotype perception of being a dirty industry and a sunset industry," Johnston explained. "But that whole conversation about

critical minerals electrifying the future and electrifying the energy transition to a low-carbon future are now starting to enter the minds of kids in high school and maybe going to university." Indeed, interest in the environmental sciences is skyrocketing, said Johnston. Climate change has also led to growth in the field of geohazard prevention and assessment. Jen Clarke, P.Geo., a geomorphologist with her own consulting firm in Kelowna, has a steady stream of work varying from post-wildfire natural risk assessment to landslide prevention and assessment and watershed assessment work. "In the natural geoscience world," she said, "I see strong demand and limited supply for those people able to assess

He said only a few students enter SFU wanting to study geology specifically. They often land in the earth sciences after they have taken an elective course that tweaked their interest and then switched their field of study. "When they take one of our elective courses," he said, "I think they realize the significance to different issues. Earth science really helps prepare people to solve problems we're facing, like climate change." Ward suggested fewer students may be interested in geoscience because of the negative connotation around the resource extraction paths in geosciences. When the students think of mining, they may focus on past disasters, pollution issues or conflicts in third-world environments, he said.

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natural hazards and natural-hazard risks and working in the world of land use and land-use development and climate change and risk management." Clarke said, "Climate change is pushing demand. Governments—local, regional, provincial, as well as First Nations—are looking for guidance and looking for help to better manage and build safe, resilient communities." A REAL SCIENCE Waldie, at Geoscientists Canada, jokingly mentioned The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon as an influencer against the legitimacy of the geological sciences, but, in seriousness, the idea of geology as not a real science permeates high schools everywhere. Earth sciences are seen as the easy electives rather than a choice for a serious scientist. It's a factor when encouraging young students to go into the geosciences when it's not seen as a legitimate or professional field. "There's still a perception of geoscientists as prospectors going out with raggedy hats," said Waldie. That image could use an update. "They don't understand how much technology is used now," Waldie said. "They can work in the field, they can work in lab, they can work in an office, they can do consulting, they can work with drones." CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS The field of geoscience also faces the same demographic factors that are hitting other professions around the world. With the swell of retirees heading out of the workforce, the

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While the number of GITs in Canada has grown steadily since 2005, the numbers dropped off over the past few years.

challenge is to fill those spots. Another issue is that younger

geoscientists are the ones who usually do the bulk of the field work; as geoscientists go through their career arc, many will put field work behind them and move into an office or management environment.

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Antigone Dixon-Warren, P.Geo., Manager, Capital Projects, at BC Hydro, has followed that route. As the first grad student in earth sciences at SFU when she finished her master's degree in the late 1990s, she no longer does the field work that drew her into the profession. "I found it was always the diversity that you got in geoscience," she said. "Because, to me, of all the sciences, it's the science you can see—you see the landforms, you can see the dirt, you can see the rock. You live and breathe it. You look outside, geology is there." But after many years in the field, it was time for a management position. As professional geoscientists move out of field work, another issue is making sure there are enough experienced professionals to supervise and train the newcomers in field work. RECRUITING In BC, geoscience became a regulated profession in 1990. The P.Geo. designation comes after a university degree in an applicable field and four years of work experience under supervision. However, credentials vary around the world and within Canada. Each province has its own criteria for practising and geoscientists must register in the province they are working in. Therefore, it's not a simple matter to recruit people from other places or to quickly register internationally-trained professionals to fill the demand in BC. While many are arriving in BC now with education and experience from outside, they still must meet the qualifications to practice in BC. With the strong demand, Engineers and Geoscientists BC has noticed a 32 percent increase in geoscience registrant applications from 2021 to 2022 and a 17 percent increase in geoscience trainee (GIT) applications for the same period, according to Jason Ong, Director of Registration. Most of those applicants are indicating mineral exploration as their practice area. As of last year's figures, there were 2,068 geoscientists registered in BC, and 526 GITs. (See chart of the number of GITs in Canada since 2005 on page 17.) While it appears those interested in applying for the many opportunities in BC are getting registered, there is also a danger that unqualified people may be working in the field to meet the demand. Yang noted it will be important for Engineers and Geoscientists BC to ensure the public is protected. "Our role as a regulator is about protecting the public. So when a person calls themselves a geoscientist and they work in the world of geoscience, the public can feel confident and trust us as a regulator to hold these people accountable."

Jen Clarke, P.Geo., a geomorphologist with her own consulting company in Kelowna, works on a debris flow hazard assessment project for the Bastion Creek Watershed in the North Okanagan area. P hoto : courtesy of J en C larke

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This graph shows how the number of students enrolled at university in earth sciences has dropped and continues to drop, even more prominently than the number of students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science program.

THE FUTURE Encouraging high school and university students to go into the geosciences takes time and effort. The battle against negative perceptions is still being fought. But the demand that's growing in the critical minerals area also brings more attention to the industry, explained Waldie. When that happens the interest in the geosciences starts to rise again. Is it enough to meet the needs ahead? "I don't think it's catastrophic," said Waldie, "but I think it will get tight."

HARNESSING INTEREST IN GEOSCIENCES While provinces and countries compete for geoscientists today, most believe the long-term answer to staving off future shortages is to target youth. Resources are widely available from various organizations, but the difficulty is getting the information in front of those who may be interested, explained Waldie, which could include students along with parents, teachers and guidance counsellors. "We'd like to have a coordinated approach to all high schools. It's hitting the kids when they're going to start moving into that decision-making stage.," Waldie said. AME provides programs for the school curriculum aimed at students in Grades 4, 7, and 10. As well, the organization does regional, ground-based community outreach. Johnston also said AME has embarked on a three-year marketing campaign aimed at young adults to help them understand the mining industry as it is today. "I think there's an opportunity to get young kids— university- and college-aged—into programs and get them into the field and introduce them to geology through smaller interest points and really get them excited and then wanting to go back and learn more."

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CHALLENGING CLIMATE CHANGE: STORING SOLIDIFIED CO 2 BENEATH THE SEA

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I magine an offshore tanker removing carbon dioxide from the air then pumping it to the bottom of the ocean where it hardens into milky white crystals. Now picture many such tankers around the world, collectively scrubbing megatonnes of CO 2 from the atmosphere and permanently storing it in this way. That’s the vision of Solid Carbon, a negative emissions technology, and part of a holistic climate strategy that includes drastically cutting emissions as well as finding numerous ways to capture and sequester carbon. Solid Carbon connects some well-established dots, combining different existing technologies into a larger system with six key components: (1) Direct Air Capture technology is installed on a (2) floating platform and powered by (3) renewable energy to remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. Then using (4) offshore drilling techniques, captured CO 2 is (5) injected into the basalt in the subsea where it (6) mineralizes over time into stable rock. While the ocean is a potentially vast reservoir for CO 2 emissions, there are some locations better suited than others. Off the coast of BC, at the Cascadia Basin—a 1,000-kilometre long fault from Vancouver Island to California—engineers are field testing carbon sequestration in the basalt. Dr. Kate Moran, P. Eng., one of the project leads for Solid Carbon, said solutions that capture and permanently store CO 2 are vital. It’s become clear, she said, that no matter how fast we reduce global emissions, we must also remove massive amounts of CO 2 from the air. Moran said this breakthrough is good news. “It’s a hopeful message. We’ve already developed all these technologies and we just need to put them in place to make it happen,” she said. “It’s really clear that in order to keep the planet habitable for humans and biodiversity we’re going to have to remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. It’s exciting knowing we have a path forward. These are big, big problems for humanity and here we have pieces of the puzzle that we can put together and make it work.”

A promising technology to battle climate change called Solid Carbon can take harmful CO 2 gas and turn it into rock stored beneath the ocean floor. And, one of the best testing sites is off the coast of BC. DAVID WYLIE

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THE PERFECT LOCATION TO STUDY Moran is president of the University of Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) initiative, which collects deep-sea, coastal, and land-based data along hundreds of kilometres

of ocean, including in the Cascadia Basin. It operates the NEPTUNE and VENUS cabled ocean observatories in the northeast Pacific Ocean. About seven years ago, Columbia University professor Dave Goldberg contacted ONC regarding a proposal to the U.S. department of energy for a pre-feasibility study to assess basalt at Cascadia as a possible reservoir for sequestering CO 2 . Goldberg considered the location the best site in the world to understand whether it was possible. ONC had been collecting seismic and other data at the Cascadia Basin for four decades and was a perfect partner for the project. “From a geological perspective, we understand this site better than any other ocean basalt covered by sediment site in the world,” said Moran. (Decades of global emissions could also be stored there for the project to move forward on a large scale.) The results of the study, dubbed "CarbonSAFE," were seen as very positive. It built on research from Iceland showing carbon can be made solid in as little as two years. Through a naturally occurring process, basalts, which are high in calcium and magnesium ions, chemically react with CO 2 to make calcite, dolomite, and magnesite. infrastructure in this area could draw more researchers from around the world. “We’d become the intellectual hub of this in BC,” she said. “The one thing about our location, too, is that the kind of people you would need to grow this into a truly new industry—which I think it will be—are really the kind of skills that we already have in BC in the oil and gas sector. It could be a really wonderful Solid Carbon is now four years into a full feasibility study, and the team has quadrupled. Moran said building up Canadian

Kate Moran, P.Eng., one of the project leads for Solid Carbon. P hoto : O cean N etworks C anada

way to bridge these kinds of workers from a carbon-intensive extractive industry to a really truly sustainable industry.” Moran said it’s important that monitoring be developed alongside sequestration to prevent carbon fraud. There will be lots of data collected at the site, as well as cameras for the curious. HI-TECH WASTE DISPOSAL Another lead on the project, Dr. Curran Crawford, P. Eng., is responsible for the systems engineering. His team is working on the conceptual design. Crawford, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Victoria, said they are currently looking at the various components required, including wind energy and direct-air capture. They’re considering a tanker ship or a pipeline to send CO 2 to the sequestration site in the basalt. The anticipated timeline is: on-site demonstration within two to four years; a prototype within five to 10 years; and, if all goes well, wide-scale deployment by 2040. Crawford likened it to waste disposal.

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