Innovation-Nov-Dec-2023

INNOVATION NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 | volume 27 number 6 ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BRITISH COLUMBIA Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 6N2 Tel: 604.430.8035 | Toll free: 1.888.430.8035

VIEWPOINT

LOOKING AT THE YEAR AHEAD As the new Chair of the Board, I hope to lead with respect, fairness, and humility. The past three years that I have served on Council, now the Board, have given me a very good perspective of the amount of work that has been ongoing as we adapt to the Professional Governance Act . This work includes, but is not limited to, changes to our bylaws and policies, as well

Email: info@egbc.ca | Web: egbc.ca

BOARD 2023/2024 Chair: Michelle Mahovlich, MEng, P.Eng., P.Geo., FCSSE

Vice Chair: Mark Porter, P.Eng., Struct.Eng. Immediate Past Chair: Mark Adams, P.Eng.

BOARD MEMBERS Bill Chan, CPA, CGA, MBA, ICD.D; Leslie Hildebrandt, ICD.D, LLB; Veronica Knott, P.Eng.; Emily Lewis, CPA, CMA; Karen Ling, P.Eng.; Cathy McIntyre, MBA, C.Dir; Mahsoo Naderi-Dasoar, P.Eng.; Matthew Salmon, P.Eng.; Jens Weber, P.Eng. EXECUTIVE TEAM Heidi Yang, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.), Chief Executive Officer Liza Aboud, MBA, ABC, ICD.D, Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Cho, CPA, CGA, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer David Pavan, R.PH., Chief Regulatory Officer and Registrar

as strengthening our role as a regulatory body. I entered my first term in the fall of 2020, deep into the COVID pandemic. These were unprecedented times. We were navigating changes to our operating and governance structure at the same time as the pandemic impacted supply chains and increased costs. Through these challenges, the need for registrants to protect the public and the environment keeps increasing. As Chair, I anticipate foreign accreditation to be very significant not only for Engineers and Geoscientists BC, but for Canada, as we continue to modernize our processes so that BC benefits from the qualified professionals needed to support the public and environment. To continue to support strong and sustainable growth in our professions is important to me. Also important will be the Chair’s role to collaborate effectively with our new advocacy body. I feel that we must listen and respond to concerns we’ve heard that the changes associated with the introduction of an advocacy body will sever our ties with our volunteers, many of whom have dedicated years of service to with our organization. Our registrants are all passionate and none more so than our respected volunteers. As Chair of the Board, I will be working closely with our CEO and supporting her to steer the staff of Engineers and Geoscientists BC as we continue to strive towards the goals of our Strategic Plan, including budgeting for those goals. In closing, I wanted to personally thank Mark Adams, P.Eng. our outgoing Board Chair for his mentorship this past year. Mark led our Board in some very challenging discussions around topics many of us had never navigated before. Thank you Mark for your dedication to our professions.

MANAGING EDITOR Shelley Nicholl

EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Ryan Bird, P.Eng.; Allen Heinrichs, P.Eng.; Mahsa Mohajerani, P.Eng.; Raya Smertina, P.Eng.; Aman Tanvir, P.Eng.; Stefano Vitucci, P.Eng. Innovation is published bi-monthly, six times a year by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. As the official publication of the organization, Innovation is circulated to all registrants of Engineers and Geoscientists BC as well as architects, contractors and industry executives. The views expressed in any article do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Board or Engineers and Geoscientists BC.

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Sales Representative: Wing-Yee Kwong Tel: 604.681.1811 Email: advertising@egbc.ca For information see: www.egbc.ca/About/Publications/Innovation/How-to-Advertise SUBMISSIONS Innovation does not accept unsolicited articles or photos, but we do welcome article proposals and ideas. Proposals should be of interest and relevant to our readers and recognize the regulatory role of Engineers and Geoscientists BC in ensuring public safety and environmental protection. They should not be a "sales pitch" for a company or organization. Send suggestions to: innovation@egbc.ca. LETTERS Innovation welcomes letters from our readers. All submitted letters may be subject to editing for length, clarity or accuracy. We reserve the right to reject unsuitable letters and we do not publish open letters to third parties. Send letters to: innovation@egbc.ca REPRINTS & COPIES All material is copyright. For reprint permission or extra copies, contact: innovation@egbc.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS All registrants with Engineers and Geoscientists BC receive Innovation in print or digital form. Registrants can update their communication preferences for Innovation in their accounts at egbc.ca/account. Send print or digital subscription requests to: innovation@egbc.ca.

Michelle Mahovlich, MEng, P.Eng., P.Geo., FCSSE

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

INNOVATION