Media Room

Edmonton – The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and the Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) have created a joint practice bulletin to clarify building envelope practice rights as defined in the National Building Code – 2019 Alberta Edition (NBC[AE]), the Safety Codes Act, the Architects Act and the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act.

“APEGA is proud of our ongoing, collaborative work with the Alberta Association of Architects. As regulatory bodies, we share the overarching goal of safeguarding the public welfare of Albertans. This joint practice bulletin demonstrates the importance of strong, mutual effort in pursuit of the greater good,” said Jay Nagendran, P.Eng., APEGA’s registrar and chief executive officer.

Through the joint practice bulletin, Functional Relationships for the Building Envelope Portion of Projects, APEGA and AAA clarify roles and responsibilities for building envelope projects, specifically who can authenticate NBC(AE) schedules for a given building project.

“The bulletin will help registered architects, licensed interior designers and professional engineers involved in building projects in Alberta meet their legislated obligations,” said Barbara Bruce, CAE, Hon.MRAIC, AAA’s executive director. “The bulletin provides clarity when there is overlap between the scope of practice of these professional groups in building envelope practice procedures.”

The joint practice bulletin is approved for use by APEGA and AAA registrants. It is in effect and enforceable as of July 1, 2023. The bulletin is available on APEGA’s and AAA’s websites.

About APEGA: As the regulator of engineering and geoscience in Alberta for more than 100 years, APEGA continues to drive the province forward with courage and innovation. We are the largest regulator of self-regulated professionals in Western Canada, with more than 68,000 registrants who safeguard the public welfare and contribute significantly to Alberta’s economic success and quality of life.

About AAA: The AAA is a self-governing professional association legislated by the Architects Act. The AAA serves the public and its members by administering the standard of practice for the professions of architecture and interior design in Alberta. The AAA has proudly served Albertans since 1906, growing with the province and helping to form its built environment. Alberta’s registered architects and licensed interior designers have been integral to the province’s collective history and help shape its future.

Edmonton – The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) congratulates Premier Danielle Smith and the United Conservative Party on their recent success in the Alberta election. APEGA looks forward to continuing to collaborate with the government to further enhance the public’s trust in the high standards of the professions.

The government's commitment to promoting innovation and economic growth closely aligns with APEGA's core values and the work of our registrants. Our engineers and geoscientists have been key players in advancing Alberta’s economy in many emerging sectors. APEGA and all engineering regulators across Canada enforce title protection while recognizing the importance of cultivating an environment that encourages technological advancements while ensuring these advancements are developed and implemented responsibly.

Software engineering, in particular, has become an integral part of numerous industries, and as technology rapidly advances, the continued need for robust regulations, standards and title protection remains paramount. APEGA's regulation of software engineering is not new. Software engineering is one of more than 100 engineering disciplines—all regulated by APEGA. Regulation spans key areas, including licensing and registration, ethical and practice standards and continuing professional development. These regulatory measures safeguard the public by ensuring engineers have the necessary qualifications and expertise, along with continuous learning and professional growth.

“Software engineering continues to be a rapidly evolving field that influences almost every aspect of modern life,” said Jay Nagendran, registrar and chief executive officer at APEGA. “The public trusts the term ‘engineer.’ Ensuring only licensed professionals perform engineering fosters innovation and inspires confidence among consumers, businesses and stakeholders, and ensures professionals are held to the highest standards of excellence and ethics.”

APEGA believes a collaborative approach between the government, industry professionals and other regulatory bodies is key to maintaining a sustainable and prosperous ecosystem for software engineering. By fostering an environment of trust, innovation and accountability, APEGA remains committed to advancing that profession while protecting the public.

As the regulator of engineering and geoscience in Alberta for more than 100 years, APEGA continues to drive the province forward with courage and innovation. We are the largest regulator of self-regulated professionals in Western Canada, with more than 68,000 registrants who safeguard the public welfare and contribute significantly to Alberta’s economic success and quality of life.

Edmonton– The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) is proud to announce that Manon Plante, P.Eng., will become APEGA’s 104th president at the 2023 annual general meeting (AGM) on Friday, April 28.

Plante is a passionate leader with more than 30 years of experience as a professional engineer. She prides herself on being a champion of active participation and engagement, which she has shown by serving on APEGA Council since 2016, including as vice-president in 2021-22, and sitting on many Council committees.

Plante will lead APEGA’s executive committee of Council, which comprises newly elected president-elect Tracey Stock, P.Eng.; newly elected vice-president Margaret Allan, P.Eng., P.Geo.; and current president Lisa Doig, P.Eng., who will transition into the role of past-president at the AGM.

APEGA also welcomes re-elected councillors Geoffrey Kneller, P.Eng., and Jason Vanderzwaag, P.Eng., and newly elected councillors Mihaela Ciulei Mihaela Ciulei, P.Eng.; Ken Hawrelko, P.Eng.; and Jeffrey Priest, P.Eng.

They will join their colleagues who are continuing their terms: Claudia Gomez-Villeneuve, P.Eng.; Seema Makwana, P.Eng.; Victoria Wishart, P.Eng.; Lorna Harron, P.Eng.; Wally Kozak, P.Eng.; Dean Mullin, P.Eng.; and Wendy Shier, P.Geo.

APEGA thanks outgoing councillors Darren Hardy, P.Eng., and RaeAnne Leach, P.Eng., whose terms expire on April 28 at the AGM.

As the regulator of engineering and geoscience in Alberta for more than 100 years, APEGA continues to drive the province forward with courage and innovation. We are the largest regulator of self-regulated professionals in Western Canada, with nearly 69,000 registrants who safeguard the public welfare and contribute significantly to Alberta’s economic success and quality of life.

Edmonton – APEGA supports the innovation and diversification of Alberta’s economy, including the technology and software sectors. Engineers have always been key partners in such innovation and have helped provide Albertans with their high quality of life while ensuring their safety.

The term engineer comes with a licensed and ethical set of responsibilities and accountabilities. This is the same for other regulated professions, such as the health and legal professions.

“You would not want someone to operate on you in the province if they are not licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. By that same token, you do not want someone designing your pacemaker or self-driving car if they are not a licensed engineer. That puts people’s lives at risk—something APEGA takes very seriously,” said Jay Nagendran, APEGA registrar and chief executive officer.

Software engineering is a nationally and internationally recognized discipline of engineering. Across Canada, engineering requires extensive education and training, and individuals must be licensed to call themselves an engineer. It is different from software programming and development, which are not regulated. In Alberta, major technology companies, including DeepMind (Google), Dell EMC and Cloudexa Technology Inc. understand this differentiation and have changed how they title their software positions.

With the ongoing advancements of technology and with increasing delegation of decision-making to artificial intelligence and software, the risk to public safety continues to be of primary importance, and there continues to be a need for regulation of software engineering and use of the engineering title. Any exception to the use of the title engineer will set a dangerous precedent and put the lives of Albertans at risk.

APEGA remains committed to being a constructive partner in the conversation regarding oversight of the computer engineering profession. We look forward to working with the province and industry to find common ground to protect public safety, grow our economy and ensure professionals who use the term engineer are accountable and regulated.