General Regulation
Vote | November 3-10, 2020

The vote was held to extend the existing General Regulation in its current form for five years to September 30, 2026.

general regulation vote

The vote to extend the General Regulation has closed

The existing General Regulation under the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (EGP Act) expires on September 30, 2021. Licensed professionals were asked to vote online to approve in principle an amendment to General Regulation Section 79.1 to extend the expiry date of the General Regulation by five years to September 30, 2026.

The General Regulation vote closed on November 10, 2020.

See the results of the vote

Section 79.1 of the General Regulation

Section 79.1 General Regulation

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Update on the General Regulation

For more than 100 years, APEGA licensed professionals have done great work in our province to the benefit of all Albertans. In celebrating our centennial year, we have spent the last year highlighting the amazing, high-quality projects and initiatives that APEGA professional engineers and geoscientists have produced—and continue to produce—since 1920.

APEGA's licensed professionals rightfully take pride in providing competent and efficient professional services. Your expertise helps Albertans safely build structures, roads, bridges, and waterways, and powers our industries, such as agriculture, oil and gas, and many others. You also take pride in upholding the honour and integrity of the professions as set forth in the Code of Ethics.

We rely on APEGA licensed professionals to be responsible and professional, and we trust you are performing your duties to ensure the safety and well-being of the public—this is the very foundation of the model of self-regulation that has sustained our professions since the introduction of the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (EGP Act) 100 years ago.

Modernization of the EGP Act

APEGA has been working very hard to have the modernization of the EGP Act passed in our centennial year. However, the pandemic has shifted the timeline. We have heard recently that the Government of Alberta may place it on the legislative agenda in the fall of 2021. Once proclaimed, it will be up to all of our licensed professionals to put the new tools into practice in the service of the Alberta public.

In the meantime, another piece of legislation important to APEGA in its role as a regulator—and to our licensed professionals and permit holders that rely on the value and trust that the public places in you—is the existing General Regulation, which expires in September 2021.

Importance of the General Regulation to APEGA licensed professionals

An expired General Regulation would leave the professions without vital regulations to effectively govern the practices of engineering and geoscience in Alberta.

The General Regulation establishes registration criteria to ensure only properly qualified, educated, and ethical engineers and geoscientists are licensed to practise, and that individuals who do not meet these stringent requirements are not entitled to become, to practise as, or to call themselves professional engineers, professional geoscientists, or professional licensees.

The General Regulation also includes the Code of Ethics, the continuing professional development requirements to ensure up-to-date competency, and the registration criteria for licensing permit holders.

As APEGA licensed professionals, you have worked hard to obtain the education and experience necessary to become registered. We know you understand the importance of maintaining continuing professional development to stay current and competent in your practice to meet your obligation to protect the public's safety.

And we know the high value you place on upholding the values and ethics of our professions. Self-regulation puts the weight of responsibility in the hands of you, our members—that's why the public trusts the work done by professional engineers, geoscientists, and licensees.

Videos

Be sure to take a few minutes to watch the following videos, which will provide important information and context for the upcoming General Regulation vote.

Hear more about the General Regulation Vote from APEGA Deputy Registrar & Chief Regulatory Officer Matt Oliver, CD, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Pres Town Hall thumb

The President's Town Hall was held on September 24, 2020. During this webinar, President John Van der Put, P.Eng., spoke about APEGA's ongoing initiatives and responsibilities as a regulator, which provides important context for the upcoming General Regulation vote.

What does self-regulation mean to professional engineers and geoscientists in Alberta? Hear what APEGA’s deputy registrar and chief regulatory officer, Matthew Oliver, CD, M.Eng., P.Eng., has to say. 

Questions?

Please send any questions about the General Regulation vote to [email protected].

Briefing Note to Licensed Professionals

View and download a PDF with all the information regarding the upcoming General Regulation vote.

View the Briefing Note (PDF)

Modernization of the EGP Act

On March 11, 2019, a letter was sent to the Government of Alberta (GoA) recommending changes to the Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act and related regulations. These recommended changes came after five rounds of stakeholder consultation sessions and more than 7,000 comments from our members.

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    How does the General Regulation function?

    It is through the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (EGP Act) that the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) was created.

    The General Regulation works in tandem with the EGP Act by setting the registration criteria to ensure only properly qualified, educated, and ethical engineers and geoscientists are licensed to practise.

  • The Code of Ethics is a Schedule to the General Regulation and sets forth the rules of ethical conduct by which all professional engineers and geoscientists abide.

    Read the Code of Ethics

  • The Government of Alberta uses self-governance to regulate the engineering and geoscience professions. This means that professional engineers and geoscientists, instead of a government organization, regulate the professions.

    Read more about Self-Regulation

  • One of APEGA's core regulatory functions is to license members (individuals) and permit holders (companies) to independently practise engineering and geoscience in Alberta. Non-licensed individuals must work under the supervision of a member.

    Read more about registration criteria

  • All APEGA licensed professional must claim 240 hours every three years. This mandatory program ensures the health, safety, and welfare of the public by requiring that professionals engage in lifelong learning.

    Read more about the continuing professional development program

Good Standing Policy

Do you know what it means to be in good standing?

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