AIBC Council Meeting Summary – November 8, 2016

At the November 8, 2016 council meeting, the AIBC Council dealt with the following items:

Council Motions

FICOM

• Council considered and approved the institute’s budget for 2017. On behalf of FICOM, Treasurer Karl Gustavson Architect AIBC presented the budget overview and recommended a modest 1 per cent fee increase, sustainable and consistent with the institute’s five-year strategic and financial plan.
• Karl also introduced a Long-Standing Registration category which would see registration fees waived for eligible Retired Architects AIBC with 40+years of registration.

Council Rules

• Council approved a series of rules, revised to reflect several administrative matters, further to the conclusion of the required notification period. Read the revised rules.
• Council approved, in principle, the proposed Council Rules: Continuing Education System (CES), and triggered a notification period, which will run until December 8. As with all new or proposed council rules, AIBC registrants are encouraged to share their comments for council consideration. Read the proposed rules and submit comments using the online form.

Annual Meeting Motion from the Floor

• After much discussion, council declined to pursue the 2016 Annual Meeting motion from the floor regarding the request to extend the CES deadline. .

Chapter Guidelines

• In support of Council Policy 1.33 (Chapters), council approved the AIBC Chapter Guidelines and requested the Bylaw Review Committee to provide recommendations on Chapter Bylaws as part of its 2015-18 work plan.

Retired Architect Liaison to Council

• Council approved a motion inviting Selwyn Dodd Retired Architect AIBC to be the inaugural Retired Architect Liaison to Council. Representatives from all three associate categories are now sitting as invited guests to council in an advisory, non-voting capacity.

Bylaw Review

• An update on behalf of the Bylaw Review Committee (BRC) was provided to council on three bylaw initiatives currently underway.
  • Associates: Council approved the proposed associate bylaws for vote at its September meeting, with the vote period running October 24-November 17.
    Note: The bylaws were accepted and are currently filed with the Minister of Advanced Education, triggering a 45-day disallowance period set to expire in early January 2017. Parallel to the disallowance period, Council Rules: Designation and Admission Qualifications for AIBC Associates will enter a December to January notification period. Members and other AIBC registrants are encouraged to provide comments.
  • Professional Liability Insurance (PLI): This initiative remains on track in accordance with the BRC Work plan and a submission to council is scheduled in early 2017.
  • Code of Ethics: Further to input provided at the August council planning session, BRC members and staff continue to review and analyze the bylaws, rulings and issues related to the current Code of Ethics. A nine-member Code of Ethics Focus Group is now in place to assist with this initiative. The Code of Ethics is by far the most labour-intensive and challenging bylaw modernization effort to date, and a tentative mid-2017 submission to council is planned.

CEO Report

External Items

• At the CALA fall meeting, a CALA support position was approved in principle, and the RAIC presented an initial proposal to update the CHoP.

­Internal Items

• Held November 7 and 8, ExAC candidates wrote exams in Vancouver and Victoria.
• One Undertaking was secured, along with payment of a fine from an Alberta-registered architect who practiced illegally in B.C.
•  Outreach
  • More than 60 UBC SALA students attended the annual “Good Times” event, hosted by the AIBC and event partners RAIC, ARCHUS, and SALA. More than 30 students signed up for the AIBC student affiliate program.
  • BCIT’s Industry Connection welcomed more than 25 students who participated in an industry panel discussion and networking event. Representatives from AIBC were in attendance along with APEGBC.
  • The Art & Science of High Performance Passive House Exhibit, populated with material sourced from a call for submission, was scheduled for November. A panel moderated by AIBC Practice Advisor Maura Gatensby Architect AIBC featured representatives from the City of Vancouver’s Green Building Programs, Passive House Canada, One SEED Architecture + Design Inc., DLP Architecture Inc. and Kingdom Builders. This sold out event coincided with International Passive House Days, November 11-13. A special thanks to the AIBC Gallery Committee. Read the highlights.
  • AIBC’s Brand Centre is expanding to meet the institute’s communication needs, with visually-appealing and consistently-applied templates for governing documents such as Council Rules, Bulletins and Green Sheets.
  • Planning for the 2017 AIBC conference is in full swing. Please save the date: May 8-10, 2017 and visit the conference website at conference.aibc.ca. Speaker, program and registration information will be populated in the coming weeks and months.
  • Though the AIBC Architectural Walking Tour summer season runs July to August, the AIBC continues to offer private tours. In addition, the AIBC assisted Penticton’s Flat Top Society with their self-guided architectural walking tour brochures.

• Improvements to the AIBC offices are underway, namely the installation of an accessible front door and gallery expansion. ­­Rafael Santa Ana Architect AIBC, Rafael Santa Ana Architecture was selected through a tendering process as the architect to oversee the gallery renovations, expected to be completed by early 2017.

Other Business

• Motions were also passed for AIBC Council committee changes, council policy, examination results and register amendments as well as terms of reference.

Read adopted September 28 council meeting minutes.

The next regular meeting of AIBC Council is scheduled for January 16, 2017. It will be held at the AIBC office between 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.  For those interested in attending an AIBC Council Meeting, please confirm your attendance in advance by email to ttough@aibc.ca.