As we near the end of 2022, the AIBC continues to prepare for the transition to the Professional Governance Act (PGA). One of the activities the AIBC has been focusing on is updating the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (“Code of Ethics”).
Under the PGA, the AIBC’s bylaws must include an updated Code of Ethics that contains 12 specific ethical principles established by the legislation, in addition to or as supplements to the standards already established for the profession. While the AIBC’s current Code of Ethics already contains most of these principles such as avoiding conflicts of interest and maintaining competencies, there are some new requirements or variations on existing standards. The 12 principles can be found in section 57(2) of the Act. Some PGA-specific requirements of note include:
- Registrants must clearly identify each registrant who has contributed to professional work, including recommendations, reports, statements, or opinions;
- Registrants must present clearly to clients and employers the possible consequences if professional decisions and judgements are overruled or disregarded; and
- Registrants who provide professional opinions must distinguish between facts, assumptions, and opinions.
Each of the PGA-mandated ethical principles in the updated Code of Ethics will include informational commentary to help architects and other registrants understand how to comply in professional practice. More information regarding the revised Code of Ethics, including a draft version of the document, will be shared via an AIBC Notice and on the website in the coming weeks. Once available, the AIBC encourages registrants to review and submit feedback to pga@aibc.ca.
In addition to the Code of Ethics, registrants can expect to see changes to other regulatory documents. Some will undergo more substantive content updates to comply with PGA requirements, whereas others may simply have terminology changes. Examples of terminology changes include replacing ‘Council’ and ‘Council Members’ with ‘Board’ and ‘Board Members’, and ‘Council President’ and ‘Counsel Vice President’ with ‘Board Chair’ and ‘Board Vice Chair’. Bulletins and Practice Guidelines may be renamed to be more reflective of their purpose. A Practice Guideline will refer specifically to an AIBC guidance document that supports the understanding of and compliance with Professional Standards and provide interpretations of regulatory requirements.
One of the largest transition tasks will be the updating all of the AIBC documents to reflect the spectrum of terminology changes. A full glossary of terminology will be made available shortly, which will outline key terms registrants should be aware of, and how to use them in place of previous terms. While the documentary changes necessary for transition are numerous, architects and other registrants are reminded that the transition from the Architects Act to the PGA does not fundamentally change any aspect of professional practice.
Learn more about the AIBC’s transition to the Professional Governance Act