The AIBC is nearing the final stages of the transition to the Professional Governance Act. It is anticipated that in early 2023, the Institute will be fully under the PGA. Over the next several months, the AIBC will continue updating key regulatory documents and completing transition activities.
As we near the conclusion of this legislative change, some may be asking: What does the transition to the PGA actually mean for the profession? What is its impact on the AIBC? Or the public? In this article, we will address what to expect once the AIBC is fully transitioned under the Professional Governance Act.
Impact on Registrants
For most architects and associates, there will be minimal impact on the actual practice of the profession. Some updated professional standards are required under the PGA, but none are a dramatic departure from current conduct and ethical expectations. The AIBC has recommended a “reserved practice” for the profession, to replace Section 60 of the Architects Act, that either mirrors the scope of Section 60 or better aligns it with the BC Building Code.
Registrants’ relationship with the AIBC will remain fairly constant, including the payment of annual fees, and the submission of the Firm Information Update. However, there are several areas of change, such as:
- The PGA mandates a smaller Council (which will be called the “Board” later in 2023) of seven registrant councillors and four lay councillors, so Council elections will have fewer names on the ballot. It is currently proposed that elections happen in two of every three years, not annually.
- Mandatory Continuing Education non-compliance will move from a professional conduct complaint to an administrative matter. While this should result in more efficient resolution, it also means that registrants who continue to be non-compliant after a certain period will be suspended from practice until compliant.
- Terminology will change. In addition to replacement of “member” with “registrant” and a “Board” instead of a “Council”, registrants will see some committee names changing, such as replacement of the Registration Board under the Architects Act with a “Credentials Committee”. Document names may change, and over time there will be a clearer differentiation between guidelines for professional practice and professional practice standards.
- The AIBC’s Bylaws, which will be approved by Council under the PGA rather than voted on by architects and honorary members, will be considerably more detailed and constitute the AIBC’s primary regulatory document. The Bylaws will serve to aggregate a number of AIBC documents, including Council Rules, Schedules, and some portions of Bulletins and guidelines. However, separate practice-focused documents will continue to be produced for registrants’ and the public’s benefit.
Impact on the Regulator
It is important to emphasize that even after the transition, the AIBC will still exist and continue to regulate the profession of architecture in British Columbia in the interest of the public. The transition to the PGA does not change the AIBC’s mandate or core functions, which are to establish standards for entry into the architectural profession; provide services to support registrants in maintaining credentials and overall professionalism; and enforce the competency, ethical and professional standards expected of those in a regulated practice.
One of the largest transition tasks for the AIBC will be the updating our suite of documents to reflect the spectrum of terminology changes, as well as revising the content to be compliant with the PGA. The AIBC website will also be substantially updated, to ensure webpages are displaying accurate and current information. Given the size of this task, documents will be updated in a phased approach based on priority, meaning that some resources may not be updated until after the transition date. The AIBC will clearly indicate which documents have been updated, and which have not.
Some processes and AIBC programs are also changing. For example, the AIBC’s Volunteer Program will be undergoing an update to comply with PGA requirements. Currently, the AIBC refers to almost all volunteer groups as “committees”. However, the PGA authorizes the establishment of five core or ‘statutory’ committees, specifically identified in the legislation: Nomination Committee, Credentials Committee, Investigation Committee, Audit and Practice Review Committee, and the Discipline Committee. This means that the AIBC will be reviewing and changing the names for all other volunteer groups, as well as potentially changing their composition, structure, or size. In general, all changes will modernize the Program to align with best practices of professional regulation.
Impact on the Public
The principles of enhanced transparency and public safety are key elements of the Professional Governance Act.
It is important for the public to understand that “architect” is a protected title and will continue to be restricted to registered architects. Under the PGA, the more specific “BC” protected titles for architectural professionals in British Columbia will likely remain the same: Architect AIBC, Architectural Technologist AIBC, Intern Architect AIBC, and Retired Architect AIBC have all been proposed to continue. If a project requires an architect, the public will still need to ensure that they are working with an individual who is registered with the AIBC. The AIBC is available to assist the public with determining when and how to engage an architect through its Practice Advice service program.
The public will also notice that more information will be available on the AIBC’s Online Directory – for example, former registrants will be searchable, and more information about discipline history for all registrants (current and former) will be displayed.
Next Steps
In summary, the AIBC’s transition to the PGA will not be a sudden upheaval, and we do not anticipate substantive changes to professional standards or how firms and individual registrants are regulated under the PGA. The transition is a positive change – one which will allow the AIBC to more effectively respond to regulatory challenges, and better align the profession with current societal and governmental expectations and standards.
As mentioned, it is anticipated that the AIBC will be fully transitioned to the Professional Governance Act in early 2023. Over the coming months, registrants will have the opportunity to review draft bylaws for complaints, investigations, and discipline, as well as a PGA-updated Code of Ethics of Professional Conduct. The AIBC encourages registrants and the public to regularly review the PGA transition webpage for updates and the most up-to-date information.
If you have any questions about the AIBC’s transition to the PGA, please email pga@aibc.ca.