The Government of British Columbia has announced that the AIBC will transition legislation from the Architects Act to the Professional Governance Act (PGA). This transition does not change the AIBC’s core function, mandate, or operations – the AIBC will continue to exist, and will continue to regulate the profession of architecture in British Columbia in the interest of the public.

The AIBC has sought to modernize the Architects Act for many years. Although changes to the Architects Act now won’t be made, the PGA contains key items that were being considered as amendments to the Act. The transition to the Professional Governance Act better aligns the profession with current societal and governmental expectations and standards, and will allow the AIBC to more effectively regulate the profession in the public’s interest.

Information, including next steps and updates, will be shared on this webpage. We encourage you to check back frequently – the AIBC is committed to keeping registrants and the public informed at each stage of the transition process.

Current Status

Transitioned Ministries as of November 26

As of November 26, 2020, the AIBC became officially part of the Ministry of Attorney General. This was announced on December 1 in a letter from the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance (OSPG). Previously, the AIBC was under the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.

It is important to note this part of the transition does not involve any regulatory or operational changes, and has no affect on registrants of the AIBC.

Next Steps

Develop Workplan and Implementation 

A transition workplan and timeline for implementation is currently being developed by the AIBC. A major portion of the workplan is the development of new bylaws to meet the requirements of the PGA. This will also include updates to the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. We anticipate that a phased approach to bylaw review will be taken: rounds of bylaws will be presented to registrants, who will then have the opportunity to provide feedback through surveys, email, or consultation sessions.

Registrants can expect that by early 2022, the AIBC will be fully transitioned to the PGA.

Resources

AIBC Resources

• AIBC PGA Transition Frequently Asked Questions
• Letter from the Government of B.C. Announcing Transition (July 2020)
• Ministry Transition Letter from Provincial Government (December 2020)

OSPG Resources

• Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance website
• OSPG Virtual Town Hall Presentation  (Hosted on September 17, 2020)

Provincial Government Resources

• Professional Governance Act
• Factsheet: Professional Governance Act Overview
• Professional Reliance Review

Frequently Asked Questions and AIBC Contact 

If you have any questions about the transition, please email them to pga@aibc.ca. Your questions will be answered on the Frequently Asked Questions webpage.