Overview
Since 2011, the AIBC has been engaged in a comprehensive bylaw review process to address both substantive bylaw subject matter areas and more routine amendments. The Bylaw Review Committee (BRC), supported by AIBC Council, is now consulting with members on a suite of bylaws related to Council and Institute Governance.
The Council and Institute Governance bylaws are organized into five categories: Seal of the Institute; Officers and Council; Boards, Task Forces and Committees; Remuneration and Expenses; and Nominations and Elections. Most of the proposed amendments are minor in nature and focus on consistency, clarity, or reduction of unnecessary bylaws. The most substantive amendments relate to improvements to, and simplification of, council election bylaws.
An overview of each category, including a PDF of the bylaw amendments and supporting rationales, can be found below:
- Seal of the Institute: Amendments proposed for the institute’s seal bylaws include combining Bylaws 1.0 and 2.0 into a single, modified bylaw that makes general reference to the Architects Act requirements. This is recommended as requirements regarding the AIBC’s ‘seal’ can be found in multiple sections throughout the Architects Act.
Read the proposed bylaws amendments and supporting rationales (PDF). - Officers & Council: These bylaws currently address the president’s term length and ‘time away’ from office; role of the treasurer and issuance of institute cheques; appointment of the CEO; and establishment of the code of conduct for council.No change to the president’s term length is recommended.The ‘role of the treasurer bylaw’ is out-of-date and no longer serves a purpose. Council policy will be developed for the treasurer position, similar to that of the president, past-president, and registrar.The bylaw currently requiring that all institute cheques be signed or countersigned by specified persons is deemed outdated and unnecessary financial control; repeal is recommended. Council policy on financial controls and expenditures are extensive and, with council’s general governance oversight role of institute finances, greater flexibility is appropriate.
Read the proposed bylaws amendments and supporting rationales (PDF). - Boards, Task Forces, and Committees: Amendments are proposed to better reflect the diversity of types of volunteer groups created by council. A new bylaw is proposed to reflect the current council policy, and long practice, of operational committees being established by the CEO to assist staff.Two other bylaws are affected by this review:
- Bylaw 5.1 currently directs the registration board to implement the Internship in Architecture Program. An updated, modernized and more accurate bylaw direction to the board is proposed.
- Bylaw 5.2 specifically authorizes council to appoint architects to a “Joint Practice Board” under the AIBC-APEGBC Memorandum of Agreement. The Bylaw Review Committee (BRC) and staff recommend that Bylaw 5.2 be repealed, as it is unnecessary.
Read the proposed bylaws amendments and supporting rationales (PDF).
- Remuneration and Expenses: The BRC and staff propose collapsing two bylaws (Bylaws 6.0 and 7.0) related to council’s broad authority to set remuneration and expenses into a single bylaw. The amendment is also intended to reflect and support Council Policy 2.16: Council Member Expenses, Honorarium and Remuneration.
Read the proposed bylaws amendments and supporting rationales (PDF). - Nominations and Elections: The BRC determined that the current elections bylaws were too prescriptive and detailed, and could be simplified without detriment to fair, effective council elections.The primary amendments are:
- changing the council election nomination deadline from 30 to 60 days from the annual meeting;
- repealing unnecessary detail related to paper ballots; and
- establishing a single bylaw to authorize council rules for election procedures, whether the vote is by mail ballot or electronically. Given the procedural success of electronic votes, the existing council e-vote rules will be modified, and rules will be established in relation to paper ballots to replace the detailed procedures proposed for repeal from the current bylaws.
Read the proposed bylaws amendments and supporting rationales (PDF).
Read more about the bylaw review process.
Consultation
The consultation period for the Council and Institute Governance Bylaws initiative begins on September 24, and will run until November 2, 2018. An in-person and online consultation session will be held at the AIBC office at 100-440 Cambie Street at the following time:
Date: Monday, October 22, 2018
Time: 12–1 p.m.
Location: In-person (AIBC Office) and online via WebEx
Learning Units (LUs): 1 Core
RSVP: In-person* registration closes October 19, 2018 at 12 p.m.
RSVP: Online registration closes October 19, 2018 at 12 p.m.
*Please note that lunch will be served to those who attend the in-person session from 11:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
The in-person session is available to a maximum of 25 participants on a first come, first serve basis. A minimum of 8 people are required in order for the session to be hosted.
Supporting Documentation
- Read the proposed bylaws amendments and supporting rationales (PDF).
- View the PowerPoint Presentation from the consultation session
Member Feedback
Throughout the consultation process, members and associates were invited and encouraged to provide feedback by either emailing the bylawfeedback@aibc.ca or by submitting an online feedback from (which was open from September 24, 2018 until November 2, 2018.)
Member Vote
AIBC members and honorary members were encouraged to vote on proposed new and amended bylaws. The voting period for the council-endorsed bylaws commenced on November 19, and continued until December 14 at 4 p.m. The passage of AIBC Bylaws requires at least five per cent of the number of eligible voters and a minimum of two-thirds of affirmative majority of ballots cast by eligible voters.
Results
The proposed Council and Institute Governance Bylaws received strong support, with the following results:
- Seal of the Institute Bylaws were approved by 97.3 percent of voters.
The amendment combines the two current Bylaws 1.0 and 2.0 into a single modified bylaw that makes general reference to the Architects Act requirements.
- Officers and Council Bylaws were approved by 95.1 percent of voters.
The Officer and Council bylaw amendments see the repeal of Bylaw 3.4 – the Treasurer Bylaw. Council policy will be developed for the treasurer position, similar to that of the president, past-president, and registrar. In addition, the bylaw currently requiring that all institute cheques be signed or countersigned by specified persons will be repealed as council policy on financial controls is extensive.
- Boards, Task Forces, and Committees Bylaws were approved by 92.6 percent of voters.
The amendments primarily relate to reflecting the types of volunteer groups that are created by council and the CEO. Amendments also update and modernize Bylaw 5.1, which provides direction to the registration board to implement the internship in architecture program.
- Remuneration and Expenses Bylaws were approved by 92.4 percent of voters.
A single Remuneration and expenses bylaw consolidates the two current bylaws (6.0 and 7.0) and better reflects and supports Council Policy 2.16: Council Member Expenses, Honorarium and Remuneration (PDF).
- Nominations Bylaw was approved by 93.9 percent of voters
The amendment changes the council election nomination deadline from 30 days to 60 days before the annual meeting.
- Elections Bylaws were approved by 97.8 percent of voters.
The Elections Bylaw amendments see the repeal of the former election bylaws and the adoption of three new bylaws that are aimed at simplifying the council election process. Council rules will be established for the conduct of council elections conducted by mail ballot and by electronic vote.
Under the Architects Act, notice of bylaw changes must be filed with the provincial government within seven days of passage. This filing took place on December 18, 2018. The government had 45 days to consider whether to disallow the bylaws. After the passing of the disallowance period, members were notified that the bylaws were in effect.