Used when a permit holder does not have a Responsible Member or senior officer assigned to the permit.

The official title for a Member, such as Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) and Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.).

An encrypted digital attachment that is issued by a certificate authority. It enables the licensed professional to digitally authenticate and validate professional work products (PWPs) and it enables the recipient of the PWP to verify the professional status of the licensed professional.

The high degree of guidance a licensed professional provides to one or more individuals. The licensed professional accepts professional responsibility for engineering or geoscience tasks performed under their guidance. Direct supervision and control includes directing, monitoring, and controlling the engineering and geoscience work performed, including making all decisions related to the practices of engineering and geoscience.

Direct supervision and control requirements are detailed in the practice standard Relying on the Work of Others and Outsourcing.

A specific field of practice within a profession (e.g., electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, geophysics, geochemistry).

The abbreviated form of Defined Scope of Practice

The level of judgement, care, forethought, and determination a person reasonably uses to avoid harming oneself, other people, property, or the environment.

The abbreviated form of Engineer-in-Training.

The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act defines APEGA's scope and responsibilities as a regulator to ensure that engineering and geoscience in Alberta are done by licensed, qualified, and competent professionals. Both APEGA and ASET act as regulators as outlined in the Act. This is sometimes referred to as the one act, two associations regulatory model.

A visual representation of a scanned image or an image produced electronically.

The legal definition in the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act states that the practice of engineering means:

1. reporting on, advising on, evaluating, designing, preparing plans and specifications for or directing the construction, technical inspection, maintenance or operation of any structure, work or process
   1. that is aimed at the discovery, development or utilization of matter, materials or energy or in any other way designed for the use and convenience of humans, and
   2. that requires in that reporting, advising, evaluating, designing, preparation or direction the professional application of the principles of mathematics, chemistry, physics or any related applied subject, or
2. teaching engineering at a university

–Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, Section 1, pg. 8

A type of Member-in-Training. E.I.T.s are enrolled with APEGA and are working to become Professional Engineers. They have a non-practising status as they cannot engage in independent practice and must have their work supervised by a Professional Member.

The ePEG is a weekly digital newsletter that keeps you in the know about the developments in Alberta’s engineering and geoscience industries, APEGA branch events and activities, and the achievements of APEGA members who move the needle. All registered APEGA members are automatically subscribed to the ePEG newsletter.

Questions asked by the party calling the witness. This is also sometimes called ‘direct examination’.

One who is qualified by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education to provide a scientific, technical, or specialized opinion about the evidence or an issue of fact. Only the expert witness is entitled to offer opinion evidence.

A Fellow of Engineers Canada, a designation bestowed by Engineers Canada. Engineers Canada is not a regulator of engineering.

A Fellow of Geoscientists Canada, a designation bestowed by Geoscientists Canada. Geoscientists Canada is not a regulator of geoscience.

The work conducted to confirm and verify the engineering or geoscience concepts and specific requirements during implementation or construction of the professional work product (PWP). This includes considering and incorporating all material changes that affect the intended purpose of the original PWP that may have resulted from field changes and that require authentication and validation.

A licensed professional, or an individual working under their direct supervision and control, who carries out the field review.

An individual who is no longer a member of APEGA as defined by our legislation.

The abbreviated form of Geoscientist-in-Training.

The legal definition, as provided in the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, states that the practice of geoscience means:

1. reporting, advising, evaluating, interpreting, processing, geoscientific surveying, exploring, classifying reserves or examining related to any activity
   1. that relates to the earth sciences or the environment,
   2. that is aimed at the discovery or development of oil, natural gas, coal, metallic or non-metallic minerals, precious stones, other natural resources or water or that is aimed at the investigation of surface or subsurface conditions of the earth, and
   3. that requires, in that reporting, advising, evaluating, interpreting, processing, geoscientific surveying, exploring, classifying reserves or examining, the professional application of the principles of mathematics, chemistry, physics or biology through the application of the principles of geoscience, or
2. teaching geoscience at a university

Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, Section 1, pg. 8

A type of Member-in-Training. G.I.T.s are enrolled with APEGA and are working to become Professional Geoscientists. They have a non-practising status as they cannot engage in independent practice and must have their work supervised by a Professional Member.

Permit holders, licensed professionals, and member-in-trainings are considered in good standing with APEGA if they meet the criteria set out in the Good Standing Policy.

Any single incident or repeated incidents of objectionable or unwelcome conduct, comment, bullying, or action by a person that the person knows or should reasonably know will or would cause offence or humiliation to another person, or adversely affect someone’s health or feelings of safety and security.

This includes conduct, comments, bullying, or actions on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical disability, mental disability, marital status, family status, source of income, and sexual orientation. This includes sexual solicitation and advance. (Alberta Human Rights Act 2000; Occupational Health and Safety Act 2020).

A joint publication is a practice standard, practice guideline, practice bulletin, user guide, list of frequently asked questions, or other appropriate publication type that APEGA creates jointly with another organization in the interest of the public. This does not apply to standards, guidelines, or bulletins created jointly with ASET that are under the jurisdiction of the Joint Practice Review Board.

The date of the most recent Permit to Practice seminar the Responsible Member attended.

A professional engineer, professional geoscientist, professional licensee (engineering), professional licensee (geoscience), licensee (engineering), or licensee (geoscience) entitled by the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act to practise engineering or geoscience in Alberta.

A licensed professional licensed to practise engineering or geoscience in Alberta. The only difference between a Licensee and a Professional Member is that a Licensee is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

The abbreviated form of Member-in-Training.

Members of society that face exclusion due to societal and systemic barriers (CCDI 2022).

The type of membership the person has with APEGA. The types are Professional Member, Member-in-Training, and Licensee.

A general classification for Engineer-in-Training and Geoscientist-in-Training who are enrolled with APEGA and working to become licensed as Professional Engineers and/or Professional Geoscientists. They cannot engage in independent practice and must have their work supervised by a Professional Member.

A member of APEGA who cannot engage in independent practice and must have their work supervised by a Professional Member. A Professional Member can choose to declare a non-practising status, and many member types have a non-practising status, such as Life Members and Member-in-Trainings.

A name a permit holder uses (e.g., a trade name) that is different from its legal name but is listed with APEGA under the same Permit to Practice and uses the same permit number.

See Professional Services Output.

The permit holder, licensed professional, or non-APEGA licensed entity providing professional services to an outsourcing entity.

Procuring professional services from an individual or entity not practising under the outsourcing entity’s Permit to Practice. This includes when a sole proprietor procures professional services.

The permit holder or licensed professional procuring outsourced professional services. An outsourcing entity procures professional services from an outsourced entity.

A plan for procuring outsourced professional services. Outsourcing plan requirements are detailed in the practice standard Relying on the Work of Others and Outsourcing.

The abbreviated form of Professional Engineer.

The abbreviated form of Professional Geoscientist.

A partnership or other association of persons, or a corporation that holds a Permit to Practice under the Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act. The Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) permit holders, as defined in Section 86(4) of the EGP Act, are not included.

The permit holder’s legal company name as registered with the Alberta Corporate Registry.

The unique registration number provided to a permit holder licensed by APEGA to practise engineering, geoscience, or both.

Used to indicate whether a Permit to Practice held by a permit holder is an active or deficient permit.

An APEGA certificate given to permit holders to practise engineering or geoscience in Alberta.

A required seminar to inform Responsible Members of their professional obligations and how to create and manage a Professional Practice Management Plan.

An individual or business entity.

An ink or “wet” signature, also referred to as a handwritten or manuscript signature. Using only initials is not an acceptable way to apply a signature.

A professional practice bulletin provides clarity on a specific subject related to professional practice. Bulletins remain in force until a practice standard or practice guideline on the subject is developed, revised, or until the practice bulletin is repealed.

A professional practice guideline provides professional practice advice and best practice recommendations to help permit holders and licensed professionals meet their professional obligations. APEGA statutory boards may assess a permit holder’s or licensed professional’s practice and conduct against practice guidelines.

A statutory board established under Section 15 of the Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act. Through its powers established in Section 16 of the EGP Act, the Practice Review Board provides regulatory oversight to professional practice by developing and maintaining practice standards relating to the competent practice of the professions, conducting practice reviews of licensed professionals and permit holders, and administering the Continuing Professional Development Program [General Regulation Section 16(2)].

A professional practice standard sets the minimum standard of practice permit holders and licensed professionals must meet. It is the standard against which a permit holder’s or licensed professional’s practice and conduct will be assessed.

Licensed professionals of APEGA who are licensed to practice engineering and/or geoscience in Alberta.

The first name members prefer for correspondence and other types of informal communication. For example, Pat for Patricia and Bob for Robert.

A licensed professional that is licensed by APEGA to practise engineering in Alberta. Having a degree in engineering, or having experience in another jurisdiction, does not make someone a Professional Engineer in Alberta. Abbreviated as P.Eng.

A licensed professional that is licensed by APEGA to practise geoscience (including geology or geophysics) in Alberta. Having a degree in geology, geophysics, Earth sciences, or geoscience, or having experience in another jurisdiction, does not make someone a Professional Geoscientist in Alberta. Abbreviated as P.Geo.

Before 2012, APEGA separately licensed professionals as Professional Geologists (P.Geol.) and Professional Geophysicists (P.Geoph.). These designations have been grandfathered.

A licensed professional who is licensed to practise engineering or geoscience in Alberta but within a specified scope of practice.

A licensed professional with a designation of Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) or Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.) who is licensed to practise engineering or geoscience in Alberta. The designations Professional Geologists (P.Geol.) and Professional Geophysicists (P.Geoph.) are grandfathered and now fall under P.Geo.

A permit holder’s written corporate policies, procedures, and systems describing the quality control and assurance measures in place to ensure appropriate standards of professional practice are maintained as described in Section 48(1)(d) of the General Regulation.

Services that involve the practice of engineering as defined in Section 1(q) of the Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act or the practice of geoscience as defined in Section 1(r) of the EGP Act. The products of professional services are called outputs.

Any product—physical, electronic, or digital—resulting from a professional service. Not all outputs require authentication and validation.

A professional services output that requires authentication and validation as described in the practice standard Authenticating Professional Work Products. Defined in the General Regulation as “…plans, specifications, reports, or documents of a professional nature,” a professional work product (PWP) is any professional services output with technical information that is complete and final for its intended purpose, and which is relied upon by others, internally or externally. A PWP can be physical (e.g., paper, plastic film), electronic (e.g., electronic document, image), or digital (e.g., code, software, modelling, simulation, or any other computer application that cannot be reproduced in a physical or electronic format). See the authentication test in the practice standard Authenticating Professional Work Products when assessing whether an output is a PWP.

A competitive process for the procurement of professional consulting services that is based on qualifications.

When professional membership was obtained with APEGA. The date format is YYYY-MM-DD.

A licensed professional who is responsible for providing oversight of the practice of engineering or geoscience by the permit holder and meets the specification in Part 7, Section 48(1)(c) of the General Regulation. A Responsible Member must be qualified by education and experience in the profession of engineering or geoscience in which the partnership, corporation, or other entity intends to engage; designated in writing by the permit holder; and registered with APEGA as a Responsible Member.

The Responsible Member must have a sufficiently close relationship with the permit holder to undertake the roles and responsibilities associated with acting as a Responsible Member. The role of Responsible Member may not be delegated to other licensed professionals who are not Responsible Members.

A Responsible Member can be:

• a full-time, permanent employee of the permit holder
• a member of the permit holder
• a sole practitioner
• an individual providing professional services to the permit holder through a contractual arrangement or as a part-time employee

The permit holder’s Responsible Members direct, supervise, and control all or part of a permit holder’s professional practice in accordance with the permit holder’s Professional Practice Management Plan and all relevant legislation, regulations, and codes.

Restricted status is applied to any APEGA member (as defined by the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act) who has conditions set on his or her ability to independently practise engineering or geoscience. These restrictions are typically applied due to a discipline or professional practice review order.

Specifies the areas of engineering or geoscience in which Licensees are limited to work.

Holds signing authority to make decisions on behalf of the permit holder. The senior officer is named in the Permit to Practice application and signs a declaration form to legally bind the permit holder to the Permit to Practice agreement with APEGA. The senior officer is not required to be a licensed professional. APEGA formerly referenced the senior officer as the company’s chief operating officer.

A traceable and individualized permanent mark attached to stable information. See APEGA digital signature. See physical signature.

Within Alberta, an individual who practises engineering or geoscience as an incorporated entity. A sole practitioner must hold a Permit to Practice.

Within Alberta, an individual who is the sole owner of a business with no legal distinction between themselves and their business (i.e., the business does not exist as a separate entity).

A licensed professional practising as a sole proprietor does not need a Permit to Practice since the sole proprietor is not practising engineering or geoscience through a corporation, partnership, or association.

A unique, personalized rubber block or electronic file (e.g., PNG, JPEG, or TIFF) that APEGA, or its approved vendors, provides upon request to permit holders or licensed professionals.

A stamp issued to permit holders contains the Permit to Practice information. A stamp issued to licensed professionals contains their APEGA licence information.

The unique and personalized member name shown on a professional rubber or digital stamp, issued by APEGA or its approved vendors.

An order of a court that requires a person to be present at a certain time and place or suffer a penalty (subpoena being Latin for “under penalty”). This is the traditional tool used by lawyers to ensure witnesses present themselves at a given place, date, and time to make themselves available to testify.

Revisions to a practice standard, practice guideline, practice bulletin, or joint publication that affect the intent or essence of a document.

A term for content or data derived from the practice of engineering or geoscience as defined by the Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act, including advice, analyses, assessments, calculations, designs, evaluations, inputs (e.g., to planning or to modelling and simulation), interpretations, notes, opinions, recommendations, and process descriptions.

An evaluation of the outputs of professional services prepared by others to verify their reliability, validity, and technical accuracy. Thorough review requirements are detailed in the practice standard Relying on the Work of Others and Outsourcing.

A transition period is the time between when a practice standard or practice bulletin is in effect and enforced. It allows registrants time to adjust practices to comply. In the transition period, APEGA educates registrants on the new requirements to bring them into compliance. After the transition period expires, APEGA fully enforces the requirements.

Social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from the tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing (APEGA 2021). These biases include assumptions, beliefs, perceptions, attitudes, and stereotypes about different groups of people, including characteristics such as race, skin colour, ethnic origin, age, religion, family status, ancestry, political beliefs, linguistic and cultural background, gender, sex, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disability.

Actions or behaviours of permit holders, licensed professionals, and members-in-training that are found to be unprofessional conduct or unskilled practice under Section 44 of the Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act, in accordance with the discipline processes set out in Part 5 of the EGP Act.

The act of applying the required validation components to a professional work product (PWP). Validation must be performed in accordance with the practice standard Authenticating Professional Work Products. When a permit holder’s Responsible Member validates a PWP, this means they have reviewed the PWP to ensure it meets the quality control and assurance measures described in the permit holder’s Professional Practice Management Plan.

The date validation occurred. It must be unambiguous with no confusion between the recorded month, day, or year.