APEGA Council Scope & Authority
APEGA Council is the governing body for our association, and the Government of Alberta looks to Council to provide the necessary oversight to ensure APEGA fulfills its mandate to protect the public. This includes ensuring that APEGA's operations follow the EGP Act, regulations and bylaws, and that we are holding professional members and permit holders accountable for compliance.
Council also provides oversight on statutory activities to approve resources to enable processes, for example shortening registration timelines; however, each of the statutory boards or committees has an independent grant of authority.
Council may make recommended changes to the regulations or bylaws, but it is the membership that votes on the change. In the case of regulations, the Government of Alberta must also concur and bring the amendment to life through government orders. For example, in March 2019, APEGA and ASET submitted a joint letter to the Government of Alberta recommending changes to the EGP Act and related regulations
Council DOES:
- develop and drive APEGA's strategic direction
- discuss and decide on issues that are relevant to the regulator
- approve APEGA's budget
- provide direction on regulatory priority and pace
- ensure the responsible use of resources to effectively execute APEGA's strategic plan
Council DOES NOT:
- provide direction on statutory activity, such as
- criteria for licensure
- the time it takes to become a professional member
- practice review scheduling
- change any content that is outlined in the EGP Act
- oversee the day-to-day operations of the organization
- independently set membership fees and annual dues
True or False?
Click to open the accordions to find out if the following statements are true or false. Thank you for your interest in finding out more about APEGA Council!
-
True!
The Audit Committee assists Council with its oversight responsibility, including monitoring the financial health of APEGA and helping to mitigate risks.
-
False!
Because the EGP Act is not the only Alberta legislation that speaks to regulation of industry practices, engineers must also abide by other statutes, such as the Safety Codes Act, Occupational Health and Safety Code, the Alberta Building Code, etc.
-
True!
Council can make recommendations, but all proposed changes to the EGP Act are voted on by membership and sent for review to the Government of Alberta.
-
False!
Branch Executives are elected members who represent different regional groups in Alberta. Branches function as a vital conduit between Council, staff, and APEGA members in various geographic regions in Alberta. Chairs from all Branches meet quarterly to discuss Branch governance and business.
-
False!
The Board of Examiners reviews and approves all membership applications and is the only statutory body with the authority to make those determinations.
-
True!
The Investigative Committee handles complaints against members and permit holders and is the only statutory body with the authority to perform those investigations.
-
False!
Council can make recommendations, but all proposed changes to the EGP Act are voted on by membership and sent for review to the Government of Alberta. Ultimately, it is the Legislature that decides which legislation will be enacted.
See Part 3, Section 19 of the EGP Act
-
True!
Completed reinstatement applications are first reviewed by an independent statutory board known as the Practice Review Board before being submitted to Council for final approval.
See more about reinstatements See more about the Practice Review Board
-
False!
APEGA Council governs the overall function of APEGA in meeting the objectives of the EGP Act, but has no authority to engage in investigative or discipline processes. Those functions are performed by the Investigative Committee, which holds a separate grant of authority in the EGP Act.
-
False!
The structure of APEGA’s statutory boards and committees is outlined in the EGP Act, including scope of responsibility, structure, and power. Council, including the President, cannot change or amend the statutory boards and committees named in the governance model.
-
True!
Council as a whole can review membership dues from time to time, but the President cannot unilaterally change fees or dues without proper process.
-
True!
APEGA only regulates the practice of engineering and geoscience in Alberta and has no authority over a non-member who is practicing engineering outside Alberta. However, we do have the ability to put standards in place relating to how engineering work performed outside of Alberta must be treated when brought back into Alberta.
-
False!
The EGP Act defines the requirements for approval by the Board of Examiners, and eligibility for registration is further outlined in the Regulations. From there, the Board of Examiners and APEGA staff establish how these requirements are met by applicants.
See Part 4, Section 31 of the EGP Act See Section 13 of the Regulations
-
True!
Council is governed by the rules laid down in the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, so every decision is open to debate when presented to Council, but once a majority decision is reached, Council speaks with one voice as one team.
