APEGA has the authority and responsibility to regulate the professions of engineering and geoscience, as granted by the Government of Alberta. A robust Council nomination process is key to ensuring we have the diversity of competencies and experience necessary for Council to continue to effectively govern APEGA.

• consistently deliver Council nominees for election that have the competencies required to fulfill Council’s mandate in accordance with the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act
• foster diversity in the recruitment of nominees for election

The Special Committee of Council on Nominations comprised four licensed professionals with diverse backgrounds and experience and a consultant from the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI).

The work done by the Special Committee of Council on Nominations included:

• a detailed review of the nomination process considering Council’s responsibilities and legislated obligations
• an internal assessment of what key stakeholders need from the process
• a thorough assessment of the nomination process, procedures, and related policies by the CCDI
• an online survey of about 2,000 APEGA licensed professional volunteers to seek input on the nominations process and their perspectives on diversity in APEGA.

From this work, the Special Committee produced a report listing six key findings and four recommendations.

See the fact sheet (PDF)

1. APEGA licensed professionals do not fully understand how Council election nominees are identified and recommended.
2. The current approach to identify nominees is generally perceived to be unfair and biased towards nominees who know someone within established APEGA networks.
3. The current nomination approach is prone to unconscious bias and may unintentionally disadvantage some nominees based on characteristics unrelated to their qualifications.
4. The current types of engagement by APEGA of licensed professionals do not fully consider the diversity of licensed professionals nor the variety of approaches that may be required to enable their participation.
5. The two most significant barriers to running for Council are the perceived time commitment and a common self-perception by licensed professionals that they don’t have enough to offer.
6. The demographic makeup of Council is well represented in some diversity aspects, such as gender, but less so for other APEGA demographic groups, such as racialized and Indigenous populations, geographic location, industry, and age.

1. Move to a simplified, transparent nomination approach using a formal, structured assessment based on needed skills, knowledge, and attributes.
2. Implement an ongoing education and communication strategy to communicate the nomination process to licensed professionals.
3. Update the Nominating Committee composition, authority, and process.
4. Create a nomination approach that is inviting and easily accessible for licensed professionals and actively works to attract a more diverse pool of qualified nominees for Council, and other volunteer roles, as a means of succession development.

The draft bylaw amendments are designed to support the development of a nomination process that addresses Council’s need to consistently attract nominees with the competencies and experience required to fulfil Council’s mandate to oversee the regulator of the professions of engineering and geoscience in Alberta. The changes will clarify the nomination process and ensure it is fully transparent to members. The exact draft bylaw changes are available in the report to APEGA licensed professionals (PDF).

The intent is that if Council makes proposed bylaw changes in October and the members vote in favour of the changes, all four recommendations of the Special Committee will be implemented together to create a more transparent and structured nomination process that will be better communicated to members. All four recommendations are intended to work together as a harmonious whole.

Currently there is no formal process or formal criteria to build the Nominating Committee roster. The bylaw amendments will require Council to develop formal criteria and processes for the composition of the Nominating Committee, the selection of its members, and quorum, and to make this available to APEGA members. The goal is to ensure that the Nominating Committee is filled by individuals with the necessary skills to assess whether nominees have the required competencies to stand for election to Council.

Diversity is about the unique dimensions, qualities, and characteristics of each individual. It involves a wide range of considerations, including gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, geography, knowledge, and experience. For APEGA, it is about embracing, respecting, and reflecting the differing qualities, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of its members.

Ensuring all Council members have the skills, knowledge, and attributes to provide strategic leadership, financial oversight, and sound governance are, and will remain, paramount when identifying nominees for election. As well, Council will always include, as per the legislation, a minimum number of professional geoscientists and professional engineers. In future, Council will work harder to inform members about the opportunity to run for election to Council and the process to do so in an effort to reach its broad and diverse membership.