Engineers Canada
Engineers Canada

At their Board Meeting on March 1, 2019, the Engineers Canada Board approved four principles that governments should consider when developing a regulatory regime that would grant independent practice rights to engineering technologists.

At their Board Meeting on March 1, 2019, the Engineers Canada Board approved four principles that governments should consider when developing a regulatory regime that would grant independent practice rights to engineering technologists.

The principles were developed to recognize that the academic and experience requirements for engineers are more extensive than those for engineering technologists. Moreover, education and training in first principles means that engineers are qualified to conduct work that engineering technologists may not be qualified to do.

The principles also recognize that using the minimum number of professional regulators to regulate professional activities avoids confusion and inconsistent or potentially conflicting regulatory standards that could be caused by the introduction of another regulator.

The Board therefore approved the following four principles:

  1. All work that falls within the definition of the practice of engineering should be regulated by a single government-designated regulator whose mandate includes regulating the practice of engineering in the public interest.
  2. Individuals who have acquired the necessary competencies by virtue of their academic training and professional experience, who can be held accountable for their work and who have met all of the licensing requirements set by the provincial/territorial regulators can be authorized to practice engineering either within a full or limited scope of practice.
  3. In cases of overlapping practice of engineering with members of other regulated professions (eg. foresters, agrologists, architects), the respective regulators must work together to ensure the public welfare is protected.
  4. Defined scopes of practice (for the purpose of limited licences) within the broad range of engineering activities must be prepared by engineering regulators and must be understandable and enforceable.

The principles, as passed by the Board and representing the collective position of Canadian engineering regulators, can be found on the Engineers Canada website.