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Improved Regulatory Effectiveness and Efficiency
To improve regulatory effectiveness and efficiency, provisions for university students as a Member category can be included in APEGA’s Bylaws rather than the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act General Regulation.
Background
- The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (EGP Act) states that Council may make regulations to establish categories and conditions regarding the enrolment of Engineers‑in‑Training, Geoscientists‑in‑Training, examination candidates, and students (section 19(1)(a)).
- One category of students under the current legislation encompasses individuals enrolled in a full-time program at a university in Alberta leading to an undergraduate degree in engineering or geoscience. This category is called University Students.
- Provisions related to University Students are currently found in sections 6 and 7 of the EGP Act General Regulation, which deals with eligibility and striking from the record.
Why is this important?
- A University Student is not a regulated Member. University Students are a category of membership that is allowed to be associated with APEGA.
- Provisions that can be appropriately addressed in APEGA’s Bylaws should not be included in the Act or General Regulation.
Proposed legislative change
It is recommended that the legislation be amended to remove provisions regarding University Students from the General Regulation and include them in the Bylaws.
Sections 19 and 20 of the EGP Act, regarding Regulation- and Bylaw-making powers, should also be amended to reflect this change.
Effects of the proposed change
- It will streamline the legislation by removing provisions that need not appear in the General Regulation and that can be effectively and appropriately addressed through APEGA Bylaws.
- This aligns with the majority of constituent associations in Canada, most of which do not have a university student category in their legislation.