Professional Guidelines

The following links take you to many of the professional guidelines that are quoted in the textbook:

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES

The provincial and territorial Associations publish basic information about admission, discipline, liability insurance, continuing professional development (CPD), and salary surveys. In addition, most Associations publish guidelines for professional practice, which are quoted extensively in the textbook. To read the guidelines in detail, follow the links below to the provincial Associations. The guidelines typically cover common professional problems, such as advertising, setting fees, preparing contracts, sealing documents, and much more.

NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES

The Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) and the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists (CCPG) are discussed in Chapter 2 of the textbook. They publish general professional guidelines.

CODES, STANDARDS & DESIGN GUIDES

Codes, standards and guidelines for safe design are discussed extensively in Chapter 5 of the textbook, and in Appendix G on the CD-ROM included with the textbook. A few related links are listed below.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS & REGULATIONS

Environmental laws, regulations, codes and guidelines for environmental practice are discussed in Chapters 10 and 11 of the textbook. Links to some of these sources are included at the end of this page.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES

ALBERTA

Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA)

APEGGA publishes over 35 high-quality guidelines, covering topics such as advertising, the discipline process, human rights, ethical practice, consultant fees, and environmental practice. In particular, APEGGA publishes several practice standards for geoscientists in the oil, gas and mineral industries, and a very readable guide for professionals who must appear as expert witnesses. These guidelines are of value to professionals in any province or territory.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC)

APEGBC publishes about 10 guidelines, aimed mainly at providing geotechnical, structural, electrical, and mechanical services on building projects. Guidelines on sustainability and on terrain stability in forest practice are unique to APEGBC.

MANITOBA

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba (APEGM)

publishes professional practice advice in the form of “policies” and “practice notes,” as well as a Building Commissioning Guide. The APEGM site links to the CCPE and CCPG national guidelines (see below).

NEW BRUNSWICK

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick (APEGNB)

APEGNB publishes several guidelines on topics such as admission, use of the seal, seeking professional employment, water and sewer standards, and liability insurance.

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland Labrador (PEG-NL)
[select Publications]

PEG-NL publishes about a dozen guidelines. Several “Practice Guides” are directed at providing geotechnical, structural, electrical, and mechanical services on building projects, and are modelled on APEGBC guides. Guidelines on the design of wood truss systems, and a position paper on the practice of naval architecture and marine engineering are unique to PEG-NL.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of the Northwest Territories (NAPEGG)
[select Publications]

NAPEGG publishes about 8 guidelines on admission, professional development, the use of the seal, selecting a consulting engineer, the duty to report, and submitting complaints. NAPEGG is unique in publishing a Diamond Reporting Guideline.

NOVA SCOTIA (Engineering)

Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia (APENS)
[Select Professional Practice.]

APENS publishes over 15 guidelines on the engineer’s duty to report, the use of the seal, liability insurance, selecting a consulting engineer, building design and construction, construction supervision, and the duty to the environment.

NOVA SCOTIA (Geoscience)

The Association of Professional Geoscientists of Nova Scotia (APGNS)
[select Guidelines]

APGNS was created by the Geoscience Profession Act, 2002. The first guideline is on the use of the seal, but additional guidelines are expected in future.

ONTARIO (Engineering)

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)
[select Publications]

PEO publishes over 35 guidelines and brochures on professional practice covering topics such as selecting an engineer, the duty to report, making a complaint, enforcement, human rights, appearing as an expert witness, health and safety reviews, consultant fees, environmental practice. Many guidelines deal with offering engineering services on specific services for buildings, roads, bridges, water supply and drainage systems, and mineral properties.

ONTARIO (Geoscience)

Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO)

APGO was created by the Professional Geoscientists Act, 2000. The first guidelines are on advertising, the use of the APGO logo, mineral exploration practices and general professional practice. Additional guidelines are expected in future.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Association of Professional Engineers of Prince Edward Island (APEPEI)

APEPEI publishes a guide that explains the continuing professional development program, and a guide on the responsibilities of Architects and Professional Engineers in building design and construction.

QUEBEC (Engineering)

Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ)
[select Publications]

The OIQ offers a 112-page guidebook titled Guidelines to Professional Practice, which includes chapters on professional values, technical practice (analysis, design, execution and operation), project management , organization management, and administration of an organization. The guide may be down-loaded. It addresses many useful topics, some in great detail, but it is heavily oriented toward practice in the province of Québec.

QUEBEC (Geoscience)

Ordre des Géologues du Québec (OGQ)

OGQ was created by the Geologists Act, 2001. No detailed guidelines are published in English (as of July, 2004).

SASKATCHEWAN

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS)

APEGS publishes an extensive guide that explains the continuing professional development program, and guides on the discipline process, the use of professional seals, and liability insurance.

YUKON

Association of Professional Engineers of Yukon (APEY)

APEY provides extensive information of interest to Yukon engineers, but does not publish specific professional guidelines.

NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES

ENGINEERING

Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE)

CCPE's national guidelines are based on general guiding principles which are widely supported by its member associations/ordre, and are intended primarily to promote and facilitate consistency among the licensing and regulatory practices of the associations/ordre. The following general guidelines are published, but note that these are advisory guidelines, directed to the provincial and territorial Associations:

• Guideline on Admission to the Practice of Engineering in Canada
• Code of Ethics
• Definition of the Practice of Professional Engineering
• Professional Engineering Practice in Canada
• Professional Practice Examination
• Continued Competency Assurance of Professional Engineers
• Guideline on the Environment and Sustainability

GEOSCIENCE

Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists (CCPG)

• Definition of the Practice of Professional Geoscience
• Recommended Minimum Requirements for Professional Practice
• Guidelines for Assessing Geoscience Work Experience
• Mineral Exploration Best Practices Guidelines
• Standards for the Disclosure of Mineral Projects
• Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities

CODES, STANDARDS & DESIGN GUIDES

The following organizations have a specific interest in the propagation of codes, standards and design guides.

SCC Standards Council of Canada
ISO International Organization for Standardization
CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
ASTM American Society for Testing Materials

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS & REGULATIONS

Environment Canada

Canadian Environmental Protection Act (R.S.C. 1985, c.16, 4e suppl.)
Fisheries Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. F-14)
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (R.S.C. 1992, c. 37)

Alberta

Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (RSA 1992, c. E-13.3).
Water Act (RSA 2000, c.W-3).

British Columbia

Waste Management Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c.482).

Manitoba

Environment Act, S.M. 1987-88, c.26 C.C.S.M., c.E125.

New Brunswick

Clean Air Act (R.S.N.B. 1973, c.C-5.2).
Clean Environment Act (R.S.N.B. 1973, c. C-6).
Clean Water Act (R.S.N.B. 1973, c. C-6.1)

Newfoundland & Labrador

Environmental Protection Act (R.S.N. 1995, c. E-13.1). [select Acts & Regulations.]

Northwest Territories

Environmental Protection Act (R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c. E-7). [select Statutes.]

Nova Scotia

Environment Act (R.S.N.S. 1994-95, c.1). [select Statutes.]

Nunavut

[Nunavut has not yet adopted environmental legislation, so the regulations of the Northwest Territories continue to apply.]

Ontario

Environmental Protection Act (R.S.O. 1990, c.E-19).
Environmental Bill of Rights Act (S.O. 1993, c.28).
Environmental Assessment Act (R.S.O. 1990, c.E-18).
Ontario Water Resources Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. O.40).
Guideline for use at contaminated sites in Ontario (Brownfields), 1997

Prince Edward Island

Environmental Protection Act (R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. E-9).

Québec

Québec Environment Quality Act (Loi sur la qualité de l'environnement, R.S.Q., c. Q-2). [search in French.]
Québec Civil Code (Code civil du Québec, S.Q. 1991, C-64).

Saskatchewan

Environmental Management and Protection Act (R.S.S. 1978, c. E-10.2)

Yukon

Environment Act (S.Y.1991, c.5)