Permits to Practice


General Information

The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists is an organization constituted by provincial Statute for the regulation of the practice of engineering, geology and geophysics. As steward of the Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act it is the Association's responsibility to register only qualified persons and to control the quality of the professional services that they provide.

The Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act also requires that partnerships, corporations and other such entities which practice engineering, geology and geophysics have a Permit to Practice. The requirements concerning Permits to Practice are described in Articles 2, 5, 7, 23, 24, 25, 28, 38, 80, 81, of the Act and Part 10 of the Regulations.

POLICIES

  1. It is recognized in the Act and Regulations that effective control of the quality of professional practice in partnerships, corporations and other such entities requires that the employer of professionals provide the atmosphere and organizational structure necessary for the proper practice of the professions. This involves three distinct levels and/or types of responsibility:
    • Corporate Management
      The Chief Operating Officer of a company undertakes to maintain an organization in which the practice of the professions can be conducted in accordance with the intent of the Act.
    • Member Assuming Responsibility for the Professional Practice
      Full time employees or members of the firms undertake to provide responsible direction and personal supervision of the professional practice engaged in.
    • Member Supervising or Performing the Work
      The individual APEGGA member, in accordance with the Code of Ethics, undertake only such work as he is competent to perform or supervise by virtue of his training and experience.
  2. An individual, who is a professional member or licensee of APEGGA, who engages in the practice of engineering, geology, or geophysics in his or her own name does not require a Permit to Practice. Their personal registration is, in effect, their Permit to Practice. If this same individual practices through a company, then the company requires a Permit to Practice even though the member is the only employee.
  3. If a parent company or joint venture group holds a Permit to Practice, any subsidiary of that company that engages in the practice of engineering, geology or geophysics must also hold a permit, if the subsidiary is a separate entity with a different name.
  4. The association will issue a Permit toPractice to any partnership, corporation or other entity provided at least one full time employee or member of the firm, who is also a member or licensee of APEGGA, undertakes to direct and accept responsibility for the professional practice of the Permit Holder. The member(s) who assume responsibility for the professional practice must be qualified by training and experience in the fields of engineering, geology or geophysics in which the firm provides services and must be available to the full extent necessary to direct the day to day activities engaged in by the Permit Holder.

    Larger organizations with more than one functional division which are spread geographically over several operating centres are encouraged to name as many professional members as necessary to provide responsible direction and personal supervision to the professional practice engaged in. The number of members selected to assume that responsibility for the organization should complement the organization structure and will vary according to the type of operation and management style of the organization.

    Reference in the Act to a full time employee or member of the firm is interpreted to mean that the relationship between the APEGGA member and the firm is an ongoing and continuous one as distinguished from one that does not have the depth or responsibility normally associated with a full time employee relationship.

  5. The Association will give its consent to the incorporation of a company and/or to the registration of extra-provincial companies pursuant to the laws of Alberta, where the name of the company includes the word "engineering", "geology", or "geophysics" or any variation thereof, provided the company undertakes to maintain a valid Permit to Practice from the Association. A written request for consent is required in order for the Association to give consent for incorporation.

    If the Permit to Practice is cancelled, lapses, is revoked or for any reason becomes invalid, approval by APEGGA to use the words engineering, geology and geophysics or any form thereof in the firm's name is automatically withdrawn.

  6. Permit Holders whose registration is cancelled by APEGGA due to nonpayment of annual dues or for any other reason are assessed an administrative fee when applying for reinstatement. Permit Holders who request in writing that their Permits to Practice be cancelled will not be assessed the administrative fee when they apply for reinstatement. Those Permit Holders who request voluntary cancellation will have their annual dues prorated for the year in which they reinstate.
  7. The current regulations require the permit stamp to be under the control of the professional members or licensees assuming responsibility of the professional practice in which the Permit Holder is engaged. In accordance with Standata 81-A007, entitled Professional Involvement in Projects and Seals on Construction Documents, issued by the Building Standards Branch of the Provincial Government, the permit stamp should be signed by a person authorized to take professional responsibility for the Permit Holder.

    It is the intent of the regulations that details regarding permit stamp custody and specific signing authority within the organization are matters to be addressed by the officer or designate/"person" who signs page one of the Application for Permit to Practice on behalf of the Permit Holder.


PROCEDURES

  1. Application

    Application is made by completing forms entitled Application for Permit to Practice. In completing the form it is the responsibility of the applicant's Chief Operating Officer or his designate to ensure that the members selected to be responsible for the respective professional practices are qualified and have organizational authority to direct and control the overall quality of services being provided.

    On page two of the application, special attention is drawn to the requirement for an organizational breakdown that corresponds to the professional responsibility of each member name. Following are examples to illustrate:

    Name & Professional Designation Member # Office Organizational Group Discipline/Operation
    One member responsible for total professional practice engaged in
    J.D. Doe, P.Eng. 98888 Calgary Total Company
    Several members named to assume responsibility for professional practice by office location and discipline
    W.D. Smith, P.Eng. 98765 Edmonton Structural
    C.A. Jones, P.Eng. 98989 Edmonton Mechanical
    L.T. Brown, P.Eng. 76543 Edmonton Electrical
    O.R. White, P.Eng. 65432 Calgary Structural
    S.A. Black, P.Eng. 54391 Calgary Mechanical
    Several members named to assume responsibility for professional practice by office location and operating division
    A.S. Green, P. Geoph. 78987 Edmonton Exploration Division
    L.T. Adams, P.Eng. 86543 Calgary Refining Division
  2. Approval

    Approved applications are acknowledged by letter and the Permit Holder is assigned a number and issued one certificate and one rubber permit stamp.

    Additional certificates and permit stamps to a maximum of one of each for each permanent office may be obtained at a cost of $6.42 and $10.00 respectively (GST included). Replacement certificates and stamps are available at cost when a Permit Holder changes its name. The certificates and stamps remain the property of the Association and must be surrendered on demand.

  3. Schedule of Fees for Permit Holders

    Application fees should accompany the application. Annual dues will be invoiced after the Permit to Practice is approved and annually in the month of issue.

    Application Fees (GST included)

    • Domestic Permit Holder- $205.00
    • Foreign Permit Holder- $205.00

    Annual Dues (no GST)

    • Domestic Permit Holder- $205.00
    • Foreign Permit Holder- $205.00

    Reinstatement (GST included)

    • Should cancellation by APEGGA occur due to nonpayment of Annual dues, or failure to provide an Annual Report, a $80.00 reinstatement fee is applicable.

Permit application forms are available from the APEGGA office .

If you wish, you may print the following forms from your browser instead:


Regulations - Part 10
Registration of Permit Holders

44 A Permit to practice engineering, geology or geophysics in its own name may be issued by the Council to a partnership, corporation, firm, or association of persons which satisfies the Council that the practice will be carried on under the direct personal supervision and responsibility of a full-time permanent employee or member of the partnership, corporation, firm, or association of persons who is also a professional member or licensee of the Association and who is qualified by education and experience in the fields of engineering, geology or geophysics in which the partnership, corporation, firm, or association of persons intends or offers to engage.

45 When the practice of engineering, geology or geophysics is carried on by a firm, partnership, corporation or association of persons as permitted in section 44, all final plans, specifications, reports or documents shall

(a) be signed by, and sealed with the stamp of, the professional member or licensee of the Association who is responsible for them and who supervised the preparation of them, and

(b) carry the stamp issued to the firm, partnership, corporation or association of persons pursuant to this Act.

46 (1) A firm, partnership, corporation or association of persons purporting to practice engineering, geology or geophysics in its own name as permitted in section 44, shall keep the Association advised of the name of the professional member or licensee of the Association who is a full-time permanent employee or member of the firm, partnership, corporation or association of persons and is directly and personally supervising the practice and assuming responsibility therefor.

(2) The professional member or licensee accepting responsibility for the practice of a partnership, corporation, firm or association of persons shall on relinquishing that responsibility for any reason forthwith advise the Registrar to that effect.

47 (1) The Council shall issue a permit, which shall be valid for the calendar year during which it is issued, to a partnership, corporation, firm, or association of persons that has

(a) filed an application with the Registrar on a form provided by the Council,
(b) paid all the fees prescribed by the Council, and
(c) satisfied the conditions specified in section 44.

(2) When the Council issues a permit pursuant to this Act, it shall provide the permit holder with a stamp bearing the permit number engraved in a manner that the Council decided and which remains the property of the Association and shall be surrendered to it on demand.

48 Any permit issued under the Act may be revoked or its renewal withheld by the Council for failure of the permit holder to observe any of the conditions set forth in the Act or the regulations governing the issuance of a permit, or where the permit holder has been guilty of unprofessional conduct or unskilled practice of the profession.

49 No partnership, corporation, firm, or association of persons shall be incorporated or registered in the Province of Alberta under a title including the words "Engineering", "Geology", or "Geophysics", or variations of those words, unless it holds and continues to hold a valid permit issued under this Act.

50 (1) The stamp or seal issued to the permit holder shall at all times be under the control of and only used by the professional members or licensees assuming direct personal supervision and responsibility for the professional practice in which the permit holder engages.

(2) The stamp or seal issued to a permit holder shall be applied to all plans, specifications, reports or documents issued by the permit holder along with the stamp or seal and signature of the professional member or licensee who supervised their preparation and assumes professional responsibility for them.


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