The Professional Governance Act (PGA)
The Agrologists Act was repealed with the PGA in effect on February 5, 2021. The PGA and its regulations, including the Agrologists Regulation can be viewed on the BC government bylaws website.
"The Professional Governance Act (PGA) was created in response to recommendations made in the independent Final Report of the Professional Reliance Review submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in June 2018. The PGA implements two of the Review’s recommendations by legislating best practices for professional governance and establishing the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance (OSPG) for consistent and independent oversight of the professional regulators. The PGA received Royal Assent on November 27, 2018.
The PGA enables regulatory bodies to establish protected titles for their professions as well as reserved or protected areas of practice for their professions. The PGA also provides authority for regulatory bodies to regulate firms as registrants, if authorized to do so by the government.
The PGA currently governs the five regulatory bodies overseeing agrologists, applied biologists, applied science technologists and technicians, engineers and geoscientists, and forest professionals.
Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance (OSPG)
The PGA also strengthens government oversight by establishing a statutory Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance (OSPG) in the Ministry of Attorney General in June 2019. The OSPG is responsible for administering the PGA and for ensuring that best practices for professional governance are implemented.
Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance Resources and Others:
Office of International Credential Recognition (OICR)
The Office for International Credential Recognition (OICR) oversees the process for regulatory authorities included under the International Credentials Recognition Act. The goal is to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent recognition of international credentials, helping professionals join B.C.'s workforce.
Office of International Credential Recognition (OICR) Resources:
- Regulatory Bodies under the ICRA
- OICR Annual Reports (scroll down to bottom of page)
BCIA Bylaws
The Professional Governance Act stipulates that regulatory bodies must create bylaws to govern their organizations. These bylaws are approved by the Board and the OSPG. Schedule A of the bylaws is the Code of Ethics, Schedule B is the Oath of Office.
Click here to read the BCIA bylaws
The Professional Governance Act (2018) provides the mandate and the legal structure that creates BCIA and provides for the creation of agrology as a self-governing profession in British Columbia. In addition, BCIA has put in place the bylaws and policies that provide organizational structure.
Agreements
The Institute has committed to other agreements, including:
Policies & Procedures
BCIA policies and procedures are available to registered agrologists for downloading. They are meant to provide the Board, branch executives, committees, and staff with the necessary guidance to carry out key functions of the Institute. They are a beginning, versus an end, and should be considered a first step in articulating policies and practices required to meet BCIA’s regulatory mandate, as well as to guide the organization as a business.