ASET legislative update for members

04, Apr, 2022

Upcoming provincial legislation and your profession

Shortly, the Government of Alberta will be announcing new legislation that will modernize the legislation that regulates ASET and 21 other professional regulatory organizations (PROs), who currently exist under different, profession-specific Acts.

The new legislation will combine the PROs under one act containing a generic act and general regulation, along with schedules and bylaw changes for 22 individual professional organizations. This act will be similar to what our neighbours in B.C. did when they introduced similar umbrella legislation for PROs.

Members of ASET’s council have met with officials at all levels of government, decision-makers, and other key stakeholders, advocating for the interests of its 17,000 members. The feedback we received from our members, and from those directly impacted by our skilled labour indicate clear support for the modernization of this legislation. A pillar of our advocacy approach included the input we have provided the Government of Alberta on ways to streamline professional legislation. ASET’s contribution to the process has ensured that the interests of its members remain top of mind for those involved in the modernization of this legislation.

What does this mean for ASET members?

ASET is the only regulated professional organization without a defined scope of practice and on behalf of our members, ASET has been consulting with the Government of Alberta to ensure that the modernized legislation includes an expanded scope of practice for P.Tech.s and an independent scope of practice for C.E.T.s.

A scope of practice defines the procedures, actions, and processes that an individual is permitted to undertake in keeping with the terms of their professional license, based on specific education and experience, and competency.

For technologists, a defined scope would bring clarity to the role, enhance trust in the work that our members perform and give them autonomy to work within their scope. This change would prevent those without the educational background, experience or certification from misrepresenting their abilities and increase public safety.

Next steps

The new legislation is anticipated to come into effect on 01 January 2023 when the current act regulating each of the involved PROs would be repealed and replaced. The combined legislation will include generic regulation across all PROs and each PRO will also have its own schedule specific to its profession, including a defined scope of practice, reserved titles and profession-specific requirements. This process will not see completely new processes introduced, as some previous key elements like professional conduct, governance practices, and the ability to make bylaws will likely remain intact.

The new legislation will require ASET to develop new bylaws before the proclamation of the Act, and ASET will ensure that the new bylaws will be reviewed by its members.

Throughout the transition, ASET will continue to support members through the organization’s consistent regulatory, advocacy and educational work. ASET will also ensure that members are aware of what the legislative changes mean for the profession through frequent regulatory updates. We are excited to see our years of advocacy come to fruition, and are looking forward to seeing what the introduction of this forward-thinking legislation brings to our province and its committed, talented workforce.