ASETforward – Bill 23 Update

17, Nov, 2022

During the spring sitting of the Alberta Legislature, Bill 23, the Professional Governance Act, was introduced to overhaul the professional regulatory legislation in Alberta. The legislation did not make it to third reading and as the legislative session was prorogued, it has “died on the order paper” meaning it will have to be reintroduced in the assembly. On behalf of our members, ASET will continue to work with government representatives to bring the bill back and to ensure that the high level of certification and qualifications that ASET members voluntarily adhere to will be protected and advanced through legislative change.

Professional Governance Act Legislation highlights:

• Provide a consistent and standard way that professional regulatory organizations (PROs) carry out their core functions such as governance, registration and addressing professional conduct and discipline;
• Development of profession-specific schedules to address any unique needs or requirements;
• PROs will have the power to make bylaws, rules of conduct, codes of ethics and practice standards. These powers will be subject to ministerial oversight and the Minister will be able to disallow or require amendments, as well as direct new bylaws, rules, codes or standards; and
• All PROs will be able to conduct practice review, where the Practice Review Committee will be authorized to establish rules and procedures, and review registrants’ practices.

Your ASET team is working toward the relaunch of ASETforward. This is a campaign with the singular goal of engaging our members to show their support for the modernization of the legislation governing PROs, and demonstrate to key decision makers the need to enfranchise P.Tech.s with a deeper scope of practice and an independent scope of practice for C.E.T.s. Look out for the relaunch of ASETforward, and the opportunity to ask your MLA to support the reintroduction of the Act and a defined scope of practice.