Limited Licensing in New Brunswick

An initiative by APEGNB

APEGNB is creating a limited license designation in New Brunswick that will allow qualified individuals to practice certain engineering or geoscience tasks within a limited scope carefully regulated by our association.

Keep scrolling to learn about our implementation process and timeline.

Timeline

The volunteer Limited Licensing Task Force has executed a careful, deliberate strategy to craft a proposal that works for APEGNB’s membership, and for New Brunswick. Here’s a summary of the work put in.

February 2021
APEGNB began a process to consider its role in the regulation of engineering and geoscience technicians and technologists in New Brunswick. A detailed review found a strong business case for APEGNB to proceed with the creation of a limited engineering and geoscience license that would be consistent with what most jurisdictions across Canada already offer.
December 2021
The Limited Licensing Task Force described above was struck, entirely of volunteer members of APEGNB, to proceed with the recommendations of the report.
Winter 2022
The task force studies previous proposals for a limited license, and begins drafting the board parameters of how a new proposal could look in New Brunswick
May/June 2022
The Task Force conducts a thorough consultation process to share progress and solicit feedback from the following entities: New Brunswick Power Corporation; the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - New Brunswick; J.D. Irving, Limited; and the provincial departments of Justice, Post-Secondary Education, Training, and Labour, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Energy Development, Environment, Regional Development Corporation.
June, 2022
The Task Force conducts two large-scale consultations with APEGNB registrants. Approximately 200 registrants attended meetings in French and English, and offered substantive feedback on the direction of the task force.
Summer 2022
The feedback received from consultations informs several changes to the proposal, including the education and experience requirements being proposed for limited licensees.
Late Summer 2022
The structure of a proposed limited license is further refined based on New Brunswick’s needs, stakeholder feedback, and national best practices.
July 2022
A fully bilingual website is created, describing details of the proposed limited license and soliciting comments and questions from members and the general public.
September/October 2022
The task force will host a series of branch-level, in-person ‘roadshow’ meetings to give members another opportunity to fully understand what is being proposed, why the task force believes it is the right time to proceed, and how the rest of the process will unfold.
Fall 2022
The proposal is further refined through discussions with legal counsel, education sector stakeholders.
November 2022
Two additional virtual sessions are held for all members
December 2022
The task force takes its proposal to APEGNB’s Council, which supports its inclusion for ratification at an annual general meeting.
Winter 2022
Small-scale consultations and briefings are held with key employers of APEGNB members by members of the task force.
January 2023
A 13-page process document is drafted and presented by the task force to representatives of APEGNB’s Experience Review Committee and Board of Admissions for further refinement.
March 2023
Revised by-laws ratified by the APEGNB membership.
Previous slide
Next slide

Frequently Asked Questions

Basic Questions

A limited license is designed for an individual with the necessary skills, education, and experience to independently practise some engineering or geoscience tasks within a clearly-defined and narrow scope that would be defined and regulated by APEGNB.    

Limited Licenses present an opportunity to recognize those that have achieved a level of expertise and could be trusted to safely carry out specific engineering or geoscience work in a carefully limited and regulated scope.

A limited license is designed for someone with the skills and background necessary to safely practice a certain portion of the work done by a Professional Engineer or Geoscientist and maintain good standing with APEGNB. This definition is intentionally broad, but the task force expects technologists, newcomers with certain foreign credentials and experience, and professionals with other expertise to be interested in this designation. 

This proposal follows the best practices established by several jurisdictions, including Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba, Engineers Nova Scotia and Engineers and Geoscientists BC.

The task force has also reviewed the limited licenses offered in other provinces and is designed to improve transferability between jurisdictions.

The importance of having a single body regulating engineering work in a jurisdiction is becoming more clear, especially as limited licensure is becoming increasingly common.

Having the same regulatory and discipline body apply a common set of principles to all individuals carrying out engineering and geoscience work is the best way to uphold high standards, maintain clear distinctions between the work of professionals and limited licensees and ultimately protect the public interest.

The overarching motivation behind a limited license is this proposal will serve the public interest – which APEGNB is mandated by law to do.

But in addition, there are other jurisdictions, including NBSCETT, who are pursuing provincial legislation that would extend the right to practice certain engineering tasks to individuals who would not be regulated by APEGNB.

The task force firmly believes that APEGNB’s swift adoption of a limited license regime will demonstrate such legislation is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest.

Not explicitly, but a limited license is expected to improve the ability of qualified newcomers to use their skills to contribute to New Brunswick’s economy.

Why Now?

New Brunswick has fallen behind most Canadian associations, which have already introduced a form of a limited license. The limited license is the best way to provide a safe, well-regulated option for people with advanced skills and experience in a more narrow scope than professional engineers or geoscientsts do.

It’s not. The Limited Licensing Task Force has carefully reviewed both the previous proposals and revised them to one that is right for New Brunswick and right for APEGNB.

Key changes include:

  • Clear distinction and delineation between professional engineers and geoscientists: a limited licensee will receive the designation of L.E.L / L.G.L.
  • Limited licensees will not be able to refer to themselves as professional engineers
  • Increased experience (between five and eight years of related experience) and relevant education (in most cases, a science degree or diploma) required of limited licensees
  • The restriction on some voting rights enjoyed by professional members of APEGNB
This would respond to a specific market demand that may be left to other entities to fill if APEGNB is not more proactive.

The task force heard these concerns during previous limited license proposals and takes these concerns seriously.

But when considered in the context of the regulatory regimes elsewhere in Canada, the task force believes the proposed limited license will actually have the opposite effect.

Allowing APEGNB to introduce and control a limited license is the best way to keep a very clear distinction between professional engineers/geoscientists and limited licensees going forward.

Those who earn a limited license must be specialists within that very specific area of practice and would be regulated accordingly by APEGNB.

Requirements

The task force is proposing two categories through which an applicant would have the necessary experience and academic backgound:

Academic

Category 1:

  • Bachelors of Science degree
  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, geoscience or related science.

Category 2:

  • Engineering or Geoscience Technology Diploma from nationally-accredited program or equivalent
  • Three years of full-time engineering-related courses from a CEAB-accredited program

Experience

Category 1

  • 5 Years of supervised engineering or geoscience work experience 

Category 2

  • 8 Years of supervised engineering or geoscience work experience 

Anyone found by APEGNB’s board of admissions to have the appropriate education, experience and other qualifications.

Applicants must:

  • show proof of Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Residency status or work permit
  • have worked in a Canadian environment;
  • and/or demonstratable mastery of Canadian competencies (CBA)

Limited license experience can count toward a future professional designation, but there remain significant academic and experience requirements a limited licensee will require before becoming a professional.

Implementation | Timeline

APEGNB is working closely with the members of the Board of Admissions Committee to determine the best process and timeline to implement this addition.

Limited Licenses in Practice

Limited licensees are expected to make up only a fraction of the overall APEGNB membership.

Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba reports about one per cent of its members are limited licensees, more than five years after a limited license was introduced in that province.

This concept is about allowing certain individuals with a clear expertise in a very specific area, to become an APEGNB member and have their work regulated to the same high standards professional engineers and geoscientists must uphold.

Yes. Like licensees (non-New Brunswick residents), limited licensees must re-apply annually.

In largely the same way professional engineers and geoscientists are by APEGNB’s Board of Admissions.

Limited licensees will be held to the same professional standards and subject to the same level of review as professional registrants.

The same as other members.

The task force envisions a similar amount of work by APEGNB staff and committee to properly regulate limited licensees as is required for regular members, and fees will reflect that.

It’s similar, and the task force envisions a similar outcome: well-rounded teams whose skills and experience complement each other to achieve high-quality, well-regulated work.

It should be noted this dynamic already exists across New Brunswick between engineers and technologists.

Technologists

No.

There are certainly technologists in the province who will be able to qualify, but the proposed qualifications are based on minimum levels of relevant engineering or geoscience experience, relevant educational experience, and other requirements.

Suggestions? Comments?

The task force is committed to receiving and reviewing feedback from APEGNB registrants.

Fill out the contact form or email your comments to questions@apegnb.com.