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this page Help Raise the Level of Compliance with our Act – APGO’s One Geo Challenge!! Our members can help raise the level of awareness within the geoscience community talking to non-compliant geoscientists, and their existing or potential employers, and let them know that registration is the law, and exists to protect the public. Failure to register can trigger enforcement action inform them that by having a self-regulating profession, we all play a part in improving the reputation of our profession and in protecting the public from practitioners who are not qualified geoscientists or, worse still, intentionally abuse the public’s trust. Make them aware that self-regulation allows us to secure areas of professional practice that would otherwise have been allocated to other self-regulated groups which may not be as appropriately trained or experienced in addressing geoscientific issues. Credibility with the public and government improves only when our compliance rate is high. Point out the benefits of the affinity insurance programs administered by CCPE, which all P.Geo.'s can participate in, and the many other features of membership – such as this newsletter! Awareness of the requirements under the Professional Geoscientists Act, 2000 (the Act) and peer persuasion by our registered members, will help in most cases. However, continued non-compliance by geoscientists may result in additional actions. APGO members have a duty and a responsibility to help ensure that the practice of geoscience in Ontario is only undertaken by qualified practitioners. To that end, the APGO strongly encourages members to report unresolved situations of perceived non-compliance to the Registrar. The Registrar can then take the action deemed appropriate. This action can range from a letter requesting additional information to a request for a court injunction against the unlicensed practitioner or firm. Persistent or severe case of non-compliance could result in charges of illegal practice as specified under the Act, which if convicted, can result in substantial fines. Some practitioners are of the belief that professional registration is only required for those who sign off as Qualified Persons on National Instrument 43-101 disclosures. This is not true. All who practicing Professional Geoscience in Ontario are required to register. The APGO has now worked out most of the issues that a start-up regulator must deal with, and intends to now increase its focus on enforcement and compliance as set out in the Act. The APGO Enforcement and Compliance Committee asks that members help the Association with these activities. If each registered P.Geo. in Ontario were to encourage just one non-compliant fellow practitioner to become licensed, it would go a very long way to meeting the obligation of the Association as set out under the Act – APGO’s One Geo Challenge!! Are you ready for APGO’s One Geo Challenge?? |
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more information on APGO, please contact info@apgo.net
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The Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO), now has over 1,200 members, but practice by non-members is continuing at an unacceptably high rate. The APGO is a relatively small association and does not possess the financial or staffing resources that some larger regulators, such as the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), enjoy. In order to decrease the number of non-compliant geoscientists, the Association needs the help of its members. This assistance can be provided in a number of ways.