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At the end of 2008, a new set of standards for Certification as an RPF was adopted by OPFA and other Forestry Profession regulators across the country*. Those new standards are currently the basis for Accreditation standards that are being used to assess University programs. Both the old subject based standards and the new competency based standards are official during a transition period that will last at least until 2018, to allow for graduates of programs accredited on the basis of the old standards to graduate and obtain the required post-graduation experience.
A process is currently being developed to have a common approach across the country to assessment of persons who have not graduated from an accredited program; it is planned that it will be available in 2011. Once it is initiated all new applicants who are foreign trained professionals, together with Canadians who have not graduated from an accredited program, would be assessed through the current program. Provisional Members who are already embarked on a series of exams to qualify under the old subject-based standards will be able to continue on that basis un til the old standards are discontinued (2018 or later).
As the new standards allow more flexibility in acceptable university programs and degrees and are thus seen as more inclusive, you may hear or see these projects referred to as Inclusivity I, II, III, etc
* Quebec is currently continuing with the old subject-based standards, while pursuing a parallel, but separate, project. If, as expected, they reach similar outcomes, this would provide useful validation of the above project.
