Association of British Columbia Professional Foresters (ABCPF)

Association of Registered Professional Foresters of New Brunswick (ARPFNB)

Canadian Institute of Forestry/Institut forestier du Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Section Registered Professional Foresters Program (CIF/IFC NFLD RPF)

Ordre des ingénieurs forestiers du Québec (OIFQ) 

Ontario Professional Foresters Association (OPFA) 

Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia (RPFANS) 

This agreement is made between the Parties named on the preceding page and will remain in force until replaced by any further written agreement. It is made in compliance with the obligations set out in Chapter Seven of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) which deals with the subject of Labour Mobility.  Its purpose is to establish the conditions under which a Registered Professional Forester (R.P.F.) /ingénieurs forestiers (ing.f) who is licensed/registered in one Canadian jurisdiction will have his/her qualifications recognized in another Canadian jurisdiction participating in this Agreement.

2. Definitions

2.1. “Competencies” refers to a set of knowledge, skills and abilities acquired through formal or non-formal education, work experience, and other means required for an occupation.

2.2. “Good Standing” refers to meeting registration or membership requirements of the Home Association including, but not limited to, character, payment of fees, discipline actions and meeting continuing competency requirements.

2.3. “Home Association” refers to the Association/Ordre in which the member is currently licensed/registered.

2.4. “Host Association” refers to the Association/Ordre in which the member is seeking licensure/registration.

2.5. “Party” refers to a Regulatory Body that is a signatory to this agreement.

2.6. “Registered Professional Forester (R.P.F.) /Ingenieur forestier (ing.f) ” refers to an individual who has qualified and is licensed/registered in a jurisdiction.

2.7. “Right to practice” refers to a jurisdiction in which the practice of professional forestry is defined and reserved to members of the regulatory body of the jurisdiction.

2.8. “Right to title” refers to a jurisdiction in which prescribed title(s) is/are defined and reserved to members of the regulatory body of the jurisdiction.

2.9. “Professional forestry” refers to the practice of professional forestry as defined in each jurisdiction.

3. Terms and Conditions

3.1. WHEREAS the undersigned acknowledge that it is in the best interest of their memberships and the general public to enable Registered Professional Foresters to have access to employment opportunities in that occupation in all provinces and territories in Canada;

3.2. WHEREAS this agreement does not modify the authority of each regulatory body to set standards and requirements;

3.3. WHEREAS it is further agreed and understood that threshold levels of competence and public safety in the practice of professional forestry must be established, maintained and upheld by regulators to ensure protection of the public;

• range of activities practitioners typically perform.
• professional standards and requirements, given that all Parties currently require for initial entry to practice:
  • good character;
  • graduation from an accredited baccalaureate program (or equivalent) in forestry;
  • a reasonable amount of professional forestry experience;
  • a demonstrated knowledge of relevant local forest policy/legislation and practice;
  • at least one sponsoring Registered Professional Forester who is in good standing;
    • recognizing the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board (CFAB) as the accrediting body for academic programs in forestry
    • complaint and discipline procedures for regulation of their members
    • adherence to codes of ethics / conduct
    • adherence to professional standards of practice

3.4.1. With the following exceptions:

3.4.1.1. WHEREAS Registered Professional Foresters in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec have right to practice and right to title.

3.4.1.2. WHEREAS Registered Professional Foresters in Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland have right to title.

3.5. WHEREAS no Party will maintain or adopt any requirement for residency in its jurisdiction as part of its standards or requirements;

3.6. WHEREAS each Party shall ensure that any measure it adopts or maintains relating to registration of a Registered Professional Forester is competency based, published or otherwise readily accessible and does not result in unnecessary delay nor impose inequitable, burdensome fees, except for actual cost differentials;

3.7. WHEREAS each Party shall require an applicant for licensure/registration to demonstrate knowledge of relevant local policy, legislation, and practice as a condition for licensure/registration;

3.8. WHEREAS each Party recognizes that:

3.8.1. For initial registration in a Canadian jurisdiction an applicant may be required to:

• Demonstrate through examination or other forms of assessment the necessary competencies to begin practice as a Registered Professional Forester in the jurisdiction, where initial application is made. 
• Establish and confirm identity for entry into the register of members.
• Pay applicable fees.

3.8.2. In addition to the requirements set out in subsection 3.8.1, an R.P.F. moving from one jurisdiction to another may be required to:

• Be in good standing in his/her home jurisdiction.
• Demonstrate he/she meets any language requirement in place in the host jurisdiction.
• Demonstrate he/she meets any requirement pertaining to local legislation, regulation and professional practice in the host jurisdiction.

3.9. WHEREAS it is recognized that Parties may have members who qualified for licensure/registration under a different regulatory regime, and who may not meet the current standards and requirements for entry to practice. It is recognized that these individuals as of the signing of this agreement are qualified, experienced R.P.F./ing.f and are eligible for membership in all Party jurisdictions provided they meet all other criteria described in this agreement. 

3.10. WHEREAS Parties to this Agreement may maintain differing continuing education requirements of R.P.F. / ing.f in their jurisdictions.  Applicants for licensure/registration will be required to demonstrate compliance with continuing education requirements in the host jurisdiction once licensed/registered there.

4. Terms of Recognition

4.1. THEREFORE in consideration of the principles contained in this agreement, we the Parties agree as follows:

4.1.1. R.P.F /ing.f with a CFAB accredited degree moving from one jurisdiction to another may do so without impediment, subject only to:

4.1.1.1. The right of the host jurisdiction to identify a demonstrably necessary local requirement/competency, not addressed elsewhere in the transferring R.P.F. / ing. f. education or experience.  It is accepted and agreed that any such requirements will not involve a re-testing or re-assessment of common competencies already addressed under CFAB accreditation.  It is further accepted and agreed that at the time of signing this agreement, the only such requirement is in the area of ecology for certain applicants to OIFQ.

4.1.1.2. The need for all transferring R.P.F / ing.f to demonstrate knowledge of local regulation, legislation and professional practice specific to the host jurisdiction.  It is accepted and agreed that the host jurisdiction has the obligation to assess this knowledge through examination or other means deemed appropriate by the host jurisdiction.

4.1.1.3. The need for all transferring R.P.F./ing.f. to meet other requirements in the receiving jurisdiction pertaining to identity check, application procedures and fees and language, discipline and health related conditions. 

4.1.2. R.P.F. / ing.f with a non CFAB accredited degree moving from one jurisdiction : 

4.1.2.1 to a jurisdiction with reserved title may do so without impediment subject to subsections 4.1.1.1, 4.1.1.2. and 4.1.1.3.

4.1.2.2 to a jurisdiction with right to practice, may be subject to individual assessments to identify subject area deficiencies and subject to subsections 4.1.1.1. and 4.1.1.2 and 4.1.1.3.

4.2. Where possible, all jurisdictions agree to provide for a specified period, a temporary/conditional license/membership, or other means to speedy access, to the individual until such time as he/she meets any identified exam and course requirements. 

5. Administration of the Agreement

5.1. Each Party agrees to give advance notice to other Parties when proposing modification or adoption of new standards or requirements that might impact on the interprovincial/territorial mobility of workers. 

5.2.  Each Party agrees that this agreement is a dynamic and evolving instrument that may be amended.  The Parties agree to initiate periodic reviews of this agreement every 3 years after July 1st, 2001 and/or to review the operation of the agreement when such a request is made by one of the Parties.

5.3. Each Party will give written notice to its government and to other Parties of its intent to withdraw from this agreement at least 12 months before the Party withdraws. The notice period is waived where the withdrawal is not within the Party’s control.

5.4. Any entity not Party to this agreement and has been delegated authority to regulate the practice of professional forestry by their government may consent to this agreement on such terms as are agreed to by all Parties.

5.5. Each Party agrees to seek the necessary legislative changes from their respective government if, in order to implement this agreement, there is a need for such changes.  Each Party also agrees to seek to implement the necessary changes to by-laws, policies or procedures in order to implement this agreement. 

5.6. The Parties agree to identify a contact point responsible for implementation of this agreement.

6.0 Signatory Page for Regulatory Bodies

Regulatory Bodies that exercise authority delegated by law for the practice of professional forestry in Canada.

7.0 Signatory Page for Non - Regulatory Body

Signed this 12th  day of August 2001.

Canadian Institute of Forestry/Institut forestier du Canada

Original signed by  Don Gelinas, R.P.F.,  President CIF/IFC

This page last modified September 18, 2005

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