Thank you. I'm here to present Bill 93, the Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act. Bill 93 seeks to repeal and replace the existing Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act.
I met with Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment to answer questions about the bill on July 18th and 25th, 2023. In addition to engaging with the NWT engineering firms on the regulation of technologists, the Department of Infrastructure also met with the Government of Nunavut to discuss how the bill might affect engineers in that territory. Legislative partners in Nunavut already made significant progress towards a draft bill aligning that territory's laws to our new act, which they hope to introduce that into territory's Legislative Assembly shortly.
This new version of the act will keep responsibility for overseeing the territory's engineering and geoscience professionals with the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists, otherwise known as NAPEG. The Department of Infrastructure worked closely with NAPEG in developing this bill to make sure the new governance framework will meet NAPEG's needs and capacity while allowing public oversight where necessary. Most importantly, this bill will increase public safety by requiring NAPEG members to undergo continuing professional development throughout their careers and by giving NAPEG responsibility for accreditation of applied science technologists and technicians which are unregulated occupations in the two territories.
This bill will also help encourage engineers to work in the Territories in two ways:
- By allowing NAPEG to grant restricted engineering licenses to professionals with foreign credentials; and,
- By making it easier for engineers to resume work after parental leave.
Standing committee has indicated its support for this passage of Bill 93, and I thank the Members for their work in reviewing the bill.
That concludes my opening remarks, and I'm happy to answer questions if the Members have any.