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.
Thank you, Minister. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?
Yes, I do.
Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Minister, please introduce your witnesses.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, with me I have Celeste McCabe, further to my left, ADM of asset management. I also have Ms. Alison Scott who is manager of our legislative affairs at the Department of Infrastructure. And to my right, I have Laura Jeffrey who is the legislative counsel with the Department of Justice. And at the end, I have Mr. Mark Cronk who is director of design and technical services with the Department of Infrastructure.
Thank you. Welcome. I will now turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment, the committee that reviewed the bill for any opening comments on Bill 93. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Bill 93, Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on June 2nd, 2023. It was referred to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for review.
Bill 93 gives the Northwest Territories Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists new powers and duties. In the committee's review period, the committee received two verbal submissions on the bill. Clausebyclause review of Bill 93 was held on July 25th, 2023. The committee proposed the amendment of legislation or to legislate the online publishing of more information, and the Minister concurred.
I'd like to thank the committee for its hard work, because economic development committee is the best, and on the review of the bill 93. Individual Members may have additional comments, Madam Chair, or questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Committee, may we forego general comments and proceed to a clausebyclause review of the bill?
Agreed.
Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. We will go through the clauses in groups. Please turn to page 1 of the bill.
Clause 1 through 10, does committee agree?
Agreed.
---Clauses 1 through 81 inclusive approved
Committee, to the bill as a whole, does committee agree that Bill 93, Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act, is now ready for third reading?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 93, Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act?
Agreed.
Thank you. Thank you, Minister. Thank you to all your witnesses. Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.
Member for Kam Lake, what is the wish of committee?
Madam Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.
There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---CARRIED
I will now rise and report progress.
