Engineers and Geoscientists BC

Division History

Our group began as the Division of Engineers and Geoscientists in the Forest Sector (DEGIFS) and was later renamed to become the Engineers and Geoscientists in the Resource Sector Division. It was formed in 1995 to address issues pertaining to the practice of engineering and geoscience brought about by requirements contained within the Forest Practices Code (FPC) legislation. Issues of required professional qualifications, appropriate standards of practice, and the limited number of professional engineers and geoscientists with experience in the industry were identified in the initial years of the FPC.

The idea of forming DEGIFS was initiated in 1995 by the Resource Industry Educational and Professional Development Task Force. Formed in 1994, the task force was made up of registered professional foresters (RPF), professional engineers (P.Eng.), and professional geoscientists (P.Geo.) who brought about the development of several important initiatives on behalf of the Association of BC Professional Foresters (ABCPF) and members of Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (then known as APEGBC). A key result was a "Memorandum of Understanding" between ABCPF and Engineers and Geoscientists BC in December 1994, which helped to define the respective roles and areas of responsibility of these professionals. This led to the formation, in 1995, of the Joint Practices Board (JPB, between ABCPF and Engineers and Geoscientists BC) and the formation of DEGIFS.

In March of 2008 DEGIFS, recognizing the growing diversity of industries that its members were practising in, changed its name to the Division of Engineers and Geoscientists in the Resource Sector (DEGIRS). In 2017, the name was changed once again to Engineers and Geoscientists in the Resource Sector Division. The Division has continued to provide current resources to its membership, run technical talks and a field trip at the Engineers and Geoscientists BC Annual Conference and AGM, and publish its quarterly newsletter, ASPECT. Since 2009, the Division has supported Engineers and Geoscientists BC and the JPB providing technical expertise and feedback for several guidelines, including:

  • Engineers and Geoscientists BC/ABCFP Guidelines for Terrain Stability Assessments in the Forest Sector.
  • FRPA General Bulletin #23 – Providing Notice of Road Construction or Deactivation Activities in a Community Watershed
  • Guidelines for Professional Services in the Forest Sector – Crossings
  • Guidelines for Professional Services in the Forest Sector – Terrain Stability Assessments
  • Fish-stream Crossing Guidebook
  • Audit of Timber Harvesting, Road Construction, Deactivation, Maintenance and Wildfire Protection Activities (Forest Practices Board) February 2013
  • Bridge Planning, Design and Construction – Special Investigation (Forest Practices Board) March 2014

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