The College of Applied Biologists protects the public interest by ensuring that its registrants meet a specific standard of education, training and experience before being admitted to the College; remain competent throughout their career; and adhere to a high standard of ethical and professional conduct.
Questions relevant to Professional Practice can be directed to Contact Us.
Professional Practice Information
The College has developed information intended to guide and support registrants in ethical and professional matters, technical matters, and professional practice.
Ethical and Professional Matters
The following information is intended to guide and support registrants with ethical and professional matters:
- Professional Governance Act
- Applied Biologists Regulation
- OSPG Guidelines
- College Bylaws
- Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
- Professional Practice Competency and Competence Standard
- Principles of Stewardship
- Conflict of Interest Guidance
- Registrant Areas of Practice List
- Signing and Sealing Standard
- Continuing Professional Development Standard
- Reserved Title and Practice Compliance Plan
Technical Matters
The following information is intended to guide and support registrants with technical matters:
College Policies Related to Professional Practice
The following information is intended to guide and support registrants with professional practice:
Reserved Title and Reserved Practice
The College developed an Illustrative Document which covers topics such as the definitions of regulated and reserved practices, the pathways to registration with the College, and areas of intersection between applied biology professionals and other professions in the natural resource sector.
Reserved Title
The Professional Governance Act enables reserved titles to be granted to applied biology professionals by the College. A reserved title is a title that only a registrant of the College of Applied Biologists is legally allowed to use when providing advice and/or services in British Columbia. The reserved titles that may be used by applied biology professionals are defined in the Applied Biologists Regulation, and provided below:
- Registered Professional Biologist (RPBio) or Professional Biologist
- Registered Biology Technologist (RBTech)
- Applied Biology Technician (ABT)
- Biologist in Training (BIT)
- Registered Biology Technologist in Training (Trainee RBTech)
- Applied Biology Technician in Training (Trainee ABT)
- Applied Biology-Limited Licensee (AB-LL)
Read more about the College’s categories of registration and registrant scopes of practice here.
Regulated Practice
The definition of the regulated practice of applied biology is detailed in the Applied Biologists Regulation, and is summarized below.
The “practice of applied biology” means the provision of
(a) advice or services that:
- are based on biological sciences, and
- relate to aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems or the living organisms, habitats or processes of those ecosystems, or
(b) advice or services that are ancillary to those described in paragraph (a).
However, the practice of applied biology does not include the provision of advice or services within the reserved practice of a registrant of another regulatory body.
Reserved Practice
Implementation of reserved practice is the culmination of over three years of policy work between the College, its regulatory partners, the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance and the government of BC. Reserved practice also represents one of the original goals of the College itself, to recognize and value the importance of applied biology professionals in the natural resource sector.
Effective September 1, 2022, anyone practicing applied biology, as defined in the Applied Biologists Regulation, must be registered with or supervised by a registrant of the College of Applied Biologists. The College’s process for compliance and enforcement with reserved title and reserved practice can be found in the reserved practice compliance plan.
Video: Reserved Practice Awareness, Interpretation and Compliance, 2024
Reserved practice contributes to effective protection of the public interest and is a key goal of the Professional Governance Act, which is that work in the natural resource and built environments is done by qualified, competent, and accountable professionals.
The College of Applied Biologists recognizes and respects that Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and professional applied biology are complementary practices in managing and protecting natural resources. As such, the reserved practice for applied biology does not include Indigenous traditional practices in resource management.
Reserved Practice Information Sessions and Outreach
The College continues implementation of the reserved practice of applied biology and conducts outreach to registrants, employers, governments and other stakeholders in a variety of formats.
From time to time, the College also hosts information sessions which offer greater opportunities to speak with College representatives regarding the implementation of reserved practice.
If you would like to arrange for a presentation from College staff at your organization please contact the College office. The College can provide information via videoconference and, in some cases, provide in-person sessions.
Reserved Practice and Reserved Title Compliance Plan
As part of its statutory mandate to enforce title use and reserved practice, the College has developed the Reserved Practice and Reserved Title Compliance Plan to provide information on reserved practice and reserved title compliance and enforcement activities.
Continuing Professional Development
Program Overview
The professional practice of applied biology is constantly changing and evolving. Ongoing education and professional development are therefore necessary for professional competence and to uphold a registrant’s duty to the public and environment. Section 57(1)(e) of the Professional Governance Act requires the College to establish a continuing education program for its registrants, and Part 7, Division 2, Section 7-2(1) of the College Bylaws requires the participation by College registrants in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD program). The CPD Program is a tool that intends to support a registrant’s professional growth and maintain their level of competence for the tenure of their professional careers.
Requirements
The CPD Program is described in Division 2 of the College Bylaws and in 7-100 Continuing Professional Development. Requirements for registrants are further set out in the Continuing Professional Development Standard. Participation in the CPD Program is mandatory for all practicing and in-training registrants, including those registered as on leave.
CPD Program basics:
- Minimum points/hours: registrants must complete 100 CPD points/hours of eligible activities over 3 consecutive years (there is reduced requirement for those registered as on leave).
- Timeframe: one CPD year runs from January 1st to December 31st of the same year.
- Annual reporting: registrants must submit an annual record of CPD activities undertaken by December 31st of each year through their profile in the College’s Registrant Portal.
- CPD categories: eligible activities are defined by categories in the Continuing Professional Development Standard.
- Claimable points: maximum annual claimable points per activity and category are set out in the Continuing Professional Development Standard.
- Indigenous Peoples: registrants must complete 5 CPD points/hours of learning related to Indigenous Peoples over 3 consecutive years.
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: registrants must complete 5 CPD points/hours of learning about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion over 3 consecutive years.
Continuing Professional Development Opportunities
The College supports Continuing Professional Development through listing events and workshops and offering volunteer opportunities.
Upcoming Events and Workshops
Visit the calendar of events to view upcoming CPD opportunities.
Submit an Event or Workshop Listing
If you have CPD opportunities to share with the College, click here.
Volunteering with the College
A great way to earn Continuing Professional Development Points: Service to the College can be used towards CPD points requirements, depending on the task force or committee. Check current volunteer openings.
Continuing Professional Development Resources
Additional resources and opportunities that may be considered for CPD points/hours are listed below for consideration. Registrants are required to refer to the Continuing Professional Development Standard for information on relevant categories, criteria and their associated claimable points. It is a registrant’s responsibility to ensure professional development activities align with their professional practice and that a given activity aligns with the Continuing Professional Development Standard prior to undertaking the activity and subsequently claiming points/hours.
Legal and Scientific Literature Resources
- Avian Conservation and Ecology Journal
- Biological Survey of Canada
- Canadian Center of Science and Education (CCSE): International Journal of Biology
- Canadian Research Knowledge Network: Open Access Journals List
- Canadian Wildlife Biology & Management
- CANLII (a searchable website for legislation, regulation and legal cases that have resulted on in Canada)
- CORE (COnnectiongREpositories)
- Cross-Linked Information Resources (CLIR)
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- EcoCat Ecological Reports Catalogue
- FACETS (Canadian Science Publishing)
- Federal Science Libraries Network (FSLN)
- Forest Research Publications
- Google Scholar
- J.T. Fyles Natural Resource Library
- Journal of Experimental Biology
- Open Access Network: Biology
- Public Library of Science (PLOS)
- Science Open
- Water Science Series
Provincial & Federal Government Resources
- BC Conservation Data Centre
- BC Consulting with First Nations
- BC Cumulative Effects Framework
- BC Environmental Protection and Sustainability
- BC Libraries and Publication Catalogues
- J.T. Fyles Natural Resource Library
- Cross-Linked Information Resources (CLIR)
- EcoCat – Ecological Reports Catalogue
- Environmental Information Resources System for Biodiversity (EIRS BDP)
- Environmental Information Resources System for Ecosystem Protection (EIRS EP)
- Forest Research Publications
- Water Science Series
- BC Ministry of Environment and Parks
- BC Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
- BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
- BC Natural Resource Best Management Practices
- BC Plants, Animals and Ecosystems
- BC Public Service Biologist Careers
- BC Working Around Water Guidance
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Projects Near Water
- Gender-based Analysis Plus
- Government of Canada Publications – Collection of Biodiversity Information Sources
- Understanding Federal Jurisdiction and First Nations
BC Post-Secondary Institutes / Continuing Education
- Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
- British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Camosun College
- Coast Mountain College
- College of New Caledonia
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
- Northern Lights College
- Okanagan College
- Royal Roads University
- Selkirk College
- Simon Fraser University
- Thompson Rivers University
- University of British Columbia
- University of the Fraser Valley
- University of Northern BC
- University of Victoria
- Vancouver Island University
BC-Based Organizations
- Association of Professional Biology
- Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology
- Engineers and Geoscientists BC
- Erosion and Sediment Control Association of British Columbia
- GeoEnviro Training Professionals
- Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.
- Invasive Species Council of BC
- Natural Resources Training Group
- Society for Ecosystem Restoration in Northern BC
- Stewardship Centre for BC
Canadian-Based Organizations
- Alberta Society of Professional Biologists
- Canadian Botanical Association
- The Canadian Section of the Wildlife Society
- Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution
- Canadian Society of Plant Biologists
- Canadian Wildlife Federation
- Coastal Zone Canada
- ECO Canada
- Fundamentals of OCAP — First Nations Governance Information Centre
- Nature Conservancy of Canada
- Society for Conservation Biology
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Audit Program
The Audit Program is a non-disciplinary professional development tool designed to assess a registrant’s compliance with legal requirements, assess their continuing education efforts, and identify actions that can be taken to resolve and mitigate deficiencies identified in their professional development.
The Audit Program aids the College in fulfilling its mandate to protect the public interest by ensuring registrants maintain professional competence and compliance with professional standards and requirements.
Eligible registrants are randomly selected each year in January for audit. The audit process includes a review of an auditee’s recent Continuing Professional Development activities submitted in their annual CPD statements, and the auditee’s responses to a professional practice questionnaire. Selected registrants are randomly assigned to either a standard Level II audit or an abbreviated Level I audit.
The Section 63(7) of the Professional Governance Act enables the College’s Audit Program. Participation in the Audit Program and process is mandatory for registrants as stated in Part 8, Division 2, Section 8-4(5) of the College Bylaws. Failure to participate in the Audit Program may result in a suspension or a cancellation as a registrant of the College consistent with College Bylaws Part 5, Division 5, Section 5-15.
Registrants selected for an Audit are encouraged to refer to Policy 8-200 Audit Program and Policy 8-400 Audit and Practice Review Extension and Exemption Requests, which provide details on the audit process, applicable timelines, and the requirements for submitting extension or exemption requests.
Practice Review Program
The Practice Review Program is a non-disciplinary professional development tool designed to protect the public interest by way of providing registrants with opportunities to resolve practice deficiencies, improve their professional practice, and ultimately develop as professionals.
Through assessment, the Practice Review serves to determine if a registrant’s actions have violated the Professional Governance Act, Applied Biologists Regulation, or College Bylaws and where sub-standard practice or violations exist, what corrective actions or limitations on the practice of the registrant are warranted to protect the public and environment.
The Practice Review Program is intended to ensure that registrants are also in compliance with other relevant legal requirements and are knowledgeable of approved regulatory criteria, guidance documents applicable to their practice, and that they are practicing within their authority, level of knowledge, and expertise.
A Practice Review is not an investigation but aims to ensure that suspected practice deficiencies are further examined. A registrant is required to participate and must comply with the process and any direction arising from the Practice Review, as stipulated in Part 8, Division 2, Section 8-5 (6) of the College Bylaws.
Failure to comply with the Practice Review Program may result in a suspension or a cancellation as a registrant of the College consistent with College Bylaws Part 5, Division 5, Section 5-15.
A Practice Review is initiated by referral from the Audit and Practice Review Committee, Investigations Committee, or Registrar/Deputy Registrar when there is reason to believe that there is a deficiency, or multiple deficiencies in a registrant’s practice. Deficiencies defined in the Professional Governance Act include where the registrant might have:
- Contravened the Professional Governance Act, the Applied Biologists Regulation, or the College Bylaws;
- Failed to comply with a standard, limit or condition imposed under the Professional Governance Act;
- Acted in a manner that constitutes professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming a registrant; or
- Acted in a manner that constitutes incompetent performance of duties undertaken while engaged in the registrant’s regulated practice.
