Government Initiates Change

Small business is the backbone of our provincial economy. Many Notary practices are small businesses providing employment opportunities in their communities and vital noncontentious legal services to the citizens of British Columbia.

In this edition of The Scrivener, we are highlighting some elements of running a successful business.

The British Columbia Notaries Association (BCNA) plays an important role in supporting Notaries as legal professionals and, in many cases as businessowners. In keeping with our Strategic Plan, we have completed a marketing strategy to help direct the Association’s advertising efforts and developed a digital toolkit for Notaries that can be found in the Members Area of the BCNA website. There, BC Notaries can access a social media library of templates and tips to develop their own social media advertising campaign.

The BCNA has also partnered with Mercer Benefits, to make available an optional benefits program for Notaries and their employees. Leveraging our collective numbers has helped to provide cost-effective extended benefits that help members take care of themselves and serves as a valuable tool in helping with employee retention.

Advocating on behalf of the profession is another key responsibility of the BCNA. Notaries are passionate about their demanding careers. As members in the British Columbia Notaries Association, busy Notaries look to the BCNA for advocacy. We are facing significant change in British Columbia with the Ministry of the Attorney General announcement in March of this year that they will move to unify legislation and regulation of the legal professions.

The BCNA recognizes that the Ministry of the Attorney General is the driver of this process; we have been informed that the responsibilities and level of involvement of the regulator (Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia representing the public interest) will be more in depth and differ from that of the professional association. Government has however confirmed with the BCNA that we will be invited to consultation alongside the Canadian Bar Association BC at appropriate stages throughout the process.

With future consultation in mind, I want to share with you some key positions the BCNA Board has discussed and will raise with government. It will be the intention of the BCNA to ensure • the independent and unique identity of BC Notaries in the practice of noncontentious law is maintained in new legislation and regulation; • expanded scope of practice for BC Notaries is enabled

in regulation under the new legislation; • the BCNA will continue to receive funding for continuing education programs and initiatives for

BC Notaries from The Notary

Foundation or its successor entity; and • the BCNA will remain as a member-based organization to advocate, educate, promote, and support Notaries throughout

British Columbia. Our expanded scope of practice advocacy has been consistent in recent years. With the goal of providing British Columbians with greater access to noncontentious legal services, the BCNA has actively promoted changes to the scope of practice for BC Notaries in the areas of • the ability to provide advice and prepare testamentary trusts and life estates; • the ability to provide advice and prepare and file probate documents in the Court’s registry; and • the ability to provide advice to incorporate and maintain records of companies. It will be an interesting and challenging year ahead. While other priorities will be identified as this dialogue with the province advances, the BCNA will work to ensure Notaries have a voice in the process. s Respectfully, Chad Rintoul Chief Executive Officer

Chad Rintoul