The Regulator
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY The College of Applied Biologists (CAB) reflects on 20 years of unique regulation Christine Houghton, CEO, College of Applied Biologists
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Christine Houghton, CEO, College of Applied Biologists
n 2003, the government of British Columbia took a bold and important step in recognizing applied biology as a self-regulating profession by introducing the College of Applied Biology Act and establishing the College of Applied Biology (the College). This legislation was the first in the world to acknowledge applied biology in resource management by protecting the registered titles for Registered Professional Biologists (RPBios), and later Registered Biology Technologists (RBTechs) and Applied Biology Technicians (ABTs). Twenty years later, the College ― now the College of Applied Biologists ― has grown both in the number of registrants and in its mandate to protect the public interest.
Recognizing that the journey started long before 2003, the latest leg in the evolving the professional governance of applied biology was initiated in October 2017 with the Professional Reliance Review. The review culminated in the introduction of the Professional Governance Act (PGA) in the fall of 2018. The PGA allowed for the ability of the College to enhance its mandate to better protect the public by enshrining practice rights (now reserved practice) in legislation — another global first. The transition from a member-driven association to a professional regulator over a relatively short period of time has been both inspiring and challenging. As with any challenge, there are opportunities. Finding THEREGISTRAR.CA
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