About the AIBC
The Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) is an independent, professional self-regulatory body established in 1920 by provincial statute – the Architects Act. It is the AIBC’s mandate to regulate the profession of architecture within the province in the public interest. This entails upholding excellence in the profession by establishing stringent education, experience and examination standards for entry to practice, as well as continuing competence and conduct standards through which architects maintain their exclusive rights to both practice and title in British Columbia.
The AIBC is governed
by a council of 10 elected architects, four persons
appointed by the provincial government, and one appointee
from within the faculty of the University of British
Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
Copyright and Trade-marks
The entire contents of this web site ("materials")
are protected by copyright and other intellectual
property laws in Canada and under such laws of
foreign countries.
The materials, including all site design, graphics,
text, and the selection and arrangement thereof, are
Copyright © Architectural Institute of
British Columbia or its licensors, as applicable.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Under the Architects Act, the British Columbia
legislature has reserved the title “Architect”
and any similar title, name, description or use, as
well as the designation “MAIBC”
(Member of the Architectural Institute of British
Columbia) to only those persons admitted to the AIBC
as registered members (architects).
To further protect the public interest, including but not limited to public health,
safety, and welfare, the AIBC has protected the
following official marks for members and associates, as applicable
and defined in the Architects Act. Implementation and use of these official marks are under review.
Any trade-marks, trade-names, logos and official marks
of the AIBC, and the icons appearing on this web site,
may not be used without the express written permission
of the AIBC. All other trade-marks, product names
and company names or logos in the materials are the
property of their respective owners.
Licence:
The AIBC grants a limited licence to display or print
the materials for personal use, on condition that
the materials be unchanged and all copyright, trade-mark
and other proprietary notices contained in the original
materials, including a copy of the Terms of Use, appear
in any copies made. A limited licence is also granted
to use the e-mail and Internet links in the materials.
Any modification, display, reproduction, distribution,
access or other use of the materials, including for
commercial or public purposes, must be pursuant to
written permission from the AIBC or those third parties
to whom the intellectual property rights belong. Reproduction
or display of the materials on any other web site
on the Internet or intra-net is strictly prohibited.
All rights not expressed herein are reserved.
Upon a breach of the terms and conditions of the limited
licence, the AIBC can terminate any limited licence
granted to use the materials, and require the immediate
destruction of any copies made of the materials. Any
unauthorized use of the materials may violate the
laws of Canada, including copyright, patent and trade-mark
laws.
Disclaimer:
The AIBC does not represent or warrant as to the currency,
accuracy, completeness or reliability of the materials
or any other information contained on any site to
which links are provided in the materials. The AIBC
and its representatives, including employees, officers,
agents, licensees and affiliates, are not liable to
the licensee or any other third party for any claims,
damages or any other costs arising from the use, or
reliance upon, the materials. The above limitation
of liability applies even if the AIBC or its representatives
had advice regarding, or should have known of, the
possibility of such liability arising.
Jurisdiction:
The materials herein are governed by laws of the Province
of British Columbia and Canada, and all licensees
of the AIBC are responsible for complying with such
laws. Any use, licensed or otherwise, is subject to
the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the courts
of the Province of British Columbia and all licensees
voluntarily acknowledge such.
Programs and Services Offered
For the Public
The primary role of the AIBC is to protect the public
interest, including public health, safety and welfare,
in the practice of architecture by building public
awareness and confidence in the roles, responsibilities
and capabilities of those registered by, and practising
through, the institute. The AIBC also fulfils its mandate by ensuring competence
and good conduct of registrants.
The AIBC provides a range of regulatory and advocacy
programs and services to the public. Regulatory programs
and services include formal mechanisms for complaint
resolution should a member of the public have questions
or concerns about the competence or conduct of a registrant,
as well as enforcement mechanisms to ensure public
protection against illegal practice (i.e. misrepresentation or practising architecture without a licence) through which
a person not qualified or competent to engage in practice
can be prevented from so doing.
Advocacy programs and services include an advisory
program through which members of the public
can access AIBC volunteer members to discuss when,
how, and under what terms and conditions an architect
can and should be engaged. The AIBC also administers
a member directory service for the public, oversees
its Architecture in Schools program, and offers Architectural
Walking Tours. In addition, the institute educates
and informs through a variety of programs including
the AIBC Annual Architectural Awards and regular public
displays in the AIBC Architecture Centre Gallery.
Members of the public are also afforded access to the range of the institute's Practice Support, Continuing Education and Annual Conference programs.
For Members
The AIBC, either by itself or in partnership with provincial
and national counterparts, provides a range of programs
and services for practitioners in each of the various
registration categories. These include:
Accreditation and Certification
The AIBC determines the education, experience
and examination requirements of practitioners
seeking entry to the profession.
The AIBC works with national counterparts and accrediting
agencies to evaluate post-secondary education
and determine whether graduates from designated
programs meet entry requirements. The AIBC also
provides evaluation services for individuals who
have not graduated from accredited institutions
so they may have their education assessed for
entry to the profession.
Similarly, the AIBC works both independently and
in concert with national counterparts to establish
and maintain programs and services to allow prospective
practitioners to gain necessary internship experience
for registration, and access registration examinations
that are recognized nationally and between Canada
and the United States of America. The programs
and services offered through the AIBC and its
counterparts allow for labour mobility and recognition
of practitioners throughout Canada and the U.S.A.
Intern Program and Registration
The AIBC offers intern programs through which
persons assessed as having met the educational
requirements for entry into one or more registration
programs may gain the necessary work experience
as well as access to the examination processes
for registration. Once a person satisfies
the relevant intern work experience and examination
requirements, he/she may apply for registration
as an architect (MAIBC), Architectural Technologist, Building Designer, or Residential Designer.
Practice Support
The AIBC retains staff and maintains a number
of boards and committees that provide practice
support, and advice to members. A wide range of
materials, information and advice is available
to all registrants and interested members of the
public through printed publications, web postings
and electronic distribution.
Continuing Education
All MAIBC and associate registrants must undertake
and report annual continuing education activities.
The numbers of hours and types of activities recognized
for any registration category are published and
maintained by the institute, which also provides
tracking and recording services so that registrants
can demonstrate they are meeting the continuing
education requirements for maintaining their registration
in BC. AIBC records may also be used as evidence
of meeting continuing education requirements in
other jurisdictions in which an AIBC registrant
may also be registered and practising.
The institute offers professional development sessions throughout the year, and an annual conference all of high standard for its registrants and interested members of the public.
Outreach
The AIBC provides representation (from design review to technical input) on a wide range
of government and industry-related committees, liaises with provincial
and national industry-related associations and
other regulatory bodies, and provides a voice
on important professional issues at all levels
of government.
Description
of Titles and Designations
Architect (MAIBC)
Under the Architects Act and Bylaws, the titles
“member” and “architect”
and the designation “MAIBC”
are reserved for those registrants who meet the
education, experience and examination requirements
for engaging in the full range of activities defined
as the practice of architecture in the province
of British Columbia. To qualify for registration as an architect, an applicant must:
- have a Masters-level university degree
from a program accredited and/or recognized
by the AIBC;
- acquire 5,600 hours of prescribed intern
work experience;
- attend six mandatory professional development
courses offered by the AIBC;
- pass an oral, peer review process; and
- write and pass a series of Canada/U.S.A.
registration examinations known as the
ARE – NCARB
Architectural
Technologist.AIBC and AT.AIBC
Program
Those entitled to use the title, Architectural Technologist and designation AT.AIBC
work closely with architects in the project documentation
and administration phases of projects ranging
from the more simple residential through to large
and complex buildings.
To register as an architectural technologist, an applicant must have a diploma in Building
Technology or related discipline from an accredited/recognized
college or technical training institute. Applicants
must also must also complete 5,600 hours of broad-based
internship work experience and successfully write
registration examinations set and administered
by the AIBC.
Building
Designer Program (under development)*
Persons with the title Building
Designer and designation BD.AIBC*
work independently and may design and review construction of residences and small commercial
buildings not requiring the services of an architect
as determined by the Architects Act.
The Building Designer Program requires applicants to have a diploma
in Building Science or related discipline from
an accredited/recognized college, a prescribed
amount and breadth of internship work experience,
and successful completion of the registration
examinations set and administered by the AIBC.
Residential
Designer Program (under development)*
Persons with the title of Residential
Designer and designation of RD.AIBC*
may design and may review construction of residences.
For registration in the Residential
Designer
Program, applicants must have technical education
in residential design, drafting, or related building
fields, relevant experience as an intern working
under the supervision of a registered residential
designer, building designer or architect, and
must pass a registration examination set and administered
by the AIBC. |
About the AIBC