President’s Message
January 26th, 2022
Kristen Darr, P.Geo.
Highly impressive. That’s the best way I can describe the projects of APEGS members.
When you go through the Profiles in Achievement that are featured in this issue, I’m sure you too will be impressed by these examples of the work being undertaken by engineers and geoscientists in Saskatchewan.
These projects range from extracting and processing resources that are in demand to planning and constructing technology to designing the infrastructure necessary to deliver crucial services and improve our quality of life. This work is not only bettering our province, but it is making an impact around the world.
It’s exciting for engineers and geoscientists to be able to share these types of stories with the entire membership of APEGS and all who read The Professional Edge.
Thank you to all who contributed to bringing forward these examples for all of us to learn about and better understand the types of projects underway or completed by engineers and geoscientists registered in Saskatchewan in 2021.
Sharing is also what APEGS will be doing with its new social media accounts. New in 2022, you can follow APEGS on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to get valuable information members need while also learning more about the association. It’s a convenient way of staying informed about timely updates.
What is also important to note about 2022 is that it is the 25th year of APEGS regulating geoscience. It was in March 1997 that Saskatchewan’s geoscientists became required to be licensed under The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act that had recently been proclaimed. This move brought Saskatchewan in line with the rest of Canada and the world by making geoscience an accountable self-regulated profession.
This inclusion was possible because of strong communication and planning. This, too, helps explain APEGS’ current strategic planning. While strategic planning is not new to council, the process has become more formalized to focus the attention and efforts of those involved.
This planning is how council sets objectives, manages risks and prioritizes actions for the coming years. The formalized process creates structure around answering questions that come up during strategic planning. What is happening around the organization? What could impact APEGS in the future? What risks should be understood and addressed? The process encourages big-picture thinking in the realm of good governance. This structure includes a new formalized risk register that will drive our strategic planning well into the future.
Credit to council and staff for their dedication and work over the past year to ensure the strategic plan remains front and centre in everything we do. The recent focus on strategic planning and the importance of having a strong process has been key in order to meet the objectives set out by council. That same dedication — to doing work that is necessary for progress to occur — can be seen in our membership. Our members continue to persevere through an uncertain time in the world to work on extremely exciting and interesting projects. The Profiles in Achievement in this issue are just some examples of that dedication that exists among engineers and geoscientist in this province.
With 2022 now underway, I hope you all have interesting and important projects to work on in the coming months that engage you fully in contributing to the betterment of the communities and province we call home.
I learned about the requirement to be licensed with APEGS through my employer, who believed it would be valuable to them as well as myself to have a professional designation. At the time, there was no direct path for an Environmental Scientist like there was for an engineer or a geologist. My employer’s interest pushed me to get in touch with APEGS and inquire about the process and requirements.