Thank you.
My name is Jim McKee. I'm the executive director of Architecture Canada.
With me is Jill McCaw, project manager for the broadly experienced foreign architect project.
I'd like to mention that Saskatchewan architect Dave Edwards, chair of the broadly experienced foreign architect task force, would very much like to have been here today but couldn't be, as the meeting was held on fairly tight notice.
I'd like to thank the committee for the opportunity to report on the progress of our project, which is labelled BEFA for short. It's a project made possible by the foreign credential recognition program and one conceived to put in place an innovative new system for assessing the credentials of foreign-trained architects in a manner that is timely, fair, transparent, pan-Canadian, and rigorous in ensuring that Canadian standards for architectural practice are upheld.
The project is proceeding with the full backing of the Canadian architectural profession. Our partners, the provincial and territorial members of the Canadian architectural licensing authorities, CALA, share a commitment to put in place a new process for assessing the credentials of foreign-trained architects to be administered by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board. The project is currently in the pilot phase. Our target date to go operational is September 2012.
Under the current system, foreign-trained architects seeking to qualify for practise in Canada must be able to demonstrate educational qualifications equivalent to those specified by the Canadian educational standard. They have to find work with an architectural practice and accumulate 5,600 hours as an intern architect, and they have to write the Canadian qualification exam.
Three, four, or more years are required to complete this process. It can be unattractive to an architect already holding a broad range of experience who is well advanced in their career in their home country.
The reality is that we currently have a prescriptive certification system predicated on the vast majority of candidates entering the profession coming from accredited Canadian schools of architecture.
Moreover, the reality is that Canada needs more architects, not less. Like many professions, its membership is aging. Within ten years, 58% of Canadian architects will be above the age of 50. As this group transitions to retirement, one study has projected that we will face a shortfall of between 100 and 200 architects a year.
Our fundamental objective, then, is to develop and put in place an assessment system and interview process that results in more internationally trained architects being integrated into the system without in any way diluting or lowering Canadian standards of admission to the profession, the regulation of which exists to protect the public interest, notably public safety.
We are now well advanced in the development of this new system. It will include an online self-assessment component that will enable foreign-trained architects to begin the process of assessing their credentials vis-à-vis Canadian standards of practice while still in their home country.
To be clear, foreign-trained architects will still need to provide evidence of an architectural education, proof of licensure or its equivalent in their jurisdiction, as well as proof of broad experience, at least seven years, as a practising architect in their home country.
The fundamental focus of the new system, however, will be on testing for essential competencies required to perform as a qualified Canadian architect. These competencies have been identified after extensive work with assessment consultants and with practising architects.
The competencies have then been mapped out in a comprehensive matrix, which underlies the online self-assessment questionnaire that will be the starting point for any foreign-trained architect seeking to be certified and referred to the licensing authorities.
Once they've completed their self-assessment and uploaded supporting documentation, their file will be reviewed by a team of assessors. They will then be scheduled for a face-to-face interview, which we use to verify their competencies. This evaluation will be carried out by three Canadian architects trained as assessors.
Jill.