APEGBC Applauds Bill to Reduce Ultimate Limitation Period

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - June 2, 2011) - The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (APEGBC) applauds the introduction today of a bill to reduce the ultimate limitation period from 30 years to 10 for professional engineers and geoscientists, architects, dentists, and accountants.

The Private Member's Bill was introduced by West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph Sultan, P.Eng., a longstanding engineer and member in good standing with APEGBC.

The ultimate limitation period is the time in which claims can be brought before the courts against these professionals for damages resulting from an error or omission in their work. This change would bring British Columbia into line with Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, where civil liability is 10 or 15 years.

Over a period of 30 years, changes in professional standards, development of new technologies and the evolution of social values make fair assessment of a professional's conduct at the time of the error difficult. It also complicates the administration of justice, as evidence needed to prove or disprove a claim can deteriorate, written records can become lost or destroyed, and the memories of witnesses either fade or the witnesses themselves are no longer available.

"This has been an issue for our Association and our members for many years," said Frank Denton, P.Eng., President of APEGBC. "With the 30-year ultimate limitation period, engineers and geoscientists could currently face civil litigation for work undertaken as far back as 1981. Many of those professionals are long retired or dead. Such a lengthy limitation does not benefit either potential claimants or defendants."

APEGBC encourages government to pass this legislation to resolve these issues.

Founded in 1920, APEGBC is the regulatory and licensing body for the professions of engineering and geoscience and is charged with protecting the public interest. With over 26,000 members, APEGBC is one of the largest professional associations in BC and maintains high academic, experience and professional practice standards. APEGBC works to support government in many ways, from providing solutions for BC's infrastructure to supporting labour mobility across the country.