Governance Model

The Association of BC Forest Professionals was created in 1947 under the provincial Foresters Act. In 2021, the Foresters Act was repealed and replaced with the Professional Governance Act, which continues to charge the ABCFP with a duty to serve and protect the public interest through the regulation of the practice of professional forestry. Specific responsibilities to be undertaken by the ABCFP are assigned in Section 22 of the PGA.

The Professional Governance Act, along with its corresponding regulations and ABCFP bylaws, outline how the association is to operate. A council is granted the authority to govern and administer the affairs of the association in accordance with the Professional Governance Act. The council uses a policy based governance model to provide leadership and direction to the association.

Using this governing style, the council:

• makes decisions in the public interest and not in the interest of any particular group;
• focuses primarily on vision, goals, objectives, and the future rather than management or operational matters that are the responsibility of the chief executive officer;
• develops, maintains, and monitors the governance and limitation policies that guide the organization’s business operations;
• has the responsibility of authority and oversight of the Chief Executive Officer and his/her performance.