Vancouver is the first municipality to receive Organizational Quality Management (OQM) certification from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC). The city is the first municipality to receive OQM in B.C.

The OQM program was developed by the APEGBC to improve the quality management of professional engineering and geoscience practices at the individual and organizational level.

A voluntary program, it includes certification for organizations through a process which includes submitting the organization’s quality management policies and procedures for review. Certified organizations are also audited every five years.

“We are very proud to have achieved this certification,” said Jerry Dobrovolny, General Manager, Engineering Services. “It’s a confirmation of the professionalism and commitment to quality that we all use when planning and designing everything from major infrastructure projects to curb repairs.”

OQM certification is based on an assessment of the organization’s practices against seven quality management requirements for APEGBC professionals, as set out in the Act and bylaws of the association.

“By becoming OQM certified, the city has demonstrated its strong alignment with the standards of the engineering profession,” said Ann English, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, APEGBC. “Organizations such as the city that employ so many professional engineers can have significant influence on the practice of the profession and ultimately the protection of the public.”

According to APEGBC, the certification process sets benchmarks for the quality and efficiency of engineering and geoscience services to be expected from the organization. Improved quality management as a result of adhering to the prescribed standards is generally reflected in public safety, health and welfare, and protection of the environment.