Association of BC Forest Professionals

The practice of professional forestry is a regulated activity in British Columbia. The Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP) is responsible for registering and regulating British Columbia’s professional foresters and forest technologists. It administers and enforces the Foresters Act and sets and enforces codes of conduct and standards of practice for members.

The ABCFP is empowered to exact accountability for matters relating to professional competence or conduct. A complaint can be filed against any member of ABCFP and there are no restrictions on who may lodge a complaint. Complaints must be made in writing and meet certain criteria in order to activate the complaint resolution process.

The complaints resolution process is initiated when a written complaint is lodged against a member and is the mechanism through which ACBFP members are held accountable for their professional competence and conduct. If the complaint is accepted, it is forwarded to the complaints resolution committee, which then selects the appropriate dispute resolution mechanism to resolve the complaint.

The range of appropriate complaint resolution mechanisms available include: negotiating a settlement between the parties, accepting admissions from a member, mediation, arbitration, fact finding, investigation and disciplinary hearings.