Superintendent undertakes investigation of the governance of the profession of Home Inspection

The Superintendent of Professional Governance will be undertaking an investigation of the governance of the profession of Home Inspection.  Home inspectors are currently licensed by Consumer Protection BC (CPBC), and they can choose to register with either the Home Inspectors Association of BC (HIABC), or the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC).  The government completed a consultation with CPBC, HIABC, and ASTTBC and other interested parties in 2020 on the governance of the profession of home inspection and the majority were in support of requesting designation under the Professional Governance Act (PGA).  As a result of the consultation, the Deputy Solicitor General asked the Superintendent to consider a review of the governance of the profession of home inspection to determine if designation is appropriate.

Sections 85 and 86 of the PGA provide the authority for the Superintendent to conduct an investigation regarding possible designation of a profession, either as a result of an application for designation, or in the absence of an application. Section 86(2) of the Professional Governance Act requires the Superintendent to give public notice of the investigation in the Gazette and on the OSPG website.  Please go to the section entitled “Notices” to view the notice posted in the Gazette on June 10, 2021.

The investigation will focus only on governance of the profession and will include a review of the results of the previous consultation, the current governance structure and processes, and governance of home inspectors in other jurisdictions.  The investigation will result in a report that may include recommendations on governance, and will include a decision of the Superintendent whether it is in the public interest to designate the profession of home inspection under the PGA.

If the Superintendent decides that the profession should be designated, they may also prescribe criteria for that designation, and they must communicate the result to the Minister.  The Minister will then determine whether the designation will be recommended to the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

If the designation proceeds, collaboration will begin between the OSPG and the governing bodies to determine the steps and timing required for full designation. The estimated timeline for conclusion of this investigation is early in 2022.