Sponsorship

The key to this definition is the word “responsible”. As a general rule, we consider planning to be “the scientific, aesthetic and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities”.  If your job has a significant component relating to that definition, we regard you as being “employed in planning”.  The standard set by the profession defines responsible planning experience as work:

• Comprising analysis, projection, design or program development which specifically requires consideration of the inter-relationships of space and time among resources, facilities and activities, and which expresses this consideration in a manner to influence the deposition of land or the allocation of resources, facilities or services;
• Which shows a specific relationship to public policies or programs for controlling or influencing the development of communities; and
• Which comprises a substantive component of initiative, judgment, substantial involvement and personal accountability or definition or preparation of significant elements of the program of work.

Recognizing that many professional planners may be required to perform functions that lie outside of responsible professional planning experience, Candidate members may need to obtain the necessary practical work experience over a longer period (i.e., beyond the minimum duration prescribed above).  For instance, if 50% of your working time consists of responsible professional planning experience, it would take you four years to accumulate two years of qualifying work experience.

Ideally, you will be able to provide the name of a Sponsor at the time of your application for assessment. However, should this not be possible, you will have 90 days from the date of your application to identify and secure the agreement of a qualified person as your Sponsor. Your Sponsor must:

• Currently be a full (certified) member of a Provincial /Territorial Institute or Association (PTIA)” /RPP (or LPP, etc.) in good standing for at least 3 years
• Be an individual who does not have any direct conflict of interest with you. That is, s/he:
  • Must not be a direct supervisor, subordinate or close work colleague of yours; and
  • Must not be in any personal or business conflict of interest with you

A person in your place of employment who does not work directly with you, and with whom you do not have a personal relationship, could still act as a Sponsor.  Please note, your Mentor and Sponsor cannot be the same person. Note: time your Sponsor spent as a Provisional/Candidate member does not count towards fulfilling his/her three-year membership requirement. Normally, your relationship with your Sponsor will last for the duration of your experience logging requirement and concludes when they have validated your Record and it has been accepted by PSB.

Yes, you may, provided you enter through the Accredited Degree route, and your Sponsor agrees and can verify the experience. Applicants coming through the Accredited Degree route are required to log the equivalent of two years of responsible professional planning experience (of which one year can be backlogged). Applicants coming through the Accredited Degree Route, PLAR or Reciprocal Agreement routes are required to log the equivalent of one year of experience gained after approval of the application for assessment and the granting of Candidate membership by your PTIA.

Log Book (pdf) For additional information regarding the Sponsorship component of the certification process: Download the Sponsorship Guide (pdf). Download Sample Log Book (pdf) Please submit your signed work log book once completed to certification@psb-planningcanada.ca