By Canadian Press

Tech companies want Alberta premier to take action in fight over ‘software engineer’ title

Oct 14, 2022 | 3:14 PM

CALGARY – Canadian tech companies are calling on the new premier of Alberta to intervene after a regulatory group took legal action to stop some of them from using job titles like “software engineer.”

More than 30 signatories of a letter to Danielle Smith say they want her to take action because the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta has taken the “aggressive” position that software engineers must be regulated.

The letter was orchestrated by the Council of Canadian Innovators and signed by executives from Jobber, Helcim, Aimso and Neo Financial.

They say regulating software engineers would subject them to “onerous, restrictive, and unnecessary certification requirements” and they worry it will become harder to compete for talent because other countries don’t require these engineers to be regulated.

APEGA’s website says it has “the legal right and requirement” to restrict the practice and use of titles linked to engineering and geoscience to licensed individuals and companies.

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It says regulation of such titles is important so the public understands who has the right to practice engineering and feels letting unregulated workers use the title would endanger public safety.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2022.

The Canadian Press