College welcomes Laura Plante as new CEO

Laura Plante is an experienced executive with nearly 20 years in the British Columbia Public Service, specializing in natural resources and environmental stewardship. She has led initiatives across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, land and water planning, forestry, and climate resilience, and is known for connecting science, policy, and regulation while fostering collaboration and guiding complex change.

As CEO, she is committed to protecting the public interest, supporting professional practice, and strengthening partnerships. Laura holds degrees from McGill University and the University of British Columbia, and lives in Victoria with her family, enjoying outdoor activities together.

College AGM coming up on May 13

The meeting will be delivered via Zoom and is to be held on May 13 at 12:00 - 1:00 pm PDT.

REGISTER HERE

The meeting is an opportunity for registrants to hear what progress has been made on the College’s Strategic Plan as well as updates on our statutory mandate, report out on the 2025 audited financial statements, and introduction to the new Board. Attendance is eligible for 1 CPD hour/point.

College seeking volunteer Practice Review Assessors

The College is looking to retain two volunteer Practice Review Assessors to support our Practice Review Assessment Team.
We are seeking Practice Review Assessors with expertise in at least one of the following areas:

1. Riparian Area Protection Regulation assessments and reporting
2. Water Sustainability Act and Water Sustainability Regulation authorizations
3. Aquatic ecosystem (i.e., stream, wetland) classification

The Practice Review Assessors would work alongside the College’s Director of Practice and as warranted Subject Matter Experts completing work detailed in the position profile.

We ask that interested registrants review the qualifications in the position profile and submit a resume and cover letter to cab@cab-bc.org if you meet the qualifications.

Please submit your resume and cover letter by May 14, 2026.

Qualified applicants that are not selected may be added to the College’s Practice Review Assessor roster to be considered for future opportunities.

If you have any questions about the role or the application process, please contact the College’s office at cab@cab-bc.org.

Regulatory Updates and Other Resource Information

Tla’amin Nation, B.C. enhance collaborative stewardship
B.C.: Tla’amin Nation sign MOU to improve land, resource stewardship
From the Government of BC - On April 2, 2026, the B.C. government and Tla’amin Nation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance collaborative stewardship in Tla’amin Nation’s territory

BC Parks licence plate program invests more than $10 million into projects and programs in 2024-25
From the Government of BC - The BC Parks Licence Plate Program nears its 10th anniversary with sales of the specialty licence plates now reaching more than 630,000 since the program began in 2017.

Premier’s, minister’s statements on Earth Day 
From the Government of BC - Premier David Eby has issued the following statement celebrating Earth Day: “From rugged coastlines to towering mountains, British Columbia is home to some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. Today, we celebrate these wild places and renew our commitment to protecting them for future generations.

Province introduces regulatory changes to protect wild sheep
From the Government of BC - B.C. has introduced regulatory changes to the Wildlife Act to help safeguard wild sheep from disease transmitted from domestic sheep.

Strengthening protection of rivers, lakes in Mount Robson Park
From the Government of BC - New restrictions on water-based activities will soon begin at Mount Robson Park to reduce the risk of spreading whirling disease into the Fraser River watershed.

Government of Canada announces stronger protections for Southern Resident killer whales in 2026
From the Government of Canada - On April 2, the Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, the Honourable Steven Mackinnon, announced vessel management measures to support the recovery of Southern Resident killer whales, including an increased approach distance from the previous 400 metres to 1,000 metres. This measure will help increase protection, simplify regulations for Canadians, and align with existing measures in Washington State.

Canada’s Nature Strategy renews Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative to protect and rebuild wild Pacific salmon populations
From the Government of Canada- On April 7, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, announced $412.9 million over five years to renew the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI).

Government of Canada expands mass marking of hatchery-origin Pacific Chinook salmon to support conservation and hatchery management
From the Government of Canada - On April 8, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, announced a next step in strengthening the long-term conservation and rebuilding of wild Pacific salmon with the expansion of mass marking of all DFO hatchery-origin Chinook salmon in southern British Columbia.

Fishing guide fined $12,000 for providing false documents and exceeding catch limits in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia
From the Government of Canada - On March 5, 2026, in Daajing Giids Provincial Court, Jean-Marc Cyr was convicted of these offences under the Fisheries Act and fined a total of $12,000. The case stems from two inspections conducted by DFO fishery officers within a two‑week period while Mr. Cyr was leading fishing trips on Haida Gwaii.

Canada to launch hybrid AI weather model to strengthen forecasting for severe weather
From the Government of Canada - This spring, Environment and Climate Change Canada will launch a groundbreaking hybrid weather forecasting model that combines the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with the strengths of traditional forecasting methods.

If you are aware of a regulatory update or resource, please let us know. All contributors will be acknowledged.
Resources for registrants: BC Cumulative Effects Framework (BC CEF) website 
Resources for registrants: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature

Resouces for registrants: Pacific Freshwater Temperature Monitoring Map for British Columbia and the Yukon
Resources for registrants:The Canadian Peatland Data Portal
Resources for registrants: COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus caurinus subspecies – Limnodromus griseus caurinus hendersoni/griseus – Limnodromus griseus hendersoni/griseus in Canada
Resources for registrants: COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Lewis’s Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis in Canada
Resources for registrants: State of Salmon 2025 Report
Resources for registrants: State of Canada's Birds 2024 Report
Resources for registrants: Natural Solutions Initiative Regulatory Mechanisms Toolkit
Resources for registrants: Field Guide for Estimating Carbon Stocks in Wetlands
Resources for registrants: Natural Solutions Initiative Multi-Benefit Indicators Tool, V.1
Resources for registrants: For Our Future: Indigenous Resilience Report
Resources for registrants: B.C. Flood Strategy
Resources for registrants: Consideration of Climate Change in Mine Reclamation Planning (Ministry of Mining and Critical Methods)
Resources for registrants: Fish-Stream Identification Handbook: Guidance to Support Forestry Stream Classification
Resources for registrants: Invasive Species Strategy for British Columbia (Invasive Species Council of BC)
Resources for registrants:  Professional Practice Notice: Professional Practice Guidelines Related to Riparian Area Assessment
Resources for registrants: Management Plan for the Mountain Crab-eye (Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides) in Canada (CWS)
Resources for registrants: Species at Risk Act (SARA) Section 11 Conservation Agreements for the Conservation of the Southern Mountain Caribou
Resources for Registrants: Minister Response: COSEWIC species at risk assessments - January 2025
Resources for Registrants: Management Plan for the Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) in Canada
Resources for Registrants: Recovery Strategy for the Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus bohemicus) in Canada (Final)
Resources for Registrants: Amended Recovery Strategy for the Spotted Owl caurina subspecies (Strix occidentalis caurina) in Canada (Final)
Resources for Registrants: Progress Report on Steps Taken for Protecton of Critical Habitat for Species at Risk in Canada (October 2024 - March 2025)
Resources for Registrants: COSEWIC List of wildlife species assessed (including October 2024)
Resources for Registrants: Report on the Progress of Recovery Strategy Implementation for the Western Brook Lamprey – Morrison Creek Population (Lampetra richardsoni) in Canada (Aug. 5, 2025)
Resources for Registrants: Wetland Plants of British Columbia, v.3 (free download)

Events and Notices

This feature highlights notices from the Events Calendar on the College website. Event, course and professional development listings on the College website are now a paid service. Submit an event listing here.

Courses listed below do not imply endorsement by the College. Refer to the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Standard for information. It is a registrant's responsibility to ensure CPD activities align with the CPD Standard when claiming points.

COLLEGE OF APPLIED BIOLOGISTS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
May 13, Online

DR GARRY MERKEL RPF PRESENTATION ON ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF BC FORESTS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
May 28, Online

INDIGENOUS RESOURCE OPPORTUNITIES CONFERENCE
June 3 - 6, Nanaimo

BAT ACOUSTICS TRAINING
June 15-19, Kamloops

FIRE EFFECTS MONITORING WORKSHOP
June 22-24, Kelowna

Job Postings

Postings from the College website with imminent closing dates are featured below. Additional postings are regularly added to the College's employment postings page. If you or your company are interested in posting a job, you can do so here.

SENIOR POLICY ANALYST
Closing date for resume submission: Monday, May 11, 2026
Salary: $3,893.25–$4,600.13
Hiring Organization: Metro Vancouver Regional District
Location: Burnaby

SENIOR PROJECT SCIENTIST
Closing date for resume submission: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Salary: $4,413.08–$5,217.83
Hiring Organization: Metro Vancouver Regional District
Location: 4515 Central Boulevard, Burnaby

SENIOR WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $47.39–$58.30
Hiring Organization: Ecofor Consulting Ltd BC
Location: Prince George

SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING SPECIALIST
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $100,000.00
Hiring Organization: Western EcoSystems Technology, ULC
Location: British Columbia, CA

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT SPECIALIST
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $90,000.00–$135,000.00
Hiring Organization: Legacy Environmental
Location: Vancouver

REGULATORY SPECIALIST
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $90,000.00–$135,000.00
Hiring Organization: Legacy Environmental
Location: Vancouver

APPLIED ECOLOGIST
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $91,036.23–$103,922.02
Hiring Organization: BC Energy Regulator
Location: Fort St John or Kelowna or Victoria or Dawson Creek or Fort Nelson or Prince George or Terrace

SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST
Closing date for resume submission: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Salary: $40.00–$50.00
Hiring Organization: DWB Consulting & Chartwell Resource Group
Location: Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley

SENIOR ENVIRONMENT PROFESSIONAL - PROJECT MANAGER
Closing date for resume submission: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Salary: $45.00–$55.00
Hiring Organization: DWB Consulting & Chartwell Resource Group
Location: Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley

INVASIVE PLANT PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $26.00–$28.00
Hiring Organization: Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society
Location: Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen

WILDLIFE DISCIPLINE LEAD
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $44.50–$67.00
Hiring Organization: AJM Environmental Inc.
Location: Calgary, Alberta

PROGRAM ASSISTANT WILDLIFE - WATERSHED PLANNING & MONITORING
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $31.39–$33.57
Hiring Organization: Capital Regional District
Location: Langford, BC

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICIAN
Closing date for resume submission: Open until filled
Salary: $58,240.00–$66,560.00
Hiring Organization: Roe Environmental Inc.
Location: Squamish, BC

The College website contains 13 postings at this time, view all here.