A-21, r. 11 - Regulation respecting equivalence standards for a permit to be issued by the Ordre des architectes du Québec

Updated to 1 July 2024

This document has official status.

chapter A-21, r. 11

Regulation respecting equivalence standards for a permit to be issued by the Ordre des architectes du Québec

Architects Act

(chapter A-21, s. 3).

Professional Code

(chapter C-26, s. 93, par. c).

DIVISION I GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.01. In this Regulation, unless the context indicates otherwise,

(a)  “Order” means the Ordre des architectes du Québec;

(b)  “diploma equivalence” means the recognition by the board of directors that a diploma attests the attainment by a candidate of a level of knowledge equivalent to that attained by the holder of a diploma recognized as giving access to the permit;

(c)  “training equivalence” means the recognition by the board of directors that the training of a candidate indicates that the latter has attained a level of knowledge equivalent to that attained by the holder of a diploma recognized as giving access to the permit;

(d)  “credit” means the quantitative value allotted to the work load required from a student, one credit corresponding to 45 hours of attendance at a course or of personal work;

(e)  “secretary” means the secretary of the Order.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 1.01.

1.02. The Interpretation Act (chapter I-16) applies to this Regulation.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 1.02.

1.03. The secretary shall forward a copy of this Regulation to the candidate who wishes to have an equivalence recognized.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 1.03.

DIVISION II PROCEDURE FOR THE RECOGNITION OF AN EQUIVALENCE

2.01. A candidate who wishes to have an equivalence recognized must furnish to the secretary those among the following documents which are necessary to support his application, accompanied by the fees required by the Order in accordance with the Règlement sur les affaires du Conseil d’administration et les assemblées générales de l’Ordre des architectes du Québec (chapter A-21, r.1):

(a)  his academic record including the description of the courses taken;

(b)  proof of the obtainment of his diploma;

(c)  an attestation that he participated in a professional training period;

(d)  an attestation of his pertinent work experience;

(e)  or, as the case may be, the certificate issued by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 2.01; O.C. 825-92, s. 1.

2.02. The secretary shall forward the documents prescribed in section 2.01 to the committee on admission which shall study the applications for equivalence and make a suitable recommendation. At the first meeting following receipt of the report of that committee, the board of directors shall decide whether it recognizes the equivalence and inform each candidate in writing of its decision.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 2.02.

2.03. Within 15 days following its decision not to acknowledge the equivalence, the board of directors must inform each candidate in writing of the curriculum, the training periods or examinations whose satisfactory completion, account taken of his present level of knowledge, would allow him to be granted such equivalence.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 2.03.

2.04. A candidate who receives the information referred to in section 2.03 may apply to the board of directors for a hearing provided that he applies therefor in writing to the secretary within 15 days following the mailing of the decision not to recognize the diploma equivalence.

The board of directors shall hear the candidate within 45 days following the date of receipt of the application and, where applicable, shall review its decision. To that end, the secretary shall convene the candidate by means of a notice in writing sent by registered mail not less than 10 days before the date of the hearing.

The board of director’s decision is final and shall be sent in writing within 15 days following the date of the hearing.

O.C. 825-92, s. 2; I.N. 2016-01-01 (NCCP).

DIVISION III STANDARDS FOR EQUIVALENCE OF A DIPLOMA

3.01. A candidate who holds a diploma issued by an educational institution situated outside Québec shall be granted an equivalence if:

(1)  such diploma was obtained upon completion of university studies comprising the equivalent of at least 120 credits distributed as follows:

(a)  graphic communications: at least 12 credits dealing in particular with the following subjects:

i.  sketch, freehand drawing;

ii.  perspectives, axonometric perspective, descriptive geometry;

iii.  architectural drawing;

iv.  models;

v.  reproduction methods and techniques, printing;

vi.  notions of audio-visual presentation;

(b)  building methods and materials: at least 12 credits dealing in particular with the following subjects:

i.  properties of materials;

ii.  use of materials;

iii.  industrialized building;

iv.  methods of control: standardization;

v.  modular systems and prefabrication;

(c)  resistance of materials and structures: at least 6 credits dealing in particular with the theory of structures and special structures (wood, steel, concrete, etc.);

(d)  mechanical systems and environmental control: at least 12 credits dealing in particular with the following subjects:

i.  heating and air conditioning, ventilation;

ii.  lighting;

iii.  acoustics;

iv.  electrical engineering;

v.  plumbing and fire protection;

vi.  psychometry;

vii.  notions of the environmental control;

viii.  psychometry (comfort levels);

(e)  synthesis work in architecture: at least 45 credits dealing in particular with architectural synthesis composition and projects;

(f)  theory and history of architecture: at least 6 credits dealing in particular with the following subjects:

i.  history of architecture;

ii.  theory of architecture;

iii.  notions of town planning;

iv.  epistemology and architecture;

(g)  building trade management, methods and sciences related to architecture: at least 9 credits dealing in particular with the following subjects:

i.  elements of economy;

ii.  investment and market analysis applied to real estate;

iii.  profit-cost analyses;

iv.  urban economy;

v.  economic systems and regional planning;

vi.  real estate appraisement;

vii.  assessment;

viii.  drawing up of specifications;

ix.  safety in the building trade;

x.  design methodology;

xi.  systems approach;

xii.  introduction to programming;

xiii.  statistics;

xiv.  topology;

xv.  sociologic methodology;

(h)  not less than 18 credits obtained in the optional subjects related to the field of architecture;

(2)  such diploma in architecture was issued by an educational institution approved by the authorities that issue, where applicable, the permit entitling a person to assume the title of architect or to practise the profession of architect in the province or country in which such institution is situated, or by an institution whose name appears on the lists of architectural schools established by the following bodies:

(a)  the International Union of Architects;

(b)  the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada;

(c)  The National Architectural Accrediting Board of the United States of America;

(d)  The Royal Institute of British Architects of Great Britain.

Notwithstanding the first paragraph, a candidate who holds a diploma issued by an educational institution situated outside Québec shall be granted a diploma equivalence if the board of directors, by resolution, ratifies the certificate issued by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board attesting that the candidate has acquired sufficient knowledge in the following fields:

(a)  history of architecture, human behaviour and environmental context;

(b)  architectural design;

(c)  structural systems;

(d)  environmental control and communication systems;

(e)  construction materials and assemblies;

(f)  safety and accessibility;

(g)  project process;

(h)  project finance and economics;

(i)  business and practice management.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 3.01; O.C. 825-92, s. 3.

3.02. Notwithstanding subparagraph 1 of section 3.01, where the diploma that is the subject of an application for equivalence was obtained 5 years or more before such application, the equivalence may be refused if the knowledge acquired by the candidate is no longer adapted to the knowledge presently taught, as a result of the evolution of the profession.

However, the equivalence must be recognized if the pertinent work experience of the candidate and the training which he acquired since then enabled him to attain the required level of knowledge.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 3.02.

DIVISION IV STANDARDS FOR EQUIVALENCE OF TRAINING

4.01. A candidate holding a diploma in architecture that is in conformity with the requirements of subparagraph 2 of section 3.01, but not with subparagraph 1 of that same section, may be granted an equivalence in training if he shows that he has a level of knowledge equivalent to that attained upon completion of university studies in architecture comprising the credits defined in subparagraph 1 of section 3.01.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 4.01.

4.02. For the purposes of section 4.01, the candidate shows that he has a level of knowledge equivalent to that attained upon completion of university studies in architecture comprising the credits defined in subparagraph 1 of section 3.01 if:

(a)  he proves that he has passed the examinations required by the Order; or

(b)  he has pertinent work experience of at least 5 years.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7, s. 4.02.

REFERENCES

R.R.Q., 1981, c. A-21, r. 7

O.C. 825-92, 1992 G.O. 2, 2876

S.Q. 2008, c. 11, s. 212