I am a Canada Lands Surveyor

I am a Canada Lands Surveyor. How do I become an Alberta Land Surveyor?

As of March 27, 2009, the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors is considering changes to its licensure requirements which will have the effect of requiring licensed Canada Lands Surveyors to pass the one jurisdictional examination in order to be licensed as an Alberta Land Surveyor.

If a person has held a license in good standing to practice land surveying as a Canada Lands Surveyor for more than five years, the Alberta Land Surveyors' Association requires that person to complete the jurisdictional examination. Click here for more information.

If a person has held a license in good standing to practice land surveying as a Canada Lands Surveyor between two to five years, the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association currently requires that person to complete the following requirements in order to be licensed as a land surveyor:
1. Complete the jurisdictional examination; and then
2. Complete an oral qualifying examination (Application/Guideline).
3. Meet the requirements of Section 24 of the Examination & Training Regulation.

If a person has held a license in good standing to practice land surveying as a Canada Lands Surveyor for less than two years, the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association currently requires that person to complete the following requirements in order to be licensed as a land surveyor:
1. Complete professional examinations testing the applicant on statutes and regulations pertinent to that jurisdiction;
2. Complete professional examinations testing the applicant on practical surveying and the surveying profession pertinent to that jurisdiction;
3. Complete field projects and field reports; and
4. Complete an oral examination.

See below for more information about becoming an Alberta Land Surveyor for Canada Lands Surveyors who have had their license for less than two years.

Application

Complete the affiliate member application form and submit the fees as required by the bylaws (currently $200 plus GST). Affiliate member fees must be paid by April 30 of each year the candidate is an affiliate member. Fees will not be pro-rated.

The Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association must receive a “good standing” letter directly from the candidate’s home association before the affiliate member application will be accepted.

Articles

Affiliate members are not required to article.

Professional Exams

Affiliate members must pass three written professional exams. They are the Practical Surveying Exam, The Statute Law Exams, and the Surveying Profession Exam.

A passing mark is 75%. Exams are scheduled twice each year; once in the spring and again in the fall. Affiliate members do not have to pass all of the exams at one sitting.

Project Reports

Affiliate members shall submit three 2-4 page project reports. Please do not submit all three at once.

Projects shall be in one of each of the following project categories:

A Parcel Survey/Subdivision (must be a plan of survey);
A stand-alone Right-of-Way or Road Survey;
Member selected, (the member may not repeat a project from group 1 or 2.) This option will require pre-approval from the Committee. Suggested projects include a Real Property Report, a condominium survey, a well site survey, or a relevant engineering survey.

Affiliate members are expected to submit project reports at the level of a land surveyor.

The project report is to cover the initial contact, the approval process, project setup and research, field survey, plan preparation, final checking and final plan processing.

Qualifying Exam

Once an affiliate member has completed the three written professional exams and the three project reports, the candidate may apply to take the final qualifying exam.

The qualifying exam will consist of general questioning on the surveying profession and practice. For the most part, the questions will address technical and professional matters as they pertain to the practice of cadastral surveying in Alberta.

Registration

Upon the successful completion of the qualifying examination, the candidate must pay the prescribed fees, provide proof of professional liability insurance and take and subscribe an oath before a judge of the Court of Appeal or Court of Queen’s Bench.

This is general information only. For more detailed information, please see:

Our Mission

The Alberta Land Surveyors' Association (ALSA) is a self-governing professional
association legislated under the Land Surveyors Act.

The Association regulates the practice of land surveying for the protection of the public and administration of the
profession.