1996 - Vision 2000

    In his presidential address, John Holmlund reported that the competition for the cadastral professorship at the University of Calgary had been advertised. Dr. Brian Ballantyne eventually filled this position for a period of five years. 1996 marked the first of five years in which the four western provincial surveys associations committed to funding the cadastral chair.

Mr. Holmlund also noted that the Government of Alberta was negotiating with a consortium of utility companies to transfer the responsibility of program maintenance to the consortium. This consortium later became known as Spatial Data Warehouse.

In 1996, the Association was successful in having the courts grant an injunction to prevent Mr. Ronald Hunka from practicing land surveying when not licensed to do so. Mr. Hunka and his company, RESQ Consultants Ltd., were providing building locations certificates in the Edmonton area.

As part of a major public relations initiative, the Alberta Land Surveyors Real Property Report Course for Realtors became a mandatory component of the Alberta Realtors Education Program. Alberta Land Surveyors were trained to present the course.

Council initiated a program called Vision 2000 as part of a think-tank session and subsequent seminar. The purpose of Vision 2000 was to try to determine the future of land surveying profession. However, Vision 2000 quickly got bogged down as it tried to determine its focus.

At the Annual Meeting, the membership approved changes to the by-laws. Of greatest significance was the establishment of the associate and affiliate membership categories.

The Professional Development Committee presented a draft professional development program which included business, professional, personal development and technical subject areas. The membership passed a motion that a professional development program be recommended to the 1998 Annual General Meeting for approval as a mandatory program. The Manual of Good Practice was re-written and approved by the membership at the 1996 Annual Meeting and was re-named the Manual of Standard Practice.

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