The Planning Institute of British Columbia annually recognizes the professional work and individual accomplishments of members across British Columbia and the Yukon through its awards and recognition programs. The PIBC Awards Committee has continued to improve the awards program for 2012 further updating awards categories and criteria to better reflect the diverse range of excellent planning work undertaken across British Columbia and the Yukon. An outline of the Awards categories, descriptions, and criteria, as of 2012, is provided below:

Awards for Excellence in Planning

These awards honour the best in professional planning work undertaken by members in communities and regions across British Columbia and the Yukon in five categories. All submissions for these awards:

• The project must have been prepared by or under the direction of a Full, Fellow, or Provisional Member in good standing of the Planning Institute of British Columbia.
• The submission must represent a completed plan, design, policy or research study.
• The project must have started during the preceding two years and have been:
  • sanctioned by a board, council, planning department, educational institution, or firm, but not necessarily formally adopted by resolution, bylaw, or other legislation; or
  • implemented through physical construction; or
  • published by a recognized publisher or public agency.
• Nominators must select the most appropriate category for their submission.
• Nominators must provide basic budget information for their submission. Additional information may be requested for clarification purposes.
• Letters of endorsement may be included but are not mandatory.
• No amendments to a nomination will be allowed after the submission deadline.
• An individual project may be submitted only once. However, nominating organizations and individuals may be associated with award submissions for multiple projects.

Research & New Directions in Planning  The Research & New Directions category includes original studies, reports, or papers that show thorough examination of a planning issue, policy or practice using analytical methods that support original findings that are of value to the profession. Submissions in this category may include investigations on a wide variety of planning topics from a local, regional, national or global perspective. Submissions should include a description of the research methodology, key findings and how the results are of importance to the profession.

Excellence in Policy Planning (Small Town & Rural Areas, OR City & Urban Areas)  The Excellence in Policy Planning categories seeks to honour the development and application of leading-edge planning policy. Submissions should include examples of effective initiatives and solutions that enhance the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of communities. The areas of excellence may be in environmental planning, social planning, transportation planning, climate change, and public consultation to name a few. Small town and rural area submissions, or city and urban area submissions, in this category could include Official Community Plans, regional plans, impact analyses or strategic plans.

Excellence in Planning Practice (Small Town & Rural Areas, OR City & Urban Areas)  The Excellence in Planning Practice categories recognize the efforts of planners to turn policy into reality, whether it is crafting a new urban space, protecting the industrial land base, using community partnerships to secure funding for much needed projects, engaging the public with creative approaches or new directions in project management.  Submissions in this category should highlight the inventive ways that planners are creating transformative change through ground-breaking actions. Small town and rural area submissions, or city and urban area submissions, in this category could include design guidelines, zoning by-laws, park plans, neighbourhood master plans, and other projects that lead directly into implementation.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Innovation
• Transferability
• Contribution to the profession
• Public process.
• Implementation
• Sustainability
• Overall presentation

Awards For Individual Achievement

The Awards for Individual Achievement are intended to allow colleagues and the profession to recognize the broader, personal achievements and contributions of individual PIBC Members separate and apart from any one particular plan, policy, project or other work product. These awards recognize and celebrate the overall impact of individual members’ work and personal commitment to planning, and the effect they have in their community and within the profession. All submissions for thes awards:

• Must nominate a Member or Fellow in good standing of the Institute (depending on the specific award category).
• Must be signed by at least three nominating Full Members or Fellows in good standing of the Institute OR two Full Members or Fellows in good standing of the Institute AND one community member OR Provisional member (depending on the specific award category).
• Must include a written synopsis highlighting the nominee’s career and describing how the nominee has shown excellence in planning, commitment to their community and dedication to the profession through one or more of the criteria listed for the specific award category.

Award for Distinguished Professional Contribution  The Award for Distinguished Professional Contribution is intended to recognize the efforts of individual PIBC Members and is based on the overall impact of the nominee’s work and personal commitment to planning, and the effect they have in their community and within the profession. The award recognizes leading volunteers in the planning profession who give back to the Planning Institute of British Columbia and the planning profession and contribute to the ongoing success of PIBC and the planning profession.

Award for Leadership in Advocacy & Innovation  The Award for Leadership in Advocacy & Innovation is intended to recognize the efforts of individual PIBC Members, specifically, a planner who demonstrates outstanding leadership, tenacity and advocacy on planning issues either in their community, provincially, or more broadly. The award honours the advocates, and the game-changers whose persistence and/or innovation contribute to the ongoing success of PIBC and the planning profession.

Award for Young Professional Leadership  The Award for Young Professional Leadership is intended to recognize the efforts of young and new planners who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and outstanding achievement at an early stage in their career. The award is based on the overall impact of the nominee’s work and personal commitment to planning. The award recognizes leading young members within the planning profession who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and who give back to the Planning Institute of British Columbia and the planning profession, and contribute to the ongoing success of PIBC and the planning profession.

Evaluation of nominees and their suitability for these individual awards give overall consideration to a variety of elements, including nominee's impact and involvement in the profession and in their community through one or more of the criteria listed for the specific award category.

Student Awards

For more information on PIBC's Student Awards and funding opportunities for Student members, click here.