Honourary & Life Members

PIBC maintains two distinguished opportunities to recognize and honour individuals outside of the Institute's professional membership who have contributed significantly to planning or to the Institute (Honourary Membership) as well as honouring accomplished, long-serving professional members of the Institute worthy of special distinction (Life Member designation).
 

Honourary Membership

Honourary Membership is the highest and most distinguished honour that PIBC can bestow upon an individual who themselves is outside the planning profession but who has made a significant contribution to planning or to the Institute. It is a rare and prestigious honour which affords PIBC the opportunity to recognize such uniquely worthy individuals. The admission of any individual to Honourary Membership is made by the PIBC Board in accordance with the Institute’s bylaws, and at their sole discretion.
(Call for 2026 submissions closed at 4 PM PT on February 23, 2026).
 

2026 PIBC Honourary Member

Albert Peter
Elder and Leader of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (Yukon Territory)

For more than four decades, Albert has exemplified the highest standards of leadership in land use planning, stewardship, and implementation of modern treaties in the Yukon. His guidance, wisdom, expertise and commitment to land use planning and the spirit and intent of the Yukon’s modern treaties have shaped regional land use planning approaches in the Yukon and across the North. Albert played a key role in the development of the Yukon’s Umbrella Final Agreement (UFA). The UFA is the legal framework guiding land claims and regional land-use planning in the Yukon and provides the foundation upon which all 14 Yukon First Nations’ Final Agreements are built and negotiated on. Albert championed recognition of Indigenous rights, responsibilities, and relationships to land. These values, in addition to sustainable development, remain at the core of planning in the Yukon to this day.

Throughout his career, Albert has been a staunch advocate for regional land-use planning, emphasizing sustainable development, cultural continuity, and protection of traditional territory. When he was a Council of Yukon First Nations’ representative on the Yukon Land Use Planning Council, under his leadership, the first two regional land use plans in the Yukon were completed: The North Yukon Regional Land Use Plan and the Peel Watershed Regional Land Use Plan.

Albert also spent over four decades advocating not only for the terms of modern treaties but also for their spirit, ensuring that planning honours traditional knowledge, cultural values, and the long-term wellbeing of people and lands. Albert’s work continues to demonstrate deep commitment to partnership and collaboration that current land-use planning initiatives within Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Traditional Territory continue to rely. He help shaped a governance model that is grounded in shared responsibility, consensus building, and culturally informed decision-making.

Albert Peter’s work - spanning treaty development, regional planning, stewardship advocacy and community governance - demonstrates a lifetime of leadership in shaping land-use planning in the Yukon. It is PIBC's utmost honour to welcome Albert Peter as PIBC's newest Honourary Member for the lasting impact his work has on not only planning within his Nation, but on the broader planning profession across northern Canada.

PIBC Honourary Members

• 2023 - Harold Steves, longtime city councillor of Richmond, BC and agroecologist, farmer and environmental defender
• 2022 - Franc D'Ambrosio, Architect AIBC, MRAIC, LAI, LEED AP - D'Ambrosio architecture + urbanism
• 2018 - Gary Paget, Senior Executive Advisor, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (D)
• 2017 - Dr. Larry McCann, Emeritus Faculty, University of Victoria, Geography Department (D)
• 2016 - Norman Hotson AIC, AA, OAA, FRAIC, RCA - Principal at DIALOG
• 2015 - Darlene Marzari, Social Planner & former MLA for the Legislative Assembly of BC
• 2014 - Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs & Chair of the Okanagan Nation Alliance
• 2013 - Guy Dauncey, Eco-futurist and Founder, BC Sustainable Energy Association
• 2010 - Iona Campagnolo, 27th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia (D)
• 2009 - Gordon Price, former Vancouver City Councillor, former Director, Simon Fraser University City Program
• 2002 - Roz Hobbs, former PIBC Deputy Registrar
• 1984 - Marguerite Ford, former Vancouver City Councillor
   

Life Member Designation

Established in 2014, the designation as a Life Member is the highest and most distinguished honour that PIBC can bestow upon a long-serving professional member of the Institute who is worthy of significant recognition. It is a rare and prestigious honour developed by the PIBC Board, which affords PIBC the opportunity to recognize such uniquely worthy members. The granting of the Life Member designation to a member is made by and at the discretion of PIBC Board, upon nomination of that member by at least two corporate members of the Institute.

Call for submissions closed at 4:00 PM PT on February 23, 2026.

PIBC Life Members

• 2020 - Linda Allen RPP, FCIP (D)
• 2020 - Gwyn Symmons FCIP (Ret.)
• 2019 - Dr. Dave Witty FCIP (Ret.)
• 2018 - Beverly Grieve RPP, MCIP (D)
• 2016 - Jagdev Dhillon FCIP (Ret.)
• 2014 - Gerard Farry (D)
  (D) deceased
   

More Information

For more information about each award, please see below [PDF]:

• Honourary Membership [PDF]
• Life Member Designation [PDF]

Questions? Please e-mail Kelly Chan, Manager of Member Programs & Services