Join as a Pre-Candidate

Becoming a Pre-Candidate with the PIBC is an excellent opportunity for individuals pursuing a career in planning and who intend to seek Candidate and ultimately Certified membership and 'Registered Professional Planner' status with the Institute to get connected with the profession and the Institute, if they are not yet eligible for admission to Candidate membership. Review the Roadmap to RPP which outlines the certification process.

This includes individuals who hold a degree from a university planning school/program which is formally accredited by the Professional Standards Board (PSB) & PIBC, but who are not currently employed in planning. It also includes individuals who are employed in planning but who do not hold an accredited planning degree and are not yet eligible for admission to Candidate membership.

Pre-Candidate membership does not include equivalent joint membership with the CIP. Individuals interested in similar non-corporate membership with CIP should mark their interest on the application form or contact our office for more information.

The following membership application form should only be used by eligible applicants who wish to become a Pre-Candidate:
Application for Pre-Candidate [PDF]

Click here for PIBC Membership Fees information.

PIBC Membership / Subscription Eligibility:

Examples for Eligibility:

Accredited Degree (convocation): PSB Accredited Degree Route
Non-Accredited Degree & at least 5 years of Planning Experience: PSB PLAR Route
Non-Accredited Degree & less than 5 years of Planning Experience: Pre-Candidate Membership

Visit our Membership FAQs page for more information on PIBC Membership eligibility and the Registered Professional Planner (RPP) certification process.

Please look over the PSC Planning Scope Guide to clarify what is considered a job position in Planning in Canada.

PSB applicants, who are not employed in Planning:

You will need to provide an Attestation of Non Employment in Planning at the time of the PSB application (Candidates must obtain employment in Planning to complete the PSB Certification pathway).

If you are wondering what constitutes planning, please see definition here:

As a general rule, we consider planning to be “the scientific, aesthetic and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities”.  If your job has a significant component relating to that definition, we regard you as being “employed in planning”.  The standard set by the profession defines responsible planning experience as work:

Comprising analysis, projection, design or program development which specifically requires consideration of the inter-relationships of space and time among resources, facilities and activities, and which expresses this consideration in a manner to influence the deposition of land or the allocation of resources, facilities or services;
Which shows a specific relationship to public policies or programs for controlling or influencing the development of communities; and
Which comprises a substantive component of initiative, judgment, substantial involvement and personal accountability or definition or preparation of significant elements of the program of work

Technical support, clerical or administrative work performed in support of the planning function shall not be considered to be responsible professional planning experience.

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Join as a Pre-Candidate

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