Qualified Persons

WHY USE A QUALIFIED PERSON

A Qualified Person (QP) is a drainage expert recognized by the WSA who can be a professional engineer, agrologist, Applied Science Technologist, or an accredited person who assists with the preparation of a drainage application or report.

Most drainage projects, except for those with less than one-quarter section of drainage, will require a QP to prepare the application for a drainage approval. In practical terms, most projects – except for those with a small amount of drainage – will require a QP.

Preparation of a drainage application includes mapping all drainage works, securing legal land control for all lands involved, communicating with all parties involved including WSA, designing any mitigation works (flow controls, erosion control), and completing all necessary paper work, including the application.

Find a Qualified Person

What Does a QP Do?

QPs can carry out a wide range of activities on behalf of drainage applicants.

• Act as communicators liaising between applicants, WSA and other stakeholders.
• Assist with completing applications and forms, and assist landowners with obtaining documents necessary for securing land control.
• Function as project managers to assist with scheduling, budgeting and project planning.

They can provide:

• Project development functions to help landowners with evaluating options and guiding a project through the development process.
• Basic technical skills, such as preparing plans, identifying land impacted by the drainage works, determining the initial point of adequate outlet, assessing the risk of the project, identifying mitigation requirements, and applying standard design for mitigation works when required.
• Intermediate technical skills, such as designing low risk mitigation works, sizing of infrastructure, surveying plans, and providing as-built plans for project verification.
• Engineering design, such as designing higher risk mitigation works,
  designing projects with a high dollar value, designing projects with a high level of technical complexity, and conducting hydrology studies.

Not all QPs can perform all of these tasks. QPs are responsible for ensuring that they only perform tasks within their expertise and experience.

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW WHEN HIRING A QP?

It is your responsibility to ensure you check a QP’s background, as you bear the ongoing responsibility of the operation and maintenance of the approved drainage works. When you’re looking to hire a reputable QP, a few questions, and a little investigation, will ensure that you get the right QP for your drainage project.

Checklist

1. Proof of insurance – a QP should carry professional liability insurance to protect their clients from unforeseen events that can occur during the project.
2. Current resume – check the QP’s background and verify their credentials.
3. List of references – names and phone numbers of previous clients for a basic reputational/area of practice reference check.
4. Ask for a quote – discuss the costs and payment options.
5. Get a written contract – insist on a detailed contract before proceeding with any drainage related work.

How Much Does a QP Cost?

Hiring a QP is an investment in the range of a few dollars per acre. Typically, the drainage applicant or drainage proponent hires and pays the QP.

Producers may be able to access funding to work with a Qualified Person, under the Farm Stewardship Program offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, for engineering and construction of drainage related Beneficial Management Practices on farms.

Watershed stewardship groups will occasionally provide QP support for large drainage network projects.

Funding

WHO CAN BE A QUALIFIED PERSON

If you are a Professional Engineer, Professional Agrologist or Applied Science Technologist, you are a QP. If you believe you have a combination of education and experience that enables you to successfully assist clients with drainage applications, please submit your resume to [email protected].

Does WSA offer a QP training course?

Yes, WSA conducts courses throughout the province each year.

Do all QPs have to go through a training course to be certified?

Not all QPs will be required to take the QP Training Course. However, all QPs who are completing drainage applications and/or writing drainage reports must have completed the QP training offered by WSA.

In the QP training, WSA will provide QPs with the operating procedures and technical standards used for the preparation of drainage applications, and “how to” training for WSA’s online tools.