What are indicators in CBA?

• Design and Analysis: Performing calculations, simulations, or system-level design tasks (competencies 1.4, 1.5 and 1.7).
• Project Management: Overseeing resources, timelines, and budgets for engineering projects (competencies 3.1 to 3.4).
• Quality Assurance: Developing and implementing protocols for testing and compliance (competency 1.9).
• Collaboration: Coordinating with multidisciplinary teams, such as working alongside architects or contractors (competency 4.1).
• Ethical Practice: Identifying and addressing potential conflicts of interest or safety concerns in project planning (competencies 5.3 and 1.6).

Including these tangible indicators ensures you bridge the gap between the theoretical competencies you claim and the actual engineering activities you perform on a regular basis. The indicators for the 34-competency framework are published on competencyassessment.ca, as a generic set plus discipline-specific sets (for example civil municipal, electrical, structural and software). APEGA publishes separate indicators for its 22 competencies. Use them as guidance: APEGA asks you not to copy indicator wording into your examples.

Where to Find the Official Indicators

Which list applies depends on your regulator. As of September 2026:

Regulator	Framework	Where to look
EGBC, APEGS, Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba (EGM), Engineers Nova Scotia, APEGNB, Engineers PEI, PEGNL	34 competencies, 7 categories	competencyassessment.ca: the generic indicators report, plus the discipline-specific sets listed on the Applicants page
PEO (Ontario)	The same 34 competencies, in PEO’s own portal	PEO’s CBA Applicant Guide (August 2026), Appendix A
APEGA (Alberta), plus NAPEG and Engineers Yukon applicants	22 competencies, 6 categories	APEGA’s competencies and indicators page and its CBA guide for engineers
OIQ (Quebec)	6 competencies, 28 elements	OIQ’s competency framework (in French), which lists indicators for each element

EGBC’s discipline-specific sets cover building enclosure, civil (municipal/infrastructure), electrical (power and industrial), materials/metallurgical/mineral processing, project and construction management, software and structural engineering, plus a Professional Licensee set used in BC. The 34 competencies stay the same; only the example tasks change. Some regulators also publish interpretation statements that explain what their assessors look for in each competency (APEGS in June 2025, EGM in March 2026 and Engineers PEI in May 2026). PEI’s, for example, expect your 1.1 example to cite a specific Canadian code or standard and the section you applied.

Eight competencies (1.1, 1.6, 1.9, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1 and 6.2) are Canadian-environment competencies with their own minimum ratings: at least 3 each, and at least 2 for 6.2. Their indicators ask you to show Canadian codes, safety and quality practice, communication in English or French, and the Code of Ethics. For work done abroad, the 1.1 indicators ask you to explain how the Canadian codes and standards would have applied if the work had taken place in Canada. See how to write the 8 Canadian environment competencies.

Why Indicators Matter in the  Competency Based Assessment?

Indicators play a crucial role in the CBA process by providing objective proof of your skills, ensuring consistency in evaluation, and demonstrating your readiness for professional practice. They enhance your application’s credibility and encourage focused self-reflection, helping you identify strengths and areas for improvement.

• Objective Proof: Convert general competencies into measurable achievements.
• Standardized Evaluation: Allow reviewers to verify your skills through tangible tasks.
• Demonstrated Readiness: Show your ability to handle technical, ethical, and professional responsibilities.
• Enhanced Credibility: Strengthen your application with real-world experience.
• Self-Reflection: Help identify gaps and improve your preparedness for licensure

Do I have to meet all the indicators in a competency?

No, Although indicators serve as key examples of how a specific competency can be demonstrated, you do not need to meet every single indicator to prove your mastery. In fact, engineering regulators across Canada, such as Professional Engineers Ontario, EGBC, and APEGA, understand that each applicant’s professional journey is unique and may not encompass all possible indicators listed under a given competency. Indicators are designed to help both applicants and assessors see how broadly or deeply one’s experience aligns with the essential components of professional engineering practice. Thus, even if you meet only some of the indicators—so long as they sufficiently cover the competency’s core requirements—your application can still be successful. Quebec’s OIQ, which uses its own framework, says so outright: one concrete example that matches one indicator is enough for each element. The most important thing is to choose and elaborate on the indicators that genuinely reflect your expertise, practical knowledge, and readiness to uphold the responsibilities tied to a PEng license. Write one first-person Situation–Action–Outcome example per competency. You may reuse a project for several competencies, but tailor the Action and Outcome to each.

Types of Indicators and Their Role

Indicators in Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) come in various forms, but they all share the goal of demonstrating your practical understanding and application of engineering competencies. Some indicators showcase awareness and theoretical knowledge, while others highlight hands-on tasks and responsibilities you’ve managed in your career. Understanding this spectrum of indicators is key to creating a well-rounded application that accurately reflects your engineering journey. Different indicators also cater to different competencies—some revolve around technical problem-solving, whereas others focus on communication, leadership, or ethical judgment.

Showing Awareness and Understanding vs. Performing Tasks

This split is our own way of thinking about indicators, not a regulator category. A few competencies are met by awareness (for example 3.1, awareness of project management principles, and 5.5, use of the stamp and seal), but most need work you actually did: most categories require an average rating of 3, while knowledge from training alone rates about 1.

Awareness and Understanding Indicators: These indicators demonstrate that you have comprehensive theoretical knowledge of a subject, such as engineering codes, standards, or ethical guidelines. You might reference times you researched or analyzed relevant regulations or collaborated in brainstorming sessions to ensure compliance. Tie them to a real project where you applied that knowledge; written that way, they reveal your capability to assess risks, plan strategies, and understand the rationale behind technical decisions.

Performing Task Indicators: In contrast, task-focused indicators reflect the day-to-day responsibilities you’ve handled—like conducting design calculations, overseeing project budgets, or leading a testing team. They emphasize practical, hands-on work that proves you can apply engineering principles, manage resources, and deliver on project requirements. These indicators show not only what you know but how effectively you put that knowledge into action, which can be a decisive factor in your CBA evaluation.

Examples of Indicators in a Scenario

To illustrate how indicators come to life, imagine you led a bridge rehabilitation project. Below are some ways you might frame indicators in this scenario:

• Awareness Indicator: Explain how you researched the applicable building codes and environmental regulations (and any practice guidelines from your provincial regulator) to ensure your design proposed minimal ecological impact. Here, you’re showing understanding of the rules and how you factored them into your planning.
• Task-Focused Indicator: Highlight the on-site activities you managed, such as coordinating material deliveries, overseeing a multi-disciplinary team, and performing critical structural calculations. Mention how you made real-time decisions when unexpected ground conditions arose.
• Combined Indicator: Combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on actions—outline how you evaluated different repair techniques (awareness) and then implemented the chosen method under a strict deadline (task-focused). This kind of mixed indicator shows both your depth of understanding and your ability to execute complex engineering solutions effectively.

By incorporating both awareness-based and task-focused indicators in your application, you present a comprehensive profile of your skill set. This well-rounded approach helps assessors see the full scope of what you bring to the profession, reinforcing your readiness to handle the responsibilities of a Professional Engineer.

How to Select Right Indicators for Your Experience?

Selecting the right indicators for your Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) submission often comes down to how accurately they reflect the experiences that shaped your engineering journey. Indicators aren’t meant to be a rigid checklist; rather, they serve as guideposts that help you and the assessors understand where your professional skills truly shine. By focusing on indicators that align most naturally with your day-to-day tasks, you’ll be able to tell a compelling story of your technical growth and problem-solving abilities.

A practical first step is to review your entire project history and highlight significant achievements that demonstrate core engineering competencies. For instance, if you managed a large-scale design project, look for indicators related to project management, design analysis, and communication to highlight how you led your team or tackled technical challenges. From there, cross-reference your list of relevant experiences with each competency to ensure you’re covering the breadth of your skill set without overloading your application with unnecessary details.

Conclusion

Understanding the role and importance of indicators in Competency Based Assessment (CBA) is crucial for any aspiring Professional Engineer in Canada. These tangible examples help bridge the gap between theory and practice, enabling assessors to gauge not just what you know, but how effectively you can apply that knowledge in real engineering scenarios. By carefully selecting the right indicators and weaving them into a clear, cohesive narrative of your professional journey, you demonstrate your readiness to uphold the responsibilities of the PEng designation. Above all, remember that you don’t need to address every single indicator; rather, focus on those that best highlight your skills, from theoretical awareness to hands-on execution. This balanced approach showcases the depth and breadth of your capabilities, setting you on a strong path toward achieving your PEng license.