Appointments in the Public Sector

British Columbia’s agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs) were created to deliver programs and services on behalf of the B.C. government. They include:

  • Public post-secondary institutions
  • Health authorities
  • Advisory boards and tribunals
  • Service delivery Crowns (ex. BC Housing)
  • Commercial Crown corporations (ex. BC Hydro and ICBC)

People from all regions of our province are invited to help renew B.C.’s public sector boards. Strong boards that reflect the diversity of British Columbia will help achieve effective and citizen-centred governance. Read more about the appointments process and requirements:

Why serve on the board of an agency, board or commission?

  • Sitting on a board is a great way to contribute to your community and your province
  • Board members help ensure agencies are appropriately governed and fulfill their mandate to advance the public interest
  • Board work can be personally rewarding and help develop new skills and facilitate networking

What is the role of the agency, board or commission board members?

  • Provide strategic direction and leadership to a provincial agency, board or commission
  • Develop and approve the strategies, policies and plans necessary to fulfill the organization’s mandate
  • Ensure public sector agencies, boards and commissions comply with government’s financial and other policies and applicable legislation
  • Hire and terminate agency CEOs (where applicable), review CEO performance, and oversee succession planning for senior management

What qualifications are required?

Anyone with a commitment to the public interest who will serve the organization with integrity, honesty and due diligence, and who brings relevant skills and knowledge for the position, is qualified for consideration for a board appointment.  Please look at the posting for the board(s) you are interested in to see the specific requirements that are applicable to that organization.

Our commitment to diversity

To support strong boards that reflect the diversity of our province, women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (LGBTQ2S+), and others who may contribute to diversity in public sector board appointments are encouraged to put their names forward for appointments.

Consideration will be given to individuals with a broad range of backgrounds in community, labour and business environments. The selection process will recognize lived experience and volunteer roles as well as paid employment and academic achievements.

How do I apply?

From time to time, vacancies on specific agency, board or commission boards are posted to the B.C. government website. Please review the list of advertised vacancies (click "Search" under "Search Open Positions" to see a list of all current Notices of Position).

Resumes can be submitted directly by applicants, or through agencies, boards and commissions, community groups or Members of the Legislative Assembly.

Applicants can also submit general expressions of interest by registering and creating a profile if there are currently no suitable positions.

What is the appointment process?

Your expression of interest will be maintained in a database and will be considered for suitable positions based on your skills and experience.

Most agency, board or commission board appointments are made by Cabinet via an Order-in-Council (OIC), or by a Minister’s Order, which does not require Cabinet approval.  You can view previous government board appointments at BC Laws.

Your personal information contained in the expression of interest may be shared with other persons involved in the appointment process in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other applicable legislation.

Candidates who are being considered for an appointment for a specific position will be requested to complete a Candidate Profile and Declaration (CPD) form (PDF). You will not need to complete a CPD if you submit a general expression of interest.

PLEASE NOTE: We are experiencing technical issues with the email form option. We recommend using Internet Explorer if you want to email the completed form.

What is the pay?

Most agency, board or commission board positions are volunteer roles, with appointees being compensated for any out-of-pocket expenses and with travel and meal costs for meetings being covered. The expectation is that serving on a board is a public service. In some instances, board members receive additional remuneration, subject to Treasury Board guidelines.

Remuneration 

Serving as an agency, board or commission board member is largely a volunteer commitment in a form of public service. All positions cover out of pocket expense reimbursement in adherence with the applicable Treasury Board Directive or with the organization’s travel policy. A small number of agencies, boards or commissions offer minimal remuneration in accordance with applicable legislation. Some appointed positions are full-time jobs, such as a portion of administrative tribunal posts.

Treasury Board Directives set the classification structures and maximum remuneration ranges based on the complexity of the organization. They also address other matters such as expense reimbursement and public disclosure of paid remuneration and expenses.

These directives set transparent and comprehensive remuneration guidelines for appointees to ministry and Crown agency boards, administrative tribunals and regulatory boards:

The Appointee Remuneration Committee oversees the remuneration provided to all public sector appointees.