Code of ethics for trade members

The respect by the member towards their profession, towards the SIAQ, towards the client, towards the tree, and towards the practice.

The commercial member (and their employees)...

1. will put their knowledge and experience to the benefit of society in general;
2. must maintain arboriculture as an honourable profession in their daily actions, whether professional, civil, or social;
3. must strive, through continuous personal development, to enhance their qualifications, practice and techniques, and competence in order to remain up-to-date with the technological and scientific advancements in the profession;
4. must respect at all times the industry standards and regulations (CNESST, BNQ, Hydro-Québec Work Code, municipal, provincial, or federal regulations, ISA regulations, etc.) and encourage adherence to this Code of Ethics;
5. must accurately and impartially establish their capability, qualification, and experience;
6. must provide accurate, complete, and truthful information when required;
7. understands that the SIAQ may receive verification requests from individuals or organizations and agrees that such information may be disclosed;
8. agrees that the SIAQ may publish certain professional information about them on the SIAQ website, including the company's contact details. They also agree that the information submitted on their membership application may be used for research and statistical purposes;
9. must cooperate with the SIAQ regarding ethics and the collection of information related to ethics;
10. must report, in a timely manner, behaviours that may violate any clause of the Members' Code of Ethics;
11. must avoid any behaviour or conduct that clearly contravenes the requirements of this Code of Ethics;
12. as part of their professional responsibility, must consider the health and safety of all individuals as paramount and strive to respect others' property and the environment;
13. must adhere to proper health and safety procedures in their professional activities to protect clients, employers, employees, and the public from any reasonably foreseeable conditions that may lead to injury or other harm;
14. will strive to discourage the promotion of techniques, methods, and use of materials that are not adequately tested or approved. They will oppose the use of chemicals, pesticides, or other compounds that are not verified, approved, or certified by recognized scientists or authorities. However, if such products prove to be the best for use, they will still notify their client;
15. must inform the appropriate government agencies or representatives if they are aware of activities or situations that may be unsafe or in violation of legal requirements;
16. commits to informing the SIAQ of any changes that may affect a clause in their membership, whether it be a change of address, an amendment to insurance, the departure of an employee, etc.;
17. understands that maintaining membership is based on meeting all requirements, including adhering to the Code of Ethics and procedures concerning ethics;
18. agrees to report to the SIAQ any act that may conflict with any clause of the Members' Code of Ethics, within sixty (60) days following such an act. This type of reporting applies to behaviours or activities that have occurred from the date the member applied for membership. (NOTE: Any act requiring reporting under these terms must be documented on a separate sheet and submitted to the SIAQ.);
19. understands that being a member does not constitute a permit, registration, or any other authorization to practice or conduct business activities for a fee or otherwise;
20. agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the SIAQ and its agents, employees, representatives, and successors from any liability and release them from all claims, lawsuits, complaints, loss, or liability (including claims and legal fees) by a third party resulting from or related to their membership, their professional activities and services, or other commercial activities;
21. Regarding the use and display of trademarks in relation to professional business activities, the member agrees to comply with all applicable SIAQ policies, as well as any future amendments;
22. If membership expires, is suspended, or revoked, the member agrees, as stipulated in the license agreement, to immediately cease using and displaying the SIAQ trademark, its references, and any other designation indicating affiliation with the SIAQ. They agree to comply with any additional directives from the SIAQ.

The member's compliance with all business rules, policies, and procedures between individuals, with one or more companies, and with all legal rules and requirements. The member:

The member...

1. must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and codes of ethics governing the professional practice of arboriculture;
2. must adhere to all accepted professional standards related to the practice of arboriculture, including national practice standards and policies;
3. must subscribe to fair and honest business practices when dealing with clients, suppliers, employees, and other professionals;
4. must ensure to recommend a commercial member of the SIAQ to any potential client if they must refuse/transfer a request for arboriculture work because they are unable to fulfill the mandate, unless there is no commercial member in that region;
5. must not revise the bid price for a given job if, later, inadvertently or otherwise, they become aware of another arborist’s bid for the same job;
6. must support the improvement of professional services and products by encouraging research and development;
7. must preserve the security of information, which includes preventing unauthorized disclosure of information;
8. must avoid any behaviour or conduct that clearly contravenes the professional, ethical, or legal standards governing professional activities or services;
9. must avoid exaggerating or omitting material costs concerning technical information, products, or services if the result could mislead or misrepresent;
10. must provide safe and competent services through independent professional judgment when making decisions;
11. must recognize the limits of their professional abilities and only offer services that align with their qualifications. It is the responsibility of the members to determine the limits of their professional abilities based on their qualifications, training, knowledge, skills, practical experience, and any other relevant factors;
12. must make a reasonable effort to provide adequate professional referrals when unable to provide qualified professional assistance;
13. must provide truthful and accurate information to the public in advertising, public statements, and other representations as well as in the preparation of cost estimates, services, and expected outcomes;
14. must recognize and respect the intellectual property rights of others and act in an accurate, complete, and truthful manner, including activities associated with professional work and research;
15. must adequately use professional accreditations and provide truthful and accurate information about their education, experience, skills, and performance of services;
16. must disclose to clients and employers any important circumstances that could be interpreted as a potential or actual conflict of interest or as an appearance of improper practice;
17. must demonstrate sincerity in their verbal or written statements regarding the services they are qualified to offer and the benefits they intend to derive. To the best of their knowledge and belief, they will be honest and will not guarantee their work without having first clearly stated or explained the limits of the guarantees offered and the risks covered;
18. must avoid any behaviour that could cause a conflict of interest with a client, employer, employee, or the public;
19. must not use their involvement on a committee, board of directors, project, or working group within the SIAQ as an element of promotion and/or advertising for their business;
20. must maintain and respect the confidentiality of sensitive information obtained in the course of their professional activities, unless: the information can reasonably be considered to be part of illegal activity; a court or government agency legally requires disclosure of the information; the client or employer expressly authorizes the disclosure of this specific information; failing to disclose this information could cause death or serious physical harm to employees and the public;
21. if called as an expert witness, must base their testimony on adequate knowledge of the subject and on established facts. They will always testify according to their own convictions;
22. will be loyal to their client or employer and faithfully discharge their responsibilities.

The member...

1. must ensure that no conflict of interest compromises the legitimate interests of a client, employer, employee, or the public, and that no conflict of interest influences or interferes with professional judgment;
2. must avoid offering or accepting substantial amounts, gifts, or any other form of compensation or advantage to obtain a contract or if the purpose of such a gift is to influence professional judgment;
3. must, when acting as a consultant and a person not involved in arboriculture overrules their technical advice, clearly demonstrate the consequences that could result from not adhering to procedures or policies they consider essential;
4. if employed by a public body, must not abuse their position to compete with a commercial arborist. They must not favour one commercial arborist over another when awarding work or services if the arborists are from the same locality, are available, and have identical qualifications;
5. must scrupulously refrain from making unfounded remarks, comments, or criticisms likely to prejudice the career of another arborist, researcher, or forester and harm the reputation of their employer. If they possess clear evidence of wrongful conduct or a breach of the code of ethics by an arborist, they must report the relevant information to the appropriate authorities for suitable action;
6. must refrain from evaluating the work of another commercial arborist. They shall refer this evaluation to a scientist or another qualified person not engaged in the field of commercial arboriculture;
7. must encourage the principle of fair and equitable compensation to maintain a high level of competence among personnel working in arboriculture.