Compliance and enforcement sector careers
Last updated on March 5, 2025Jobs in compliance and enforcement ensure that people, businesses and government organizations comply with the rules that protect British Columbia’s people, environment and economy.
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What is compliance and enforcement?
The aim of compliance work is to verify, support and educate people and businesses to follow the rules and requirements placed on them. Enforcement actions place consequences on those who break those rules.
A rewarding and meaningful career
Compliance and enforcement career opportunities are in almost every ministry and in regions across the province.
Some positions are based in regular office settings while others are located across the province conducting in-person inspections or investigations into potential wrongdoing.
In the following video, find out more about the wide variety of compliance and enforcement careers available in the BC Public Service.
Job types
There are countless positions within the compliance and enforcement sector. Career options are as varied as the citizens served.
No two positions are the same, and many positions include a combination of duties, roles, and work environments. Jobs are often titled as either inspector, auditor, investigator or an officer that combines some of these roles. While each role is unique, here are some guidelines to help understand the differences between various titles.
Inspector
Inspectors attend businesses and worksites in person to make direct observations, complete inspection reports, stop non-compliant work and make recommendations for further action, if needed. The goal of inspections is to verify that regulated entities are complying with applicable rules and encourage them to take corrective actions where needed without the need for further intervention. Examples:
- Liquor and cannabis inspector
- Gaming inspector
- Carrier safety inspector
- Commercial transport safety inspector
- Inspector of mines
- Meat hygiene and agri-food inspector
- Environmental protection officer
- Tax inspector
Auditor
Auditors analyze reports and conduct reviews to ensure that funds, resources and programs are being used correctly, that corporate operations are in line with legal requirements and that taxes and natural resource royalties are collected and paid as required. Financial and tax auditors will often have a professional accounting designation or other financial education and experience, but there are opportunities for performance-based and program-based audits as well. Examples:
- Financial auditor: Office of the Auditor General
- Tax auditor (includes natural resource royalties)
- Liquor and cannabis auditor
- Compliance gambling auditor
- Compliance or audit analyst
Investigator
Investigators seek further information, collect evidence and explore allegations of wrongdoing, criminal activity and/or misuse of programs/services. Investigators create reports and may seek prosecutions that could lead to criminal charges or other regulatory consequences. Investigations can involve a combination of in-office and fieldwork. Examples:
- Assisted living investigator
- Ministry investigator – Prevention and Loss Management Services
- Gaming investigator
- Immigration program investigator
- Liquor and cannabis investigator
- Tax fraud investigator
Officer
There are many roles that do not fall into the investigator, inspector or auditor categories and may involve a combination of duties. These positions are often referred to as “officers”. These roles typically perform both regulatory compliance verification and enforcement functions, such as the issuing of violation tickets, seizing illicit goods or materials and/or conducting investigations. “Officer” may also refer to roles in B.C. corrections and community corrections. Examples:
- Conservation officer
- Natural resource officer
- Environmental protection officer
- Intersection safety camera officer
- Probation officer
- Correctional officer
- Employment standards and industrial relations officer / investigator
- Appeals officer
Areas of focus
Justice system services
Identifying and minimizing risks to the public and key institutions, as well as administering programs that engage directly with the public, including citizens in correctional facilities.
Ministry of Attorney General
- B.C. Sheriffs Service: deputy sheriff
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
- Corrections Branch: correctional officer
- Civil Forfeiture Office
Natural resource sector
Focused on natural resource compliance verification and law enforcement and committed to the protection and conservation of B.C.’s water, land, air and living resources.
Ministry of Forests
- Compliance and Enforcement Branch: natural resource officer investigations
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
- Conservation Officer Service: conservation officer
- Compliance and Environmental Enforcement Branch: environmental protection officer
- Environmental Assessment Office: environmental assessment officer
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
- Mines Health, Safety and Enforcement: inspector of mines
Public safety
Protecting British Columbians by ensuring that individuals, businesses, landlords, and industries are complying with the rules, regulations and laws designed to keep us safe.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
- Community Safety Unit: investigator
- Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch: inspector
- Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch: inspector
- B.C. Coroners Service: coroner
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
- Food Safety & Inspection Branch: agri-food compliance and enforcement officer
Ministry of Housing
- Residential Tenancy Branch: investigator
​Finance and economy
Ensuring that businesses, employers and individuals comply with the laws and regulations in place to raise revenue and to protect British Columbia’s financial, labour and immigration eco-systems from non-compliance and fraud.
Ministry of Finance
- Office of the Comptroller General: auditor, compliance analyst
- Revenue Division (multiple branches): inspector, auditor, investigator, compliance analyst and appeals officer
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
- Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch: compliance gambling auditor
Ministry of Labour
- Employment Standards Branch: employment standards and industrial relations officer / investigator
Ministry of Municipal Affairs
- Immigration Programs Branch: investigator
Health and social services
Ensure the proper use of health and social programs, such as Medical Services Plan (MSP), Employment Assistance and PharmaCare. Also ensuring that private and subsidized care facilities are in compliance with requirements.
Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
- Prevention and Loss Management Service: ministry investigator
Ministry of Health
- Community Care Licensing & Assisted Living Registry: assisted living investigator
- Audit and Investigations Branch: special investigator, medical inspector, auditor
Education
Conducting audits and inspections to ensure that private and public education facilities are compliant with requirements placed on them and to investigate allegations of misconduct.
Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills
- Private Training Institutions Branch: compliance and enforcement officer
Ministry of Education
- Teacher Regulation Branch: investigator
Transportation
Ensuring that roadways and road users are safe.
Ministry of Transportation
- Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Branch
- Carrier safety inspector
- Commercial transport enforcement officer
- Commercial transport inspector
- Passenger transportation enforcement officer
- Area vehicle inspector
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
- RoadSafetyBC: intersection safety camera officer
Click here for a full list of compliance and enforcement organizations.