OSPE - The Voice - June 2017 - 7

VIEWPOINT

As excitement about the 150th anniversary
of Canadian Confederation builds across
the country, OSPE's Canada 150 campaign
will continue to not only publicize the work done by Ontario's engineering community,
but more importantly, to demonstrate how engineers transform and bolster the social
and economic well-being of Ontario and Canada.
Throughout history, engineers have developed the technology and processes that
continue to drive Canada's economic growth and spirit of innovation. The Canadian
Pacific Railway promoted the settlement of Western Canada, spurring new industries
rich in engineering influence along the way. Today, the design and construction of
transit infrastructure like Light Rail Transit (LRT) promise to ease congestion and
deliver more efficient and environmentally sustainable travel options for commuters.
Between 1916 and 1935, civil engineer C.D. Howe, P.Eng., designed economical grain
elevators and unloaders that helped industrialize Canada's agricultural economy. Today,
Canada's engineering community is dedicated to developing sustainable greenhouses
and methods of food production that will improve the standard of living in remote
communities. From the first Canadian powered flight in 1909, to the development of
the Canadarm now aboard the International Space Station, the true value of Ontario's
engineers to society extends much deeper than the technological innovations they create.
Engineers create wealth. The innovative solutions of engineers not only improve our
quality of life in Ontario, but are commercialized and exported worldwide to attract
foreign investment and bring economic growth to all Canadians. I'm pleased to say that
OSPE has seen success in communicating to government the importance of Ontario
engineering expertise in setting energy policy (including Ontario's Long Term Energy
Plan), confronting environmental issues (like soil reuse, asset management planning,
and cap-and-trade), establishing Ontario and Canada's Innovation Agenda, and guiding
Ontario's infrastructure spending.
While these priorities may not directly benefit professional engineers in the short
term, it is important to note that there is a long-term benefit. OSPE's advocacy efforts
will help governments, the media and the public understand that engineers have the
solutions to society's pressing challenges, and that heeding the advice of engineers
will reduce hydro rates, infrastructure deficits and costly investment in research and
development, to name a few.
Raising the profile and perceived value of the engineering profession will foster
greater levels of respect and compensation for Ontario's engineers. Right now, many
people do not fully understand what engineers do, nor appreciate the complexity of the
tasks that engineers perform. Engineering is viewed as a commodity that can be replaced
by other non-licenced professionals, so OSPE will continue to focus its advocacy efforts
on driving the value equation, employment and demand for Ontario's engineers.
In fact, many of OSPE's recommendations to the provincial and federal government
were incorporated into their respective budgets over the past few years, including greater
investment in co-ops and Work Integrated Learning opportunities (WIL) for engineering
students and graduates; investment in high priority infrastructure projects, which will
create more employment opportunities for engineers; and a more robust commitment
to connect engineering innovation companies with the engineering experts required to
scale up operations. In 2015, OSPE began lobbying the government to create a program
to promote the engineering talent in Ontario and attract international investment in
the engineering community. This has led to the creation of Ontario's Investment Office
and 2,000 new engineering and technology jobs over the past year as foreign companies
continue to locate in Ontario.

MessaGe froM Your
chief eXecutive officer

"OSPE's advocacy efforts
will help governments,
the media and the
public understand that
engineers have the
solutions to society's
pressing challenges."

With your input and expertise as our
mainstay, OSPE can continue to amplify
our message to government and industry
that the key to the economic prosperity of
this province is quite simply to invest in
Ontario's professional engineers!

Sandro Perruzza
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OSPE

June 2017

The VOICe

7



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - The Voice - June 2017

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OSPE - The Voice - June 2017 - Cover3
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