|
In This Issue:
What Does the Cabinet Shuffle
Mean for Engineers?
On January 19th, 2010, Prime Minister Stephen Harper shuffled his cabinet. But what does this mean for engineers?
Three portfolios of interest to the consulting engineering industry were affected, namely Treasury Board, Public Works and International Trade. These three Ministries have been assumed by Minister Stockwell Day, Minister Rona Ambrose and Minister Peter Van Loan respectively.
Importance of Treasury Board
The most important of these files is Treasury Board since its guidelines impact all federal government departments. With regard to one of ACEC’s top issues, the procurement of engineering services, Treasury Board is responsible for establishing the policy that governs procurement practices. Departments are allowed to interpret the policies to some extent, but major change needs to be instituted at the Treasury Board level.
Prior to his posting as President of the Treasury Board, Minister Stockwell Day was responsible for Public Safety, and subsequently International Trade. ACEC has enjoyed a receptive relationship with the Minister to date and expects the engagement to continue as he assumes this important role.
Curtailing Government Spending
In addition to setting policy, the Treasury Board Secretariat is also responsible for controlling government spending. On the day of the shuffle, Minister Day indicated that his top priority will be to balance the budget once the economy stabilizes. The result of this priority is likely a curb in infrastructure spending. To address this concern, ACEC will be working hard to deliver a strong message: Canada needs a sustainable infrastructure plan to address the growing infrastructure deficit, and to properly plan and invest in our collective future.
This exact message has recently been delivered on several occasions including a presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance by ACEC’s President, John Gamble, P.Eng. In addition, ACEC held a “Hill Day” in early November consisting of about 40 meetings with Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and MPs. While some saw the pervasive need to invest more wisely in Canada’s infrastructure (and in a more sustainable way), others indicated the more likely reality that no more spending on infrastructure will ensue past the existing programs (stimulus and otherwise).
The Globe and Mail reported on the infrastructure deficit recently. Click here to view.
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)
Over the years, ACEC has established a strong relationship with PWGSC and its civil service. This relationship is expected to continue under Minister Ambrose.
Through regular meetings such as the Federal Industry Real Property Advisory Council (FIRPAC), ACEC has become a trusted partner and is involved in both major and minor consultations as policies and practices evolve through the department.
International Trade
ACEC has long standing relationships with both CIDA and DFAIT on a number of issues related to international trade. ACEC plans to introduce these issues to Minister Van Loan and demonstrate how the consulting engineering sector can support both our presence abroad and enhance Canadian competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Each of these Federal Ministers are well known to ACEC and we look forward to engaging each of them in their new portfolios. It is ACEC’s intention to request meetings when the House returns on March 3rd, 2010 in an effort to work together as our country ploughs through this challenging time.
DND and DCC
As a point of interest, ACEC recently met with Defence Construction Canada (DCC) and the Department of National Defence (DND) to discuss projects on the horizon and to determine better practices for both parties.
The good news is that DND expects to double its spending from last year and projected that approximately $700M still needs to be spent by the fiscal year end.
It is interesting to note that none of this spending came from stimulus money.
For more information on ACEC’s Government Relations activities, please contact Susie Grynol, Director of Public Affairs and Business Practices at sgrynol@acec.ca.
Save the date!
ACEC National Summit:
Theme: “Changing Tides”
June 23-26, 2010
Mark down June 23-26, 2010 in your calendars for the ACEC annual Summit hosted at the Fairmont Algonquin in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, one of eastern Canada’s most charming and historic towns.
With the Bay of Fundy (featuring the world’s highest tides) and the changing economy as a backdrop, this year’s theme “Changing Tides” will focus on identifying risks and opportunities in the business and regulatory landscape after the recession and after stimulus funding. Can your firm can take advantage of the new market-place - both domestically and internationally? We’ll find out from experts from both the public and private sectors.
In addition to the business program, social activities are also being planned to allow delegates and partners the opportunity to take in some of the local flavor along the New Brunswick coast. And responding to popular demand, the conference program will again offer opportunities for Young Professionals to share experiences and interact with the leadership of Canada’s consulting engineering sector.
Save the date and don’t miss this opportunity to network with your peers on the issues important to you and the consulting engineering industry today!
For more information on registration and hotel bookings, please contact the ACEC office at 1-800-565-0569 or by emailing events@acec.ca.
Federal Government Expect to Expand Requirements for Bilingual Documents
ACEC and other stakeholders have been advised by Public Works and Government Services (PWGSC) that the Federal Government intends to expand its requirements for all documents posted on the MERX tendering system to be provided in both official languages. This is expected to apply to contract documents (and supporting documents) prepared by engineers and architects on behalf of PWGSC and other federal departments.
While this practice is currently common in Québec, New Brunswick and the National Capital Region, the practice in other parts of the country has been to post the documents in English only while making the French version available to those making the request.
The new requirements for bilingual documents are expected to apply across the
country – representing a major shift from current government policy.
This is has been the result of a recent interpretation of the Official Languages Act which demands that the Government of Canada publish its documents in both official languages. ACEC has been advised that since MERX is accessible to the public, documents posted on this system are considered public documents.
This is a new practice and PWGSC wants to fully understand the impact on architectural and engineering sectors and collaborate with them during this transition. Specifically PWGSC is concerned about industry capacity in each province for producing bilingual documents.
Regional offices of PWGSC are currently in the process of contacting ACEC member organizations and other stakeholders directly.
ACEC will, therefore, be contacting Member Organizations in order to assess the impact of the new requirements and to consider how ACEC should respond and what role ACEC and its Member Organizations can play in assisting its members. ACEC, however, also recognizes that many of the issues arising from the new requirements may likely be beyond the purview of ACEC or its MOs. For instance, issues regarding signing and sealing of documents is best addressed by the licensing bodies across Canada and will likely vary between jurisdictions. Also, the ability to translate documents will likely need to be outsourced in some parts of the country and the capacity of such service providers is currently unknown to the industry (and may not exist in some areas).
ACEC will continue to be in contact with other affected stakeholders on this issue.
Become a More Effective Project Manager
Project Management Bootcamp by ACEC/PSMJ
Toronto, On
April 15-16, 2010
This information-packed seminar compresses a lifetime of experience and insight into two days. You gain an understanding of the techniques and strategies of today’s most successful project managers.
Improve your personal project management skills and success.
Provide a focus and dynamic approach your whole firm can put into action right away.
The result is a seminar brimming with practical information you can act on immediately to improve the projects you work on every day.
At this event, attendees will learn and gain valuable insights on how to:
*Bring projects in on time and under budget
*Fulfill the 6 roles of a Project Manager
*Actively manage the client relationship
*Increase staff productivity in 5 ways
*Effectively control “scope creep”
*Make proposals become winners
*Create budgets and schedules to produce success
Please note that firms sending more than two registrants are eligible for discounts.
Discounts for group registrations:
*Three registrants from one firm - first two are regular price, third person is half price
*Four registrants from one firm - first three are regular price, fourth person is free
*Five or more from one firm - first three are regular price, fourth person is free, every additional registrant beyond four is 25% off
A Message from the Chair of ACEC’s International Committee,
Chris Newcomb, P.Eng.
Over the past few months, I have attended several meetings on behalf of the ACEC International Committee related to CIDA and DFAIT policy. Below is a summary of the developments for your information. Please feel free to contact me at cnewcomb@mcelhanney.com or the ACEC office at 1-800-565-0569 if you have any questions or wish to provide input into this process.
CIDA consultation on revised RFP template and procurement process
4 November 09, Ottawa
CIDA presented its new and improved RFP template and a more streamlined process for evaluating proposals and awarding contracts. CIDA appeared to be more genuinely interested in stakeholder feedback compared with past consultations.
The new template still contains the 80/20 rule for qualifications versus price. We took the opportunity to vigorously promote QBS and the InfraGuide. CIDA responded that their hands are tied by Treasury Board regulations. We and they each agreed we will convey the importance of QBS to Treasury Board.
We promoted the importance of infrastructure. CIDA responded that we may well see a move back towards ‘bricks and mortar’ projects. However, we were reminded that CIDA is also moving towards untied aid, meaning that we will have to compete with foreign firms for CIDA-funded projects.
Inaugural meeting of DFAIT Infrastructure Advisory Board
8 December 09, Ottawa
The purpose of the Advisory Board is to provide a dedicated sector of DFAIT (known as ‘The Infrastructure Practice’) with guidance for the purpose of increasing the volume of Canadian export business in the Infrastructure sector. DFAIT considers Infrastructure to be a major export opportunity because of the growing infrastructure deficit in the developing and developed world.
The Consulting engineering industry was well-represented by several member firms of ACEC. There was one financing company, two Architects, and the rest were from government and institutions such as EDC, CMHC and CCC. Construction firms were invited but did not attend. DFAIT plans to consult this Board at least twice annually.
Since the INC program has been transferred from CIDA to DFAIT, I took the opportunity to repeat our appeal for re-instatement of the Professional Services Mechanism, which is the element of INC that is of most interest to consulting engineering firms, and a modification of the compensation formula, which is extremely detrimental to consulting firms.
As a result of the meeting and subsequent inputs by email a document entitled “Integrative Trade Global Strategy: Infrastructure 2010 –2011”, together with a supporting background document and PowerPoint presentation, was circulated to the Advisory Board on 25 January 10.
Meeting with Dave Murphy, new Director of DFAIT INC program
9 December 09, Ottawa
Mr. Murphy is sympathetic to our industry because his father was an international consulting engineer and he consequently grew up in a variety of exotic countries. The program budget remains at $20 million, and the inadequate compensation formula remains. He says that our concerns regarding the Professional Services Mechanism have been heard, and consequently a portion of it has been reinstated: namely, the ‘Implementation’ component of up to $275,000 for training and/or environmental/social studies to complement the work of Canadian firms that have succeeded in winning international contracts.
He encouraged us to continue lobbying for improvements to INC, such as reinstatement of the feasibility study component of the Professional Services Mechanism, and conceded that he plans to review the compensation formula, although not until later this year.
The DFAIT INC program was officially launched on 4 January 10. Details can be found at www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca
DFAIT consultation on improving Canadian access to international untied aid
28 January 10, Calgary
DFAIT was looking for specific input from the private sector on how the Trade Commission Service can help Canadian firms be more successful at winning assignments from foreign aid agencies and international banks. The meeting participants were energy companies, environmental services firms, language training institutions and one engineering firm. Collective advice to DFAIT included modifying INC to better suit the needs of small firms and consultants, and striving for convergence between aid and trade by harmonizing the efforts of CIDA and DFAIT. Examples were given of other countries with successful aid programs that are designed to leverage exports, compared with Canada where DFAIT and CIDA are poles apart.
Humanitarian Support for Haiti
In response to enquiries from ACEC members regarding to supporting relief efforts following the earthquake in Haiti, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has provided the following information:
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is working closely with a number of relief agencies who are best prepared for natural disasters and complex emergencies. These agencies are able to deliver supplies quickly as they often stockpile needed goods in warehouses across the region and make long-term agreements with suppliers who can quickly respond to an emergency. Once the emergency phase is over and the rebuilding phase begins, relief organizations may be interested in building relationships with suppliers of required goods and services.
The Department is currently coordinating requests for assistance and will convey all requests to the relevant humanitarian agency.
For information on how companies can help, they can consult: www.international.gc.ca
Any requests for information on the Haiti Earthquake should be directed to Ottawa-based Trade Desk Officer responsible for Haiti who will be collecting information on the offer (type of good/service, timing (if applicable) and whether it is a donation or remuneration is expected.
Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
ACEC President and Student Leaders
Discuss Future of Engineering
ACEC President John Gamble provided introductory remarks and participated in an interactive session on the future of engineering education at the annual congress of the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students (CFES) in Hamilton, ON last month.
In his opening, Mr. Gamble noted that engineering education in Canada was excellent across the board with many faculties offering interesting options and opportunities. However he expressed concerned that while engineering has been normally a four-year program for over a century, the demands of what the marketplace expects from engineering graduates has increased dramatically. In addition to keeping up with changes in scientific knowledge and technology, engineering programs are challenged by the demands of many employers such as consulting engineering firms that are also looking for graduates that are well-rounded with strong interpersonal and communications skills. “A well-rounded engineer is likely to be good engineer – a true professional; a leader in society”. Characterizing engineering as the nexus between the natural world and societal needs, he predicted this trend will continue.
The students in attendance, leaders from engineering undergraduate societies from across Canada, clearly understood and appreciated that non-technical skills that compliment their technical and scientific knowledge would be of great value in many aspects of an engineering career – including management, business development and now more than ever, project delivery.
Participants considered and deliberated on a number of possible scenarios of what future engineering programs could look like in order to better accommodate the demand for humanities and non-technical courses and to encourage participation in extra-curricular activities. Among the most controversial proposals discussed were extending engineering to a five or six year program or even making engineering a graduate program. There was a broad consensus that engineering faculties should encourage and support students that wish to take minors to supplement a major in engineering. It was also suggested that official transcripts recognize and highlight a student’s extra-curricular activities.
At the conclusion of the CFES congress, as a result of the round-table discussion, a motion was presented by member schools to advocate for the incorporation of soft skills into engineering education. “Isn't it amazing how a simple discussion amongst a passionate group of students can spur such positive results?” noted session organizer Laura Meimari from McGill University. CFES President, Kyle Ruttan of the University of Western Ontario, reported that some delegates regarded the session as the highlight of the week and that they appreciated the engagement and discussion.
“Engineering Legacies” Campaign Receives Strong Support from Member Firms
ACEC’s Susie Grynol (left) with University of Saskatchewan
engineering student (right) at the Spectrum career fair.
ACEC is receiving strong support from member firms looking to use the Engineering Legacies DVD in their own student outreach initiatives. Since completing its mass DVD mail-out to ACEC Heads of Firms, ACEC Member Organizations, Professional Engineering Associations and Sponsors, many have expressed how helpful it will be to their own efforts to bring graduates into the industry.
The DVD contains nearly 15 videos featuring young engineers talking about their experiences working in the consulting engineering sector has gained tremendous exposure over the last few months - generating a lot of traffic on the Engineering Legacies website and enormous interest from across the country.
Students are also viewing the videos at www.engineeringlegacies.com to learn about the industry and accessing the ACEC member search function to connect with ACEC member firms and learn about potential career opportunities upon graduation.
ACEC recently attended the Canadian Federation of Engineering Student Congress at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. The excitement created from previewing the highlight video was demonstrated by the many comments from students who are now considering consulting as their number one career choice.
“I have had an opportunity to work for a consulting engineering firm as part of a work term and really enjoyed the experience,” says Danielle Kitts, 3rd year student at UOIT. “The video re-enforced what I like about consulting – how you have the ability to work on all kinds of projects and enjoy a real variety in your work life.”
ACEC is encouraging its member firms and other industry partners to use the DVD to help promote the consulting engineering industry and to refer to the Engineering Legacies website for more information on the project.
Video Tour Update
Here’s a summary of the events ACEC and Member Organizations have participated in this winter as well as a list of upcoming events:
January - February 2010:
- Canadian Federation of Engineering Students Congress 2010 – ACEC participated in the career fair and presented the highlight video during lunch at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. ACEC President, John Gamble, also led a session on the future of engineering education in Canada.
- University of Saskatchewan – ACEC and CES hosted an information session which coincided with the annual Spectrum 2010 in Saskatoon, SK - the largest tech fair in North America. Many CES volunteers came out to support the event.
- Quebec Engineering Competition – ACEC and AICQ sponsored the annual event and participated in the career fair at the Université de Sherbrooke, in Sherbrooke, QC.
- University of Prince-Edward-Island – ACEC and CEPEI together with Professional Engineers PEI hosted an industry night at UPEI in Charlottetown, PEI.
- Ontario Engineering Competition – Thanks to CEO sponsorship, CEO and ACEC participated as exhibitors at this annual event held at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, ON. The highlight video was presented at the welcome reception. Susie Grynol was also invited to return as a judge for the debating competition.
- University of Calgary – CEA hosted a “Student Mixer” on February 9th, 2010.
- University of Alberta – CEA hosted a “Student Mixer” on February 10th, 2010.
Upcoming events:
- Canadian Engineering Competition – ACEC will sponsor and participate as judges at the annual event taking place March 19-21, 2010.
- Career Symposium – CEM and ACEC will participate in annual student career fair from April 6-8, 2010 in Winnipeg, MB.
On-Going Commitment
With the videos now a proven success, ACEC will now be focusing on ensuring continued success of the campaign by collaborating with member organizations and familiarizing them with the tools available to support the videos and own student outreach initiatives.
ACEC is also utilizing social media campaign and to strengthen the campaign’s presence online. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have all become key components in marketing the campaign.
For more information about the Engineering Legacies campaign, please contact Susie Grynol, Director of Public Affairs and Business Practices at sgrynol@acec.ca or 1-800-565-0569.
ENCON: Loss Control Seminar
 During the Fall series of ENCON’s 40th anniversary of loss control seminars we reviewed a number of liability issues that design consultants had faced in the past and at present. Participants were then asked to identify potential liability issues that they expected to arise in the future. While a variety of issues were raised, there were three in particular that were identified by many participants. Green buildings and LEED certification was cited by many as being potentially problematic. It seems that many project owners are only familiar with the terminology and not with the process required to achieve LEED certification. Some owners want guarantees from design consultants that their project would achieve a certain LEED certification status. Some owners wanted such certification but still wanted the cheapest design which is contradictory. Another area of concern centered around new technology and building materials. As manufacturers rush to get their products to market ahead of their competitors, the level of testing may not be sufficient to determine the final performance of the product or its durability. Lastly, concern was expressed about liability associated with the use of new software [eg. BIM] in the design process. There were questions about who would be held responsible if errors in the software led to deficiencies in design. These are all valid concerns which will be addressed in the next series of loss control seminars and bulletins.
The Spring session of the current seminar series continues in March: Mississauga - March 10; Ottawa - March 23, Montreal – March 25; Toronto – March 30. For more information about the seminars and venues, please visit www.encon.ca.
Consulting Engineers of Alberta
Honours its Best
Andy Robinson, ACEC Chair (left) and
Herb Kuehne, ACEC Director and Treasurer (right) pose with
Brian Jean, MP and Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
Consulting Engineers of Alberta held its annual awards gala at the Calgary Stampede BMO Centre. Over 500 people, including industry representatives and their clients, were in attendance at the 60’s themed gala that saw 20 awards presented to a variety of engineering projects from all disciplines. Among dignitaries in attendance was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Brian Jean, MP who brought greetings from the federal government. The ACEC Board had met in Calgary earlier that day and was well represented at event. The award winners can be found at the ACEC website at www.cea.ca.
Industry News
COMPANY NEWS ROUND-UP - CFMS, BBA, AMEC, Cohos Evamy, EBA
Péloquin is AECOM’s new National Transit Leader
R.V. Anderson Associates Limited Maintains its Status as One of Canada's Best Managed Companies
Coming Events
ACEC Events
April 15-16, 2010
PSMJ Management Bootcamp
Toronto, ON
For more information, please contact the ACEC office at 1-800-565-0569.
May 6-7, 2010
PSMJ Principals Bootcamp
Toronto, ON
For more information, please contact the ACEC office at 1-800-565-0569.
June 23-26, 2010
ACEC Summit
St. Andrew’s, NB
For more information, please contact the ACEC office at 1-800-565-0569.
Other Events
March 2-3, 2010
8th Annual Urban Transportation Summit
Toronto, ON
For more information, click here.
March 2-3, 2010
Cold Climate Construction Conference & Expo
Edmonton, AB
For more information, click here.
March 24-26, 2010
Globe 2010
International Conference on Climate and Carbon Change
Vancouver, BC
For more information, click here.
Various dates
RedR Canada: Training Courses
For more information, click here.
June 22-25, 2010
Air & Waste Management Association Annual Conference
Calgary, AB
For more information, click here.
September 19-22, 2010
FIDIC 2010 New Dehli Conference
Vigyan Bhawan, New Dehli
For more information, click here.
|
