Parliament Hill Day

Since its inception in 2009, our Parliament Hill Day has been a cornerstone government relations activity. A yearly event, it raises awareness of the issues affecting the consulting engineering industry through meetings with Members of Parliament and Senior Bureaucrats from the federal government. Parliament Hill Day is hosted during the ACEC national leadership conference; delegates from across Canada become “citizen advocates” and help shape policy affecting our sector by meeting with their local MPs. 

Parliament Hill Day 2023

ACEC-Canada's voice is being heard!

For a detailed account of Parliament Hill Day 2023 activities and results, click here

Overview

On October 19th, 2023, ACEC-Canada brought over 65 representatives of the consulting engineering sector from across the country to Ottawa for in-person meetings with legislators and policymakers during its first in-person Parliament Hill Day since the pandemic. 

The following recommendations were presented to the Members of Parliament (MPs), Senators, political staff, and civil servants with whom our members met:

  • The National Infrastructure Assessment announced in 2021 be implemented to detail the long-term strategy for addressing Canada's infrastructure needs.
  • The government of Canada immediately renew funding for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program or unveil its successor program by spring 2024 to address immediate infrastructure needs.
  • Future federal infrastructure investment programs allow for multi-project applications based on sound asset management planning, as well as individual project applications.

These recommendations, which were part of ACEC-Canada's pre-budget Submission for Budget 2024, comprise our ongoing message on the importance of consulting engineering to developing and delivering critical infrastructure across the country.

Engaging with all parties across the aisle

Over the course of the day, ACEC-Canada members took part in a total of 35 meetings with individuals from across party lines, Senators, and political staff.  The numbers break down as follows:

  • 11 Liberal MPs
  • 13 PC MPs
  • 2 NDP MPs
  • 3 BQ MPs
  • 1 Green MP
  • 1 Senator
  • 3 Political Staff

Key results

  •  Approximately 75% of participating MPs were familiar with the consulting engineering industry;
  • Close to 95% of participating MPs expressed their support for ACEC-Canada’s goals and advocacy messages; and
  • 100% of participating MPs encouraged ACEC to continue its advocacy on these issues. 

If you have any questions about ACEC’s advocacy efforts or would like more information, please contact John Gamble, ACEC President and CEO at president@acec.ca.