June 27, 2012

Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada federal infrastructure funding reference guide released

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) has released an updated report that provides a snapshot of federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations with infrastructure funding programs or functions.

ACEC commissioned Temple Scott Associates Inc. to provide association members with a “current and convenient” reference guide on available federal programs that may offer opportunities to consulting engineering companies and their clients.

“This is meant to be a high-level guide,” said ACEC president John Gamble, who noted that the 18-page report is designed to be as up-to-date as possible, incorporating a section on the government’s 2012 economic action plan.

The document is titled “Infrastructure Investment in Canada 2012-13: Opportunities for the Consulting Engineering Sector.”

In a foreword, the report notes that ACEC believes infrastructure is an investment “in our communities, our quality of life and the environment.”

Recent investments in infrastructure by the federal government have significantly strengthened Canada’s economy and increased prosperity, the report states. However, most current federal funding programs, such as the Building Canada Fund, are set to expire in 2014.

ACEC is working with Infrastructure Canada and other stakeholders to develop a long-term infrastructure plan that will eventually replace some of these current programs. Until then, ACEC intends to continue to monitor the availability of existing programs.

Also in the infrastructure realm, the association recently partnered with Engineers Canada and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering to produce a report on the critical role that engineers play in the provision of public infrastructure. That document was prepared for Infrastructure Canada.

Investing in Canada’s infrastructure was the focus of one of the sessions at the association’s annual summit in Prince Edward Island.

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