PEO Council Elections 2023

Professional Engineers Ontario’s (PEO) 2023 Council Elections are upon us, and every OSPE Professional member and Professional 65+ member is eligible to vote from now until February 17. Please visit PEO’s website for information on how to vote.

PEO Council is responsible for determining the direction of PEO, setting and maintaining high standards for professional engineering practice, and upholding PEO’s duty to protect the public interest. OSPE has long been advocating for PEO to re-focus on its sole regulatory function – to regulate the practice of professional engineering – and encourages OSPE members to review the various candidate statements and vote for candidates who will support the path PEO is taking to implement the recommendations of its Independent Regulatory Review.  

OSPE reached out to all candidates to provide their responses to the following questions:

  1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?
  2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?
  3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?
  4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?
  5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?
  6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

Below are answers from the candidates who responded, as well as links to all candidate statements. This page will be updated as we receive responses from each candidate. Don’t forget to vote before Friday, February 17, at 4 p.m. EST. 

President-Elect Candidates

 

 

 

 

 

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

OSPE has a very important role. It is fighting to promote professional engineers and engineering profession. It is a dynamic and robust organization running by passionate volunteers. However, there is one major problem. OSPE does not have so much enforcement power as PEO does. 

Also, we have to consider the fact that the existence of OSPE is evidence that shows PEO business model is not perfect. What PEO cannot do, OSPE does.

As a member of PEO, I would support OSPE for what it is doing. As a future PEO president, I will do anything possible within my defined limited power to keep both PEO and OSPE active and united.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

In an ideal situation, PEO and OSPE must be combined into one larger and better organization. In real world, if I am elected, OSPE will have my full support for what is doing.

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

No, I am not. Not because I am not interested, it is because I want to support OSPE from outside. My first priority is PEO. However, if the time comes, I would support OSPE.

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

The first step for PEO is to reach out to all non-professional engineers in the province regardless of their status and to give them an opportunity to join PEO. This cannot be done unless provincial government passes laws and regulations to limit any engineering work to be done only by licensed professional engineers. The second step is to make sure Professional Engineering ACT is applied properly.

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

I believe all students across the province must be encouraged and to have an equal opportunity to pursue an engineering profession regardless of the gender. The time has passed to separate people based on their gender or ethnicity or background or etc.  

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

What PEO is doing today is good; however, there is always room for improvement. Future generation of councillors and executives should have a chance to bring new ideas on board to improve regulations and methods used by PEO.

READ FULL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

OSPE’s focus should be on issues that are in the self-interest of the profession as a whole, that is, the economic self-interest of licensed engineers and those along the path to licensure. For example, pushing forward initiatives which license holders, members of the profession, those on the path to licensure are facing and need resolved or would find of value, such as, but not limited to advocating for….

  • Better and more equitable salaries for licensed Engineers in Ontario
  • Increased DEI in the profession
  • Supporting with evidence, exclusive rights of practice for Engineers
  • Assistance for Engineers if they are complained or disciplined against by PEO, help them to “navigate the PEO system”
  • Assistance for Engineering graduates on their path to licensure and others with license mobility issues
  • Help to licensed engineers, who are members of OSPE, to maintain their competency with pointing engineers towards quality, reputable, free and/or discounted, Continuous Professional Development Courses and opportunities to contribute to engineering knowledge (not promote their individual self-interests, ex. their businesses).
  • Partner with other organizations to achieve the above vs. competing with established organizations who are already doing similar – avoid duplication and leverage the work of others.
  • Career services and non-technical education to assist and career progression of Engineers right up to the Board Room table and after retirement.
  • Affinity programs for OSPE members (Discounts on various products and services)
  • Lobby the Provincial Government with evidence-based policy changes, as appropriate, to do so which is in the self-interest of Engineers
  • Avoid advocating for Industry Sectors or Business Interests when those interests are in conflict with the self-interest of licensed Engineers and erode the value of the license

PEO regulates in the Public Interest. It is regulator – full stop – not a self-interest member association. See this piece by OSPE “Two Sides of the Same Coin”

The relationship with OSPE and PEO is not black and white but more like a Venn Diagram. There are times when PEO and OSPE should & could be collaborating on an issue which may be in both the interest of the public but also in the self-interest of Engineers. For example, removal of the Industrial Exception from the Engineers Act – PEO has no jurisdiction in manufacturing environments but the Public thinks Engineers do! At other times, OSPE and PEO can hold each other ‘in check’ to push or challenge each organization to be better. For example, OSPE advocating for shortened license application timeframes or shorter times to resolve complaints against Engineers. Frankly, I think there should be a yearly meeting of both the PEO and OSPE boards to build better understanding on how each organization works within their respective mandate to avoid public “airing of issues” before a conversation happens as “public airing” only hurts the profession in the long run.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

Since my husband works for OSPE it is a conflict of interest for me to be involved too closely with OSPE, although both my husband and I are big OSPE supporters having been continuous OPSE members since it was first formed in 2000. Both PEO and OSPE are 2 separate organizations, with separate boards of directors. I plan to focus my volunteer energies on my role as Chair of PEO Council, should I be elected as PEO’s President-elect. Therefore, there will be little time to work with OSPE as a PEO representative. While OSPE and PEO have separate boards and separate strategic plans, I see value if the boards of the 2 organizations met to build better understanding of each our respective mandates, facilitate communications, determine if other stakeholders are missing, how each organization works or could be working better, all to avoid public “airing of issues” before a conversation takes place as it only hurts the profession in the long run.

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

I have been a member of OSPE continuously since OSPE was first formed in 2000. I feel it is my moral obligation to my profession. Lawyers have the Law Society of Upper Canada for regulation and the Ontario Bar Association for advocacy. Doctors have the College of Physicians and Surgeons for regulation and the Ontario Medical Association for advocacy. Engineers have PEO for regulation and OSPE for advocacy. See OSPE brochure – Two Sides of the Same Coin.

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

PEO’s role is to regulate the practice of professional engineering in the Public Interest. This is the profession’s “social contract” with the people of Ontario. The profession is made up of those who have made the commitment to become a P.Eng. The definition of “Public Interest” could be defined more clearly but “public interest” is not limited to simply keeping people safe, which is the term used in this question and I hear many people also use this term. Public Interest is much broader as outlined in the Professional Engineers Act, the legal framework the Ontario Government gives PEO to regulate engineering. Public Interest encompasses safeguarding of life, but also includes the safeguarding of health, property, economic interests, the public welfare or the environment.

To illustrate, an example of engineering practice not safety related, consider basing investment decisions on engineering designs. PEO receives very few complaints from investors when they lose money on their investments as the public does not connect their financial lost to poor engineering practice. Recall the Theranos scandal? This technology was fraudulent and so many people lost their life savings. As a modern engineering regulator, PEO could deepen it’s co-regulation efforts by collaborating with other regulators which many other engineering regulators in Canada do. Other regulators may have evidence connected to poor engineering practice, but PEO, to my knowledge, has not signed information sharing agreements or collaborated in other ways. PEO tends to look inwardly, so PEO could be missing opportunities to regulate engineering better in the “Public Interest” by engaging externally. Another example, not necessarily regulation but of interest to the insurance industry, is cyber security business interruptions claims. Could PEO engage with the insurance industry to request the collection and sharing of data around cyber security business interruption claims? Who designs Digital Communications Infrastructure (CI)? Is there data which indicates lower or higher rates of business interruption claims dependent on who signs off on the CI design? Could the insurance industry collect data on claims rates to compare when a P.Eng. has taken responsibility for the CI designs vs. others? The insurance industry may also have evidence that the Public Interest is better served when licensed engineers “sign off” on climate change mitigation and adaptation designs beyond simply infrastructure designs. Who can the public trust better than Engineers to calculate Carbon Emissions correctly and ethically report?

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

I have already done a fair amount of work in this area but am thrilled to have been on last year’s Council to vote in support of PEO’s Anti-Racism & Equity (ARE) Policy. The successful approval of the ARE policy paves the way for, not only women, but other equity seeking groups for discovery and removal of any existing barriers and biases in PEO’s operations and governance processes. The ARE policy will be fully operationalized by PEO’s newly appointed CEO & Registrar and her Sr. Management team. Council’s expectation is that the scope of ARE Policy implementation is organizational wide and encompasses all of PEO’s processes, from selection of volunteers whether appointed or elected to Council, to PEO Committees, or to PEO Chapter Executive & Committees; to staff hiring practices; to license applicant experiences, or any other stakeholder who engage with PEO whether digitally or in person.

After 30 years in the engineering space, the largest barrier for our profession to achieve equity is attraction and retention. As I have said many times, there is no sense filling a bucket with a large hole in it! However, I have seen positive accelerated changes with respect to DEI in the profession recently. Attracting talent to our profession starts “upstream”, which is outside the mandate of PEO. However, Engineers Canada is doing some significant work in this area with their 30by30 and DEI initiatives which is supported both financially and from a governance point of view by PEO – PEO Council appoints 4 Engineers Canada directors. OSPE has a significantly broader role to play to advance equity in the engineering profession as a designated 30by30 Champion through collaboration with organizations working in DEI in the engineering space. Much beyond PEO’s mandate. From a retention point of view, this should be a role for business advocacy organizations such as the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada – Ontario Chapter. It is these organizations that could assist their members to ensure equity in the engineering workplace. If workplaces are addressing retention, we will never reach a fully inclusive profession. A key part of qualifying for an engineering license is receiving the required experience. However, if women and other underrepresented groups experience barriers to getting this critical engineering experience, they cannot get a license. The government only gives PEO the authority to regulate individuals, not business entities, so advocating with business entities is outside of PEO’s mandate presently. However, OSPE could take this on within their mandate. OSPE could do some significant research in this area to quantify the types of barriers underrepresented engineering intern groups might experience in the workplace with respect to the quality and quantity of experience needed for licensure. Potentially the findings from this research could complement the attached report OSPE did on the Engineering Underemployment Crisis in 2015.  International Engineering Graduates who were women, had the highest underemployment.   

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

Maintaining and advancing the integrity of the Engineering profession begins with enhancing organizational effectiveness at PEO and closely managing the expectations of PEO’s transformational changes with the Ministry of the Attorney General (AG) of Ontario, who gives PEO its self-regulation privileges. While OSPE has a large role to play to maintain the integrity of the profession, from a PEO point of view, the Council approved transformational change plan, which includes a progressive governance roadmap & action plan, has placed PEO well on its way to modernize engineering regulation in Ontario which will ensure a future ready, inclusive, and responsive engineering regulator, resulting in improved public trust, and enhanced integrity & relevancy of our profession.  The AG has responded positively to PEO’s progress on its transformational change journey to date and PEO must continue on this forward path. Otherwise we risk loosing the privilege of self-regulation and eroding the integrity and public trust in our profession.

READ FULL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

 

Vice Presidential Candidates

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

PEO acts as a regulator to set up the requirements, policies and practices for engineering professionals to meet standards of profession in protection of public safety, while OSPE advocates these requirements and policies to engineering community to help them understand, advice our engineers to be successfully comply with the regulations & guide them through the path while engineers are on their journey to achieve their professional engineer status. OSPE should guide engineers during conflict resolution to ensure they have clarity and required support on explaining PEO process of conflict & complaint resolution. I also see OSPE a channel to convey constructive feedback from engineering community back to PEO for continuous improvement & upgrades to PEO policies, standards & regulations to ensure these remains most relevant & meet the core mandate as defined in our Professional Engineering Act.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

I see OSPE as one of the key collaborators to represent PEO to engineering community, supporting them explaining regulations, requirements, policies in simple terms and help them comply, support through their journey to achieve P.E.ng license and remain compliant. My strive is to work with OSPE side by side as a collaborator, a partner and team member to achieve the common goal of achieving our core mandate which is to ensure that the public is protected and that individuals and companies providing engineering services uphold a strict code of professional ethics and conduct (Professional Engineers Act).

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

No, I am not an OSPE member.

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

PEO ensures that our engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario through:

  • Ensuring all licensed professional engineers are qualified – and by licensing all who qualify;
  • Disciplining professional engineers found guilty of professional misconduct;
  • Taking action against unlicensed individuals who illegally describe themselves as engineers. Similarly, the association can prosecute companies or entities who illegally provide engineering services to the public;
  • Investigating all complaints brought to it about unlicensed, unprofessional, inadequate, or incompetent engineering services;
  • Conducting disputes resolution and hearings;
  • Preparing performance guidelines as benchmarks for quality of service in the engineering profession; and
  • Preparing performance standards in regulation.

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

I totally support gender parity and encourage reducing this gap in our engineering profession, with more & more encouragement to our women license holders retaining their licenses and also equally maintain their engineering competencies.

Before I talk about changes, I prefer to first understand what are the models & ways already established within PEO to support this cause and where are the stumbling blocks. This helps to ensure we work through established processes within PEO first to support encouragement of our women license holders. Along with, I think it is also important to hear from our women license holders about what are the key hurdles discouraging them to keep up with the licensing requirements related to PEO. With this information available, an optimal path could be laid out to help our women license holders to stay in profession & stay competent. I also foresee encouraging our women license holders to be part of PEO through volun

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

It is critical for all the license holders to be accountable of their engineering deliverables and maintaining to its highest standard in accordance to PEO Code of Ethics. I think PEO can imply this intent to our license holders through setting up minimum expectations on engineering competencies, encouragement to continual professional development & learning and addressing conflicts and complains in timely fashion to ensure effective corrective actions are taken.

READ FULL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

 

Councillor-at-Large Candidates

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

To advocate on behalf of P.Engs, to provide member services like CPD courses etc.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

There is no formal working relationship. The joint task force was a failure and they have not met in years. I would encourage people to belong to OSPE

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

Yes – because it is the right thing and it should be mandatory

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

Effective enforcement, active investigations, audit license holders and CofA holders for compliance with the act and the regulations.

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

That is mostly an OSPE function, but PEO must reduce barriers in the licensing processes, move to more objective and competency based criteria as opposed to subjective. PEO should work with OSPE and encourage employers to follow best practices for gender parity – same pay etc.

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

Monitor and stop rent a stamp engineers, disallow PEngs and CofA holders using the term “issued for convenience” documents that are being used to reduce liability, require/enforce duty of care.

READ FULL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

 

East Central Regional Councillor Candidates

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is the voice of the engineering profession in Ontario. They represent the entire engineering community, including professional engineers, engineering graduates and students. The main objective of OSPE is serving the interests of its members. Developing employment opportunities, improving engineers’ benefits should be OSPE’s functions. PEO and OSPE are separate organizations. PEO functions as a public interest regulator and does not serve the interests of its members.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

If I was elected, I will play the roles as a councilor according to PEO’s mandate. I will not interfere in OSPE’s business. 

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

I am not OSPE member yet.

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

In my opinion, PEO ensures engineers to uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario by: 

  1. Ensuring all licensed professionals are qualified
  2. Investigating complaints
  3. Disciplining members for incompetence or professional misconduct
  4. Preparing practice guidelines and performance standards

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

I have been volunteering at the PEO Scarborough Chapter for over 13 years and have served in numerous positions, including Executive, Secretary, Treasurer, Chapter Vice Chair, Chapter Chair and Chapter past Chair. If I was elected as a Councilor, I will continue promote PEO’s 30/30 program and encourage more women to be engineers.

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

I have almost 40 years of extensive experience with engineering consulting services, the construction industry, and infrastructural development, including over 20 years in Ontario. If I was elected as a councilor, I would work hard with council to closely monitor the PEO’s following functions to ensure that engineers are accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering:

  • To establish, maintain and develop standards of
  • Knowledge and skill
  • Qualification and practice
  • Professional ethics
  • To implement Continue Professional Developement (CPD)
  • Ensuring all licensed professionals are qualified
  • Taking action against unlicensed individuals
  • Investigating complaints
  • Disciplining members for incompetence or professional misconduct
  • Preparing practice guidelines and performance standards

READ FULL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

Quite simply OSPE is the advocacy group for professional engineers and PEO is the licensing and regulatory body.

I think that there is opportunity for OSPE and PEO to work in tandem to address some of their common issues, specifically equity, diversity and inclusion, and promoting the profession.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

One of the things I want to look into as councillor is to develop a better chapter system for professional engineers in Ontario.  Currently, PEO’s chapters are slowly moving away from advocacy events and focusing on more licensing- and regulatory-oriented activities.  This is understandable since PEO is the governing and regulatory body of engineers.  However, I think we would be remiss if we completely abandoned the advocacy component of the chapters.  This is where OSPE comes in.  I need input from OSPE on how we can strengthen advocacy in our engineering chapter system.

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

Yes, for many years now.  Engineering needs and deserves a strong advocacy group to lobby the government, and OSPE has done important work in many of today’s issues: infrastructure, the environment, energy, and equity, diversity and inclusion.  I also enjoy reading The Voice magazine and listening to the OSPE podcast.  I attended The Engineering Conference last November in Ottawa and found it interesting and informative.  On a somewhat lighter note, I enjoyed the OSPE holiday parties a few years back in Toronto and Ottawa.  And I love the Venngo member perks.  Let’s just say that when the servers at Pickle Barrel and Union Social Eatery see me, they know that I get a discount!

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

PEO upholds public safety in Ontario by doing the following:

  • Making sure that all licensed professional engineers have the necessary qualifications
  • Disciplining those members who engage in professional misconduct
  • Investigating all submitted complaints
  • Acting against any individual or organization that misuse the title “engineer” or “professional engineer”
  • Developing and upholding professional guidelines and performance standards

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

In a nutshell, as councillor, I will continue my work in the 30 by 30 East Central program, which actively promotes women in engineering, if and when it returns.  I have been a member since 2020 and I have participated in some of the outreach projects of the program.

I recently saw an old episode of Big Bang Theory in which Leonard asked Sheldon what can be done to attract more women to science and technology.  Sheldon’s answer reminded me of something we talked about at PEO, OSPE and 30 by 30: you have to reach out to them when they’re young.  You have to sell engineering to young people when they’re in middle school – Grades 7 and 8.  By the time they get to high school, it’s already too late.  This bears repeating: as a profession, we must sell engineering before high school.

However, this remains an issue bigger than PEO and OSPE.  A societal effort is required from all of us to eradicate gender barriers for all.  Only then will we finally put to rest the notion of gender roles.

As for retention, one thing in the past few years I’ve learned about equity, diversity, and inclusion, specifically about equity-deserving groups, is to listen well to what they say.  Never assume that your experiences are the same as their lived experiences.  What you see and what they see could very well be different.  If we receive feedback or concerns, we should act upon resolving what’s keeping these groups back.

Furthermore, one of the issues we never talk about as engineers that may remain one of the most important is our salaries.  It seems to be an open secret among engineers that we are ghastly underpaid, considering the education and credentials required, the risk and liability, and the importance of our work in society.  If the profession wants to keep women (and men for that matter), it needs to ensure the remuneration matches the valuable work we do for society.

We also must address issues related to pay equity to make sure that women are compensated equally as men for equal work.  As a profession, we must support women mentorship programs as well.

However, this issue remains bigger than any PEO candidate or councillor.  And most of all, it requires us to listen well.

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

PEO is doing a reasonable job in this respect.  Similar to what I previously stated, PEO needs to license only qualified individuals, investigate all complaints of professional misconduct and incompetence, and discipline those who violate the rules and/or engage in misconduct.

READ FULL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

 

East Regional Councillor Candidates

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

OSPE and PEO should work to have a symbiotic relationship. PEO regulates, OSPE advocates. Many other professions have this division of mandates. Lawyers have the Law Society of Ontario for regulation and the Ontario Bar Association for advocacy. Medical doctors have the College of Physicians and Surgeons for regulation and the Ontario Medical Association for advocacy. The way I see the OSPE/PEO relationship is like this: if the engineering profession is a circle, PEO decides who gets to be in the circle, discipline those in the circle who fail to maintain the requisite standards, and makes sure no one pretends they are in the circle when they are not. OSPE, on the other hand, shows the circle to the public and policymakers and says: “here is what the circle wants to see in public policy” and “here are the ways this circle enhances Ontario’s economy, quality of life, and more.” 

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

Among other efforts, I would leverage OSPE’s role as the main advocacy group of Ontario engineers to continue elevating the profile of the profession by ensuring the public and policymakers understand not only what engineers do, but the importance of our work. I would also try to ensure that PEO’s Government Liaison Program works collaboratively with OSPE to maximize resources in advocating to Members of Provincial Parliament and other stakeholders. 

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

Yes, I first became an OSPE member early in my undergraduate studies when I found out about OSPE’s role as an advocacy body. OSPE undertakes work in important policy areas like climate change, research and innovation, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) that I strongly support. I am currently a member of both the EDI Task Force and the Research & Innovation Task Force. 

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

PEO has a statutory mandate to regulate in the public interest under section 2(3) of the Professional Engineers Act, and one of the ways PEO achieves this is by ensuring every engineer puts the public first (per PEO’s Professional Engineering Practice Guideline). However, the meaning of “public interest” open to interpretation (courts and tribunals often interpret statutory provisions when a case requires it). No court or tribunal has had occasion to interpret section 2(3) of the Professional Engineers Act, but courts as high as the Supreme Court of Canada have interpreted the meaning of the legal profession’s public interest mandate in Ontario and BC arising from statutory wording that is almost identical to the one in the Professional Engineers Act. The Supreme Court said that “equal access to the legal profession, diversity within the bar, and preventing harm to LGBTQ law students were all within the scope of [the law society’s] duty” to protect the interest of the public. This is in the context of discrimination against 2SLGBTQ+ persons, but the broader focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion is an interpretation that could help the engineering profession better serve and protect the safety and interest of a highly diverse public. 

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

Early in my undergrad, I identified the lack of diverse individuals, equitable policies, and inclusive spaces as among the greatest challenges facing the engineering profession, and these are issues that I will endeavour to put front and centre as a Councillor. I will try to ensure that PEO’s governance and regulatory activities all uphold equity, diversity, and inclusion principles. Becoming FARPACTA-compliant will remove some of the inequities in the licensing process, but we have so much more work to do to catch engineering up to fellow public-serving, self-regulated professions when it comes to not just bringing diverse people to the door, but giving them what they need so that they feel included and choose to stay. 

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

PEO has enforcement measures in place to address license holders who do not meet the requisite standards in terms of, for example, competence in their declared practice area. While this is an important part of PEO’s mandate as a regulator, I believe that the greatest threats to the integrity of the engineering profession are its inability to serve the interest of a highly diverse public and to remain relevant to stakeholders. 

I see the licensing process and low rate of licensure among CEAB-graduates as among the most important challenges facing PEO today. Engineers Canada’s 2021 National Membership Information showed that only 44.6% of the 2015 graduating cohort obtained their license in 2019, for example. We also know that we lose more female candidates along the pipeline, and Engineers Canada and provincial regulators don’t collect data on other identities like gender (different from the sexes of male and female), race, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, and more. I am, however, encouraged by the 2023-2025 strategic goal of improving the licensing process, including ensuring all licensing activities reflect the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion. I hope to help Council fulfill this goal as a means to addressing the above challenges. 

In terms of remaining relevant to stakeholders, I would identify engineering students and EITs, especially those in software and other high tech areas, as among the key stakeholders when it comes to PEO’s relevance and value. All twelve provincial engineering regulators along with Engineers Canada issued a recent reminder about the protected title, and the reminder was aimed at those in high tech engineering disciplines. While this enforcement is within PEO’s mandate, I think PEO should also be focusing on the question of “why aren’t computer and software engineering grads getting licensed or seeing value in the license?” Section 2(4) of the Act says PEO should promote awareness of its role, so doing more promotion with undergraduate students in software engineering, for example, is likely among the ways to becoming more relevant to them, thereby enhancing the integrity of the profession. 

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1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

There is a great misunderstanding of what OSPE and PEO is within the public and membership.  As a Chapter leader, the most embarrassing thing is to plan an event adjacent to or at the same time as an OSPE event and be told by the facility/members, ‘the engineers were here yesterday’ when they mean OSPE. The starting point of all discussions should be on what OSPE is. 

The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is a member-interest advocacy body whose mandate is to advance the professional and economic interests of professional engineers in Ontario, and to look after non-regulatory matters for the profession.

OSPE was created as a legal entity in April 2000 with the support of PEO and the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, the arm of government with the responsibility for regulating engineering in this province.

OSPE seeks to:

  • advance the professional and economic interests of professional engineers;
  • raise awareness of the role of professional engineers;
  • enhance the profession’s image;
  • and act as a strong voice on behalf of professional engineers in Ontario.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

The relationship between OSPE and PEO must be harmonious and productive.  There should be Chapter level engagements between the two organizations for planning and execution of event (sometimes shared events) so that Advocacy and Regulation co-exist for the same purpose…to serve the public and its members.

Recent corporate level complaints made by OSPE against PEO should be put aside to move forward onto better corporate to corporate relations.

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

Not currently.  My job requires a PEng and with personal financial demands, I am unable to support and additional cost of another membership.  I have worked and met with OSPE CEO and Presidents in the past in my capacity as Ottawa Chapter Chair in order to organize shared events that benefited both.  If the annual ‘engineering dues’ included OSPE, and then I believe we could equalize the benefits to each other.

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

We [PEO] need to move out on emerging technologies to capture these to regulate in the interest of Public Safety in Ontario and beyond.  We just completed the PEO’s first 100 years of operation and it’s time to move forward.  We cannot miss this opportunity for engineers’ impact public safety and confidence. 

We should work with OSPE to develop a program related engineering issues in line with those OSPE publishes and how a self-regulating profession could be constructed to protect the public and regulate new technologies. 

We need to get out of the inward look and working a plan or disservice to licensed members.

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

I have 40 years of demonstrated equity hiring of women in engineering positions of authority.  I noticed that the percentage of women available to hire is relatively steady and not increasing though there are STEM initiatives out there and yet the take up has not increased.  An excellent initiative by Engineers Canada, called 30×30 was supported by PEO up until the end of 2021 and then efforts stopped.  I was dismayed that employers and professionals were left with nothing.  We need to start advocating in middle schools, way before university applications are submitted.  We need to work with employers to ensure that woman are not given non-hard engineering positions, rather able to do what they were educated/experienced to do.  I am proud to have been a student of the first Canadian woman to earn a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering. 

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

A controversial topic right now in PEO – Continuing Professional Development.  Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – we knew this was coming on the heels of the former PEAK program  I’m not going to debate CPD as it now exists, rather we need to have a program that will provide our members with access to enough qualified programs that are free and delivered via Chapters to demonstrate engineering integrity.

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West Central Regional Councillor

 

Western Regional Councillor Candidates

1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

OSPE’s key role is to advocate for the profession of engineering within the society at large. This is distinct from PEO’s mandate which is defined by the Professional Engineers Act. Ultimately PEO is to ensure that the public is protected and that individuals and companies providing engineering services uphold a strict code of professional ethics and conduct.

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

During my past two years as a PEO Councillor, representing the Western Region, I have discussed how we need a mechanism through which we can have political and meaningful communication with OSPE to work together on our own separate but important mandates. I trust that PEO and OSPE can work together to find a suitable method to dialogue.

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

Awaiting response.

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

PEO has a robust process in place to ensure that licensed engineers uphold the standard of public safety in Ontario. What PEO needs to further understand and address are those engineering graduates who have decided not to get an engineering license but are still performing engineering work. There are also many graduates of other University programs that might be performing what would traditionally be considered “engineering” work which PEO has no ability to regulate. I believe these issues need to be fully understood and further efforts need to be made to encourage engineering graduates to obtain their engineering license.

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

Many professions are subject to gender parity for a variety of reasons. What I would focus on is PEO being an open and transparent organization with right touch regulation. The goal should be to remove all barriers to licensure for all those engineering graduates who want to obtain a license.

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

PEO needs to continue its efforts to communicate and engage its license holders. It needs to continue to clearly outline the process, criteria and procedures to report an issue to PEO.

 

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1. In your view, what is OSPE’s role within the engineering profession alongside PEO?

PEO and OSPE both have an important role within the engineering profession. Both organizations should work together for the benefit of  the engineering profession and the public.  

2. If elected, how will you work with OSPE as a PEO representative?

I understand that PEO and OSPE have (occasional) meetings to discuss different aspects of PEO’s and OSPE’s roles within the engineering profession. In my opinion, it makes sense for some/all of councillors to be part of those discussions / meetings. 

3. Are you an OSPE member? If yes, why?

I am not a member of OSPE.

4. How can PEO ensure engineers uphold the standards of public safety in Ontario?

Discipline Committees.

5. Engineering, as a profession, is still one of the lowest in terms of gender parity. What changes would you implement to encourage the attraction and retention of women licence holders?

The 30 by 30 initiative is a good start to ensure PEO has a higher number of women license holders. However, in my opinion, it starts in school – by attracting more women to the engineering profession. Once at university, PEO (possibly with help from OSPE) should “sell” the benefits of becoming P.Eng. to all students.  

6. How can PEO better hold licence holders accountable to maintain the integrity of engineering?

Awaiting response.

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Northern Regional Councillor

 

OSPE encourages all of our members who are eligible to vote, to do so. Voting is an important way to exercise your voice and to help shape the future of the profession. For more information on the election, you can visit PEO’s website. 

 

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