Poll: Which Canadian engineering marvel makes you most proud?

Canada

Canada Day is only ten days away and OSPE continues to join in on the celebrations by recognizing the substantial impact the engineering profession has had on the development of our country throughout its history. Given that engineers are responsible for designing, creating and refining the technology and structures that improve our quality of life in every facet of society, it would be impossible to rank Canadian engineering accomplishments in terms of their impact or importance.

However, in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary, OSPE would like to dedicate a special Canada Day blog post to five Canadian engineering innovations that our members find most intriguing and impactful.

OSPE will continue to add to our growing Canada 150 list following July 1st, but we are seeking your help as we create a celebratory Canada Day blog post that will highlight a few prominent ways that the work of engineers has always launched Canada into its exciting future.

Which one of these suggested feats of Canadian engineering would you like to see included within our Canada Day post? Do you have another suggestion that you think should be featured? Share it in the comments section below!

[poll id=”2″]

This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. Albert Schepers

    It is interesting that listed achievements are big projects, ones that have some sex appeal. What we forget is the small everyday engineering feats by thousands of engineers everyday. If all that we have to be proud of is the CN Tower or some other “symbol” of engineering we fail to praise the actual engineers. And then why not the Avro Arrow or other true piece of engineering and ingenuity that was politically crushed.

    Let’s praise engineers who use their skills and training to solve everyday problems, to identify a problem and propose solutions to correct and are never praised for it; the everyday engineer who chooses the correct bolt size so a machine will not fail; or the engineer that brings technical knowledge to the development of codes and standards.

    Engineering is more than the multi million dollar projects built for economic gain, however needful, it is about the unheralded engineer solving everyday problems that help average Canadians. Let us be proud of what we as engineers do recognizing the importance of everyday engineering and our role to protect the public.

    1. STAFF

      Hi Albert – we absolutely agree. That is exactly why we are compiling a comprehensive list of 150 ways that engineering has shaped Canada—past and present, large and small. Since January, we have been calling on all of our members and followers to comment on our Canada 150-themed social media and blog posts with examples of their favourite Canadian engineering innovations, including their own research and projects.

      We’ve simply chosen to highlight some of the most top-of-mind examples from across a diversity of engineering disciplines for the purposes of this celebratory Canada Day post to encourage readers, regardless of how familiar they are with the engineering profession, to rally together and display their pride around five prominent marvels of Canadian engineering. As noted in our poll post, we certainly welcome any other suggestions for inclusion in our post and on our broader Canada 150 list as well.

      Check out our Canada 150 page to see some of the examples that have been submitted by our members thus far: https://ospe.on.ca/community/the-c150-global-odyssey-propels-canadian-engineering-accomplishments-into-the-spotlight/. Stay tuned for more additions in the near future.

      1. Bill Goodings

        You said:
        “the substantial impact the engineering profession has had on the development of our country throughout its history. Given that engineers are responsible for designing, creating and refining the technology and structures that improve our quality of life in every facet of society, it would be impossible to rank Canadian engineering accomplishments in terms of their impact or importance.”

        I say ….add this engineering achievement to your list …
        Canadian Engineers have met the engineering challenges made by the many enlighten political/policy makers for 150 years .. They said many times….”.We ask you engineers to build things and systems and to make Canada a country in which all of our citizens and our new immigrants can be proud “.
        The engineering community, as an identifiable body, has faithfully met these political challenges so well to the point that ,after 150 years , Canada is no the longer the number two choice North American country in which to live and work.
        Now that is what I call an achievement..
        .therefore add this significant accomplishment to your list please.
        Also give full credit to all the enlightened politicians who challenged us over these 150 years because all of this had to start with them.
        I am sorry to say that there were few engineers among them……too busy engineering?

  2. Darya Duma

    Top 3: AVRO Arrow, Transcontinental railway, Alouette 1.

    1. STAFF

      Thank you for the excellent suggestions, Bill and Darya. We will certainly add these to our Canada 150 list. Feel free to let us know if you think of any other additions!

  3. Bryan Moir

    Candu

  4. Paul Acchione

    Let’s not forget the Canadarm on the international space station. A marvel of robotic engineering !

    There are also a lot of enabling technologies that are imbedded in various large projects.

    The CANDU nuclear program developed direct digital control of nuclear reactors and nuclear safety systems, fibre optic communications for safety systems, automated welding for small bore tubing, engineering model based simulators for nuclear operator training, advanced digital operator display systems, etc.

    The CN Tower contains a sway reduction damper near the top of the tower so tourists don’t get motion sickness during windy days !

    Canadian engineers are awesome !

    1. STAFF

      Fantastic insights, Paul. Thank you for sharing!

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