The Life and Afterlife of Solar Panels
Solar Energy In Context In 2018, the future of solar markets was cast in uncertainty: America imposed Section 201 tariffs on all solar cell imports; China, the largest Photovoltaics (PV) producer, cut solar development subsidies; Japan cut feed-in tariffs meant to promote renewable energy development; and India pulled the plug on a 10 GW mega-tender. […]
OSPE Engineers Dissect Ontario Budget 2020
On November 5, Ontario’s Minister of Finance Rod Phillips released Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover. The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers was invited as a key stakeholder to be part of the consultation process undertaken by the government prior to the release of the budget. Ontario Budget 2020 builds on the foundation of three pillars: Protect […]
EDI Initiatives: Uncomfortable discussions are a must
For an organization to fully achieve Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), it means embracing something we’ve traditionally been taught to avoid at all costs: discomfort. The corporate sphere has taught us to value conformity, not rocking the boat, and to favour polite, non-confrontational, and conventional behaviour. While this behaviour makes sense given the professionalism the […]
Ontario’s New Hydro Rate Changes and Price Plan Options
The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) would like to caution the public to make sure they do not ask to switch to the Tiered Price Plan before they have checked to make sure their bill will not rise after the switch. The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) announced new rates as of November 1, 2020 […]
The #EDIAdvantage: Cultural Change Needs Executive Accountability
Diversity and inclusion begins as an idea and then morphs into structural change with quantifiable results. But for the seed to blossom, it must be planted with care and attention, and tended to regularly: we cannot expect an organization to snap their figures and score perfect on the diversity and inclusion card. Cultural change is […]
Transforming Ontario into Global Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Hub
On October 8, the provincial and federal governments announced their commitment to Ford Motor Company of Canada’s investment in its Oakville Assembly Complex. This project, valued at $1.8 billion, will include federal and provincial contributions of $295 million each. This will help secure 5,400 well-paying middle-class jobs across Ford’s production workforce in Canada and grow […]
OSPE’s recommendations for Ontario’s 2020 Budget
On October 14, 2020, OSPE was invited to deliver recommendations to the Ministry of Finance ahead of Ontario’s 2020 Budget. OSPE’s presentation and message was clear: Engineers Create Wealth through the development of new technologies and by designing innovative and sustainable solutions that benefit all Ontarians. Engineers also ensure safety and stability by designing resilient […]
Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs includes OSPE recommendations in new report
The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs has released its Interim Report: Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Infrastructure, which contains several key contributions from OSPE. The report outlines the committee’s findings and recommendations regarding the COVID-19 crisis and Ontario’s infrastructure sector. It reflects the testimony received during public hearings held on July 30 and […]
Safe wood heating
Nothing compares to warmth of a wood fire. But you have to take precautions to avoid accidents. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy wood fires safely. The lowdown on wood heating Wood-heating units have become much more sophisticated and safer over the years. But they still causes hundreds of fires each year […]
OSPE’s CEO Reflects on Elliot Lake Report Anniversary
October 15, 2020 marks the six-year anniversary of the release of the Report of the Elliot Lake Inquiry by Hon. Paul Bélanger. I had only started at OSPE a few months before the report came out, and I remember delving into the findings of the report over my first few weeks, trying to understand how […]
