Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for allowing Engineers Canada to appear once again before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance.
My name is Chantal Guay. I am the CEO of Engineers Canada. You may also know us as the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. Engineers Canada and its constituent members, the provincial and territorial regulators of the practice of engineering within Canada, represent more than 160,000 professional engineers nationwide.
Public safety and the public interest are paramount to our profession. Today we are offering long-term solutions to governments on issues for which the engineering profession can lend its expertise and experience to help create a safer, more sustainable, and prosperous future for Canada within a global community.
I offer the committee three specific and tangible recommendations which the federal government could realistically implement to be part of a viable long-term economic solution for Canada.
Our first recommendation is based on the fact that Canada's highway systems and bridges, water systems and sewers are vital to our safety, quality of life and prosperity. Unfortunately, there continue to be increasing signs that our infrastructure has reached the limit of its useful lifespan and requires urgent rehabilitation. In addition, our growing population requires new infrastructure that is efficient and safe. Based on these needs Engineers Canada urges the federal government to carefully consider the value of the National Round Table on Sustainable Infrastructure.
The Round Table is an initiative of the larger infrastructure community which provides long-term best practices in infrastructure planning and national asset management with economic viability. The Round Table further aims to be a "go to" resource on infrastructure that is capable of advising internal and external stakeholders. It also aims to fill the information gap to assist decision-makers in determining sound choices about infrastructure and optimizing their investment strategies.
Our next recommendation relates to climate change. Extreme weather events have become a new reality. Engineers Canada strongly believes that a long-term committed approach by government on climate change is vital. We are very proud of the ongoing collaborative work with the federal government which has led to the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee in dealing with the impacts of climate change.
The Vulnerability Committee is a shared initiative which has been conducting a comprehensive assessment of Canada's infrastructure assets due to the impacts of extreme weather events threatening our existing infrastructure. Based on the impacts of weather on our environment, we recommend providing sustained funding commitments for existing shared initiatives such as the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee.
Engineers Canada's final recommendation urges the federal government to invest in research, development and innovation across Canada, in universities, throughout government and industry. Research, development and innovation will ensure economic prosperity and quality of life for our citizens. In instances where innovation intersects with the practice of engineering, engineers are well positioned to provide expertise in the development of controls to ensure public safety. Our first priority is always public protection.
In closing, I would like to express our thanks and appreciation to the committee for allowing Engineers Canada to present our recommendations to you as you prepare your recommendations for the next federal budget. Canada's engineers welcome the opportunity to work with government, to share our expertise, to safeguard public safety and interests, and to help provide long-term solutions.
Thank you for considering our comments. I look forward to answering your questions.