Engineers Canada upholds the honour, integrity, and interests of the engineering profession by supporting consistent high standards in the regulation of engineering, encouraging the growth of the profession in Canada, and inspiring public confidence. For over 80 years, we have worked on behalf of the provincial and territorial associations that regulate engineering practice and license the country’s 300,000 members of the engineering profession.
Our work is focussed on 10 core purposes, as established by Engineers Canada’s members, the engineering regulators:
- Accrediting undergraduate engineering programs.
- Facilitating and fostering working relationships between and among the regulators.
- Providing services and tools that enable the assessment of engineering qualifications, foster excellence in engineering practice and regulation, and facilitate mobility of practitioners within Canada.
- Offering national programs.
- Advocating to the federal government.
- Actively monitoring, researching, and advising on changes and advances that impact the Canadian regulatory environment and the engineering profession.
- Managing risks and opportunities associated with mobility of work and practitioners internationally.
- Fostering recognition of the value and contribution of the profession to society and sparking interest in the next generation of professionals.
- Promoting diversity and inclusivity in the profession that reflects Canadian society.
- Protecting any word(s), mark, design, slogan, or logo, or any literary, or other work, as the case may be, pertaining to the engineering profession or to its objects.
Our culture and values
Engineers Canada has been selected as a National Capital Region Top Employer since 2017, while in 2021 the organization earned a gold certification against the Excellence Canada framework for Excellence, Innovation, and Wellness. Part of this journey to excellence was an organization-wide collaboration on six defining values:
- We take pride in creating a culture of teamwork and wellness.
- We earn credibility through high-quality work.
- We foster new ideas and embrace creative approaches.
- We are transparent and accountable.
- We create and sustain trusting relationships.
- We rely on diverse people and perspectives to enrich our work.
These values weave through all aspects of our work and workplace culture, creating a trusting, open place where each person can contribute and thrive.
History of the organization
The first steps towards establishing a legal status for the profession of engineering began in the late 19th century. By 1930, eight provinces had legislation in place to regulate the practice of engineering. However, each Act showed considerable variation; after a few years the profession began discussing how they could be brought into greater harmony. After much discussion between the provincial regulators, eventually a constitution was agreed upon, and in 1936, Engineers Canada was created—known at the time as the Dominion Council of Professional Engineers. The organization was originally founded by Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. In subsequent years, the remaining provinces and territories joined the organization, with the most recent addition of Nunavut in 2008.
1896: First act to regulate the practice of engineering passes in Manitoba
1920: The first provincial regulatory bodies form: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec
1922: Ontario provincial regulatory body forms
1930: Saskatchewan provincial regulatory body forms
1936: Dominion Council of Professional Engineers forms
1952: Newfoundland and Labrador provincial regulatory body forms
1955: PEI provincial regulatory body forms
1956: Yukon territorial regulatory body forms
1959: The Dominion changes its name to Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (C.C.P.E.)
1969: Northwest Territories territorial regulatory body forms
2007: CCPE becomes known as Engineers Canada
2008: The Engineers and Geoscientists Act is enacted in Nunavut
As the organization has evolved over time, it has undergone two name changes. In 1959, it became known as the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (C.C.P.E.), and in 2007, it took its current name, Engineers Canada.