Engineers Canada has submitted its recommendations to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance in advance of the 2025 federal government budget. This is a unique consultation process for a fall budget, given the transition to a new government after the spring election. Engineers Canada’s three recommendations cover infrastructure and defence investments, housing construction, and qualification standards for federal government engineers.
As the only national voice for the engineering profession, Engineers Canada has a long-standing history of working and collaborating with the federal government to help inform and develop legislation, regulations, and policies. In making its recommendations for Budget 2025, Engineers Canada commits to this engagement to shape a positive future for engineering in Canada and is ready to work with the federal government to achieve this.
First, Engineers Canada welcomes the government’s recent commitments to invest heavily in and streamline the regulatory approval process for major infrastructure projects in the national interest, particularly projects related to national defence. With these major fiscal commitments, and the adoption of Bill C-5, the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, Canada has an opportunity to grow our economy and enhance our security. That said, it is critical that the government take a deliberate approach to these policy decisions and investments, never compromising public safety for the sake of speed.
Engineers Canada therefore recommends that all engineering decisions required by the government during the identification, procurement, development, design, and implementation of major infrastructure projects are made by engineers licensed by the provincial or territorial regulator in the province where the work is taking place. It recommends that the federal government work with the provinces and territories to promote mutual recognition and national labour mobility while respecting the fundamental mandate of provincial and territorial engineering regulators to protect the public. And it calls on the government to invest significant resources in modernizing Canada’s ability to produce and transmit energy to support goals related to GHG emissions and to safeguard against risks to public health and safety.
Second, as the federal government invests to streamline housing construction across the country, it is essential to recognize the important role engineers play in the building process. Engineers are responsible for developing and updating building codes. They also ensure that various development scenarios align with those codes, meet local infrastructure requirements, and accommodate user- and site-specific engineering needs.
Engineers Canada therefore recommends that the government work with provinces and territories to ensure the adoption of new resiliency and climate change adaptation objectives by incorporating these objectives into the National Building Code. And it calls on the government to ensure that federal funding through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund enhances the resiliency of the built environment, including flood-proofing, protection against extreme heat and cold, air quality protection, wind-resistant design, storm protections, efficient water and wastewater systems, and other necessary factors for resiliency. Through these actions, the government can help achieve a prosperous and sustainable future.
Finally, Engineers Canada calls on the federal government to review the existing qualification standards for engineers in the public service to ensure the licensure of public servants where required by provincial or territorial legislation.
For many years federal departments and agencies have filled engineering positions in the public service, particularly those categorized as EN-ENG, without requiring engineering licensure as a condition of employment. This lack of licensure requirement for performing engineering work poses potential risks to public safety. Engineers Canada urges the Treasury Board to undertake a swift review of the current qualification standards to ensure the licensure of engineers in the public service by making "certification as a professional engineer in Canada" a mandatory occupational certification requirement for all new positions at EN-ENG-03 level and above.
Read more about each of the recommendations in Engineers Canada’s pre-budget submission.
