Engineers Canada has submitted its annual pre-budget recommendations to the federal government in advance of the 2020 budget.
Engineers Canada has submitted its annual pre-budget recommendations to the federal government in advance of the 2020 budget.
This year’s submission includes three recommendations on specific topics important to the engineering profession.
First, Engineers Canada is calling on the government to support Indigenous peoples’ access to postsecondary engineering education programs. Engineers Canada recommends that the federal government provide $1.9 million in funding to post-secondary institutions to support existing Indigenous peoples’ access to postsecondary engineering programs across Canada, as well as to create new engineering access programs in British Columbia and Alberta. Engineers Canada also recommends the appointment of an Indigenous Peoples’ in Engineering Chair at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada in order to provide role models for Indigenous people considering careers in engineering, and to dedicate federal research funds towards research by Indigenous engineers.
Second, Engineers Canada is urging the government to support work in the recruitments, retention, and professional development of women in the engineering profession. Engineers Canada would like to see the federal government fund outreach programs, bursaries, workplace mentorships, and work-integrated learning opportunities that encourage women to pursue engineering education and engineering careers. Moreover, Engineers Canada recommends that the federal government provide funding for the creation of diversity and inclusion training modules for small and medium enterprises focused on engineering.
Third, the pre-budget submission calls on the government to make climate vulnerability processes and risk assessments a condition of funding approvals for infrastructure projects. This policy should be applied across federal departments who own and operate existing infrastructure or design and construct new infrastructure.
Read the full recommendations in Engineers Canada’s pre-budget submission.
