On February 14, 2020, l’Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec celebrated it’s hundredth anniversary. Founded in 1920 to ensure the competence and ethical behaviour of the province’s 500 engineers at the time, a century later, OIQ now oversees 65,000 engineering professionals. That makes it the province’s largest profession in the field of applied sciences.
On February 14, 2020, l’Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec celebrated it’s hundredth anniversary. Founded in 1920 to ensure the competence and ethical behaviour of the province’s 500 engineers at the time, a century later, OIQ now oversees 65,000 engineering professionals. That makes it the province’s largest profession in the field of applied sciences.
“Quebec engineering has shown impressive growth in the last one hundred years” says Kathy Baig, OIQ President, noting that “Every day, in all regions of Quebec, and in all economic sectors, engineers contribute scientific and technological solutions to our society's needs."
Since the OIQ’s founding, the profession has evolved significantly. Today, Quebec engineers are active in more than twenty fields of practice. In addition to traditional fields like civil engineering, building engineering and industrial engineering, new disciplines have continued to emerge throughout the regulator’s history. Innovations in biomedical engineering, computer engineering, and environmental engineering have reshaped the range of contributions engineering offers to the world.
In a press release about the centennial, the regulator highlights the fact that the province’s engineers have become more diverse over time. Women now make up 15 per cent of the province’s engineers, and 12 per cent of licensees are internationally trained.
Baig says, “The Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec has evolved as well, making sure that members of the profession are well equipped to meet the ever greater technical and ethical challenges, such as those linked to the quality of the environment, the social acceptability of projects, or the development of artificial intelligence."
The OIQ has big plans to put a spotlight on achievements and excellence in the profession in the coming weeks and months, including several speeches, a special edition of PLAN magazine, and an advertising campaign with the theme “Being an engineer means making an impact on the world!”
On May 27, the OIQ is also holding the Soirée de l’excellence en génie – 100th anniversary gala. Over 350 participants are expected at the Montreal Science Centre for this event, which will honour outstanding engineers.
To find out more about the OIQ and its centennial events, please visit the regulator’s website. You can also visit One hundred years of engineering in Canada to see all of the regulators celebrating their centennials this year.
