President and CEO's Message

John D. Gamble, CET, P.Eng. President & CEO, ACEC-Canada

Every day, I’m reminded that the work our members do not only benefits our industry—it has lasting advantages for this generation of Canadians and the next. Your ability to innovate, design, develop, create, and build the infrastructure that everyone in this country relies on is second to none. Given the positive impact that consulting engineering firms have on our communities, our environment, and our economy, you are an important cornerstone of Canadian society.

That’s why I’ve taken such pride in highlighting the essential role of consulting engineering firms and our industry in Canada and beyond. I’m pleased that our members have the chance to get a sense of just how hard our organization continues to work on your behalf and in support of our industry with this year’s Annual Report, particularly with the Year in Review.

Throughout this past fiscal year, we’ve been able to put our new Strategic Plan into action with three top priorities: championing industry, strengthening firms, and supporting members. This Plan is a great example of how our dynamic organization continues to modernize and grow, and our new priorities have proven to be crucial for this moment in time. 

This was particularly true as we deepened both our strategic relationships with government and our connections with like-minded partners. We have built strong and influential relationships with diverse organizations ranging from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to Engineers Canada and the First Nations Major Projects Coalition to name just a few, and we will continue to leverage our engagement with them to push for meaningful, long-term infrastructure investments from the government.

This year’s federal budget provided another opportunity for us to champion our industry. We made it clear that sustainability and economic growth require: a long-term vision for Canada via the National Infrastructure Assessment, predictable and renewed funding for infrastructure, and more flexibility for project applications. All the while, we have remained steadfast in our advocacy about the recent federal language policy by commissioning our own independent research on its impact and continuing to engage officials to emphasize the real concerns shared by our members.

We were also able to put our Strategic Plan into action by supporting our member firms as they advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across our industry. Since last June, when ACEC released our report summarizing the findings of our national EDI research project, our team accepted the recommendations and developed a workplan to implement them. This means that our member firms and entire industry will be further strengthened for years to come as they build more equitable workplaces and attract the next generation of consulting engineers. And casting an eye to the future of our profession and our industry, we continue to strengthen and leverage our partnership with the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students.

As we continue to boost ACEC’s position as the leading voice for our industry, I want to recognize everyone who makes our success possible. Our provincial and territorial Member Organizations across the country consistently prove their talent in advocating for consulting engineering firms at local levels of government, and I’m grateful for their dedication to our industry. The volunteers and our team of wonderful staff here at ACEC deserve huge kudos and thanks for their hard work to make our members’ voices heard. I’d also like to thank Chair Allyson Desgroseilliers and the Board of Directors for bringing their enthusiasm and expertise into everything they accomplished during their tenure. I very much look forward to working with the new Board and incoming Chair, Jérôme Pelletier, whose strategic leadership will carry our association forward throughout the next fiscal year.

Sincerely,

John D. Gamble, CET, P.Eng. 
President and Chief Executive Officer