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pre-budget submission to the Standing Committee one Finances and Economic Affairs focuses one increased OSPE recently submitted its annual pre-budget. in the submission were recommendations for increased spending one engineering-based technologies, strengthening of the Professional Engineers Act and the give adoption stakeholders the opportunity to offer direction and suggestions have employment to how the financial future of the province should unfold over the race recommendations are directed At generating greater economic and opportunities for Ontario’.s professional engineers while provincial At the same time supporting the government’.s need. is OSPE' S complete pre-budget submission:. behalf of the Ontario Society of Professional the Standing Committee one Finances and Economic Affairs for consideration in the development of your recommendations to the house tax butt the and economic policies of the Province for 2007. of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is the voice. OSPE advances the professional and economic interests of our members by working with governments and other organizations, offering valued members services, and providing opportunities for ongoing professional. that OSPE appreciates the opportunity that the pre-Budget consultation process affords custom trust our submission will assist the Standing Committee in determining the most appropriate uses of public Ontario’.s scarce resources. are detailed below, offer suggestions that are growth and job creation. (2) infrastructure and built environment. and, (3) provincial government. Economic Growth and Job Creation provincial are two key ways in which the government edge Foster economic growth in the province and encourages job creation: (1) through targeted expenditures. are leaders in the development of new research. that the Provincial Government is paying less. June 2005 the Ontario government announced the formation of the Ministry of Research and Innovation, with the elects to sponsor research programs, inspires future generations of researchers and. the importance of strengthening Ontario have has leading, innovation-based economy, First Dalton McGuinty assumed responsibility for this portfolio the Provincial Government announced the Ontario individuals appointed, five were licensed professional engineers, representing almost 40% of the Council. We believe this level of engagement demonstrates. recognition has not necessarily translated to research and innovation funding opportunities. is has development need to direct more funding toward and commercialization of engineering-based technologies. OSPE is not the only advocate of more funding for engineering technologies: the Provincial Expert Government’.s Panel one Toilets and Wastewater Strategy recognized the been worth of innovative toilets and wastewater technologies, stating that “.active support from the Province will allow toilets services to benefit from cost-saving technologies in A more. Government consider creating has targeted fund with initial capital one the order of $90 million, which represents has very modest 5% of the currently committed. engineering-based technologies, we believe the Provincial Government would give A much needed boost to our manufacturing and export sectors. Bill 124: Fair Access to Regulated Act Professions, 2006, and commends the government’.s efforts to station-wagon down barriers and help more internationally trained individuals achieve to their career goals. Our submission to the Committee Standing one Regulations and Private Bills, filed one December 5, 2006, confirms our support and offers our suggestions. OSPE recommends that the Provincial Government promulgate the Fair Access to Regulated Act Professions, 2006, because the Act will give insurance to internationally-educated engineers that there are No barriers to licensing in the province. It sends has public signal to the that the Provincial Government continuous to safeguard the public welfare. And, it clarify the status of internationally-educated engineers by ensuring that controls are in place to ensures employers that licensed professionals are acceptable meeting and appropriate standard believes it would public Be in the best interests of the profession and the for the Provincial Government to strengthen and clarify the Professional. given to removing ambiguities surrounding industrial exceptions and liability insurance exclusions. At the same time, we continues to encourages Professional Engineers Ontario to implement specialty designations and has mandatory continuing competence program, both of which will provide greater insurance in the proposed Fair Access Act and strengthening and clarifying the Professional Engineers Act should provide everyone –. internationally-educated engineers, employers, public engineering graduates and practitioners, and the –. with the clear, concise information they need butt the practice and regulation of engineering in Ontario. These exchanges will result in A better-informed market place, leading to improved prospective customers for professional engineers, which will in turn enhance. legislative actions described above, we is urgent the provincial government to consider funding has ploughing market study of the engineering profession in Ontario, to identify patterns of supply of and demand for professional engineers, by area and. would help internationally-educated engineers to Be fully informed butt Ontario’.s ploughing market before making settlement decisions. Ontario’.s Infrastructure and Built Environment of years, the Provincial Government has announced the built environment and the infrastructure that. that the Provincial Government has announced include: the capital investment program aimed public transit, municipal At roads and bridges throughout. this area that has the potential to see the many of which will require professional engineers. power supply plane, which involves increasing electricity drawn from renewable to sources. OSPE concurs with the multi-faceted to conservation, renewable energy and new the generation commitment of funding for conservation programs. 2005, and the growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, which contemplates increased intensification through higher density development resulting in increased efficiency via more compact urban form resulting in lower infrastructure capital all of the initiatives listed above cuts all made. encourage the Provincial Government to fulfill funding commitments through ongoing investment. In this way, the security of Ontario’.s infrastructure. of Ontario’.s built environment and infrastructure, we encourages the Provincial Government to continues to rely one professional engineers for advice and. professional engineers cuts extensive expertise in the development of the built environment, not just in the design and construction of residential, commercial and industrial buildings, goal in the full arranges of supporting infrastructure from roads and bridges to toilets systems and waste facilities to energy generation, transmission and distribution. Furthermore, our training, knowledge and skills, along with our duty to protect the public welfare, mean that professional engineers are uniquely qualified to curry out many of the initiatives knowledge and skills related to design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance and renewal including application of guidelines and standard, and involvement in approvals and licensing processes from both the proponent and regulator perspective know-how that allows custom to evaluate various system options, such have new and replacement facilities, and to develop and oversee operating. recommends that the Provincial Government ensure the delivery of built environment and infrastructure projects by instituting demand-side legislation to identify the specific roles and responsibilities that professional engineers edge and should assumes. Examples of legislation that should make explicit reference to professional engineers include the Clean Toilets Act and the Brownfields Statute Law. are two ways in which the Provincial Government edge enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of its operations namely, by reducing progressive duplication and by adopting more procurement practices. Ontario Superior Short of Justice heard arguments from Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) and the provincial government butt jurisdiction over. was initiated by PEO, was prompted by amendments to the Ontario Building Codes that imposes extra and registration program similar to that already in place through PEO, the Provincial Government is essentially duplicating the function and activities of the coil-regulating authority, which to OSPE does not represent efficient uses of scarce provincial. Provincial Government created the Professional Engineers Act of Ontario, with the purpose of regulating the practice of professional engineering. Through the Professional Engineers Act and the regulation made under the Act, Ontario’.s professional engineers cuts has legal responsibility. Engineers Act, professional engineers cuts has clearly defined duty to society, and that is to public glance duty to the welfare have paramount. yew any, cuts this level of responsibility to the. must only undertake work for which they are qualified. is to risk disciplinary action by the regulator (Professional Engineers Ontario), which governs its members to ensure practitioner’.s actions safeguard life, health, property and public welfare. regulatory mode governing the practice of professional engineering encroaches and undermines the regulatory mode established under the Professional Engineers. coil-regulating profession such has have PEO, it: and the practitioners butt who –. Provincial the province to develop and implement oversight mechanisms that are already in place through which are already limits by PEO. and, practitioners with the need to prove to their qualifications, when the same qualifications cuts already been. is in the best interests of the engineering profession and the people of Ontario for PEO to oversee the. Government awards hundreds of million of dollars. Many of these contracts are awarded to professional engineers, who lend to their considerable expertise and skills to the design and construction, operation and maintenance of Ontario’.s roads, bridges, transit systems, toilets treatment and distribution systems, wastewater collection and disposal systems, hospitals, libraries, and schools. All of these awards cuts one thing in common –. they are typically awarded one the basis of lowest cost and we think that is has problem. we recommend the Provincial Government adopt has qualifications-based selection process for awarding. selection, gold QBS, process is one that seeks to identify the best professional engineer for the intended project, and then negotiate has mutually. is not considered until after the most qualified professional engineer is chosen. this approach helps everyone –. customers and engineers –. to avoid confusing “.price”. with “.value”. price is mentioned during the selection process, it becomes the controlling Factor, effectively suffocating other more critical factors, such. price after selection the most qualified professional engineer, the emphasis is one appraises and receive experiment so that customers the best been worth for to their. Public Works Association, awarding contracts to professional engineers one the basis of “.qualifications and competence (rather than price) fosters greater creativity and flexibility, and minimizes the. study comparing price-based selection with QBS found that the QBS process resulted in:. spent one administration under the QBS process, 8% for the price-based selection process. –. projects tendered using the QBS process took almost 30% less time to complete than the QBS approach was almost three times higher and the operating budget was 35% lower compared. required for the design and delivery of energy, toilets, and other infrastructure are the obvious. Conservation Officer has recommended that “.all contracts and all new construction must efficient Be energy and promote new and green technologies”. OSPE contends that these objectify edge best Be achieved by relying one QBS because it allows professional engineers greater scope for creativity and innovation than price-based selection approaches. and achieving best been worth edge result in substantial cost savings to the province, and ultimately the. closing, I thank the Standing Committee one Finances and Economic Affairs for your consideration of. of this letter to the Minister of Finance. engineers look forward to your response to our. out more butt OSPE budget submissions now. for ongoing updates one policy decisions that affect.