OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government - 3

Immediate Recommendations
1. Adopt, in the immediate term, the recommendations presented by the Construction & Design Alliance of Ontario
(CDAO) in their letter dated April 22, 2020.

OSPE believes that proper, smart, and prioritized investment in sustainable infrastructure will help alleviate the economic burden the
province is facing, while decreasing unemployment rates in several critical sectors of the economy.
Developing a comprehensive project investment pipeline document, which is informed by existing regulated municipal asset
management plans will facilitate the prioritization of early works. These projects are not only 'shovel-ready', but 'shovel-worthy' and will
provide a positive return on investment. By immediately utilizing these plans to select projects for investment, the province will be able to
reduce application timelines and ensure a speedy and safe recovery.

2. Support small and medium sized engineering firms by tackling increasing liability insurance costs
through regulatory reform.

Engineers support the provincial and federal government's approach to focus immediately on "shovel-worthy" infrastructure projects that
can deliver short- and long-term benefits for Ontarians.
However, to achieve this, engineering firms must be able to compete in the market. Currently, insurance providers consider Ontario a
high-risk jurisdiction. This has impacted engineering firms greatly, causing an increase in insurance costs and implications on coverage.
These changes have not only resulted in the rising cost of liability insurance (professional liability as well as commercial general liability/
property) but have prevented some engineers access to specific aspects of insurance coverage that were historically readily available.
This impacts the ability of small to medium sized engineering companies to operate in the province, which limits the amount of infrastructure that can be built, further debilitating economic growth. Further, this increases the costs of engineering projects, costs which are being downloaded to consumers. As the largest procurer of infrastructure projects, the government should be deeply concerned with these
escalating costs, and the availability of design talent required to build the infrastructure needed in this province.
Several factors have caused these conditions:

* The regulatory body, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) does not currently make continuing professional development (CPD)

mandatory in Ontario, despite the recommendation brought forward by the Elliot Lake Commission of Inquiry;

* There is no minimum required liability insurance for professional engineers with a Certificate of Authorization, thus offering

services to the Public;

* Engineers are not regularly focused on projects within their specialization, and many lack micro-credentials.

* Engineering firms are not required to train and develop their own talent
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OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government

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