OSPE - The Voice - June 2018 - 33

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

ENGINEERINGALLY

SPE's Engineering Ally campaign made a major splash in the
lead up to the Ontario Election.
From Windsor to Toronto, and Ottawa to Thunder Bay, professional
engineers took action in their communities by communicating with political
candidates from all parties that engineering matters for Ontario's future.
Our members carried the message that professional engineers are trusted, ethical
leaders who create solutions for society's most complex problems. Engineers drive
innovation and their success creates jobs and wealth for the benefit of all Ontarians.
Most of all, we believe that engineering is a key part of our shared future: building
a better, brighter and more prosperous Ontario-and our government should too!
Thank you to the countless volunteers and community leaders who made
Engineering Ally the incredible success it was.
OSPE looks forward to continuing the dialogue at Queen's Park and will hold
our allies accountable to their commitment-to support and consult with Ontario's
professional engineers.

DOWNSVIEW:
An Engineering Mega-Project

his spring, OSPE issued an open letter to Toronto's Mayor John Tory urging
for the redevelopment of the Downsview lands. This is an incredible, multibillion-dollar opportunity to increase Toronto's housing supply, attract investment,
create jobs and establish the city as a global centre for engineering innovation.
Spanning an impressive 375-acres, this development opportunity at Downsview
dwarf 's other urban development success stories such as New York's Hudson Yards
and London's Canary Wharf (which are 24 and 97 acres respectively).
OSPE sees Downsview as an engineering mega-project-an unparalleled catalyst
for local engineering jobs, investment and innovation.
While OSPE has always supported the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and
Research (DAIR) initiative, engineers realize the greater potential that Downsview
has to offer. DAIR will remain an ongoing partnership between Centennial College
and Bombardier that connects students with industry, resulting in experiential
learning, ground-breaking research and the recruitment of highly-skilled graduates
for well-paying jobs. DAIR is exactly the kind of partnership model our association
envisions for engineering students and recent graduates of all engineering
disciplines, across Ontario.
With the availability of new lands exists the potential for an all-purpose
Downsview Innovation Hub: a 21st century mixed-development community where
global talent can live, work and thrive.
If Ontario is going to be a global player in the new economy, it needs to be a leader
in the new age of engineering innovation. Support for cutting-edge innovation
related to advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and autonomy will define
the communities that succeed in the next decade. Downsview is not only a natural
fit for a major innovation hub, but it's also a chance for Toronto to create a smart,
connected community for the benefit of all Ontarians.
OSPE is driving the message that Downsview presents a special opportunity
for Ontario's engineers to design and build our shared future.

OSPE Featured
in Environmental
Commissioner
Report

n April, the Environmental
Commissioner of Ontario (ECO)
issued a report entitled: Making
Connections Straight Talk About
Electricity in Ontario: 2018 Energy
Conservation Progress Report, which
directly referenced OSPE's research and
endorsed our core recommendations
for Ontario's power system. In drafting
the report, the ECO reached out to
OSPE's Energy Task Force to gather
engineering expertise on how Ontario
can most effectively leverage its
system investments to decarbonize the
economy and make productive use of
its surplus clean electricity.
http://docs.assets.eco.on.ca/
reports/energy/2018/MakingConnections-Summary.pdf

June 2018

THE VOICE

http://docs.assets.eco.on.ca/reports/energy/2018/Making-Connections-Summary.pdf

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - The Voice - June 2018