February 16, 2012

ACEC

Prime Minister Stephen Harper (at left) meets with Herb Kuehne, chair of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada.

ACEC meets with Canadian prime minister

OTTAWA

Senior officials from the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) have met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to thank him and the Government of Canada for commencing work on a long-term infrastructure plan.

“ACEC was pleased to have the opportunity to personally thank the prime minister and the government for their support of a long-term infrastructure plan for Canada,” said ACEC chairman Herb Kuehne, chair of Associated Engineering Alberta Ltd.

“ACEC looks forward to continued participation in the next stages of this process in order to develop a sustainable plan that will meet the needs of Canadians.”

In late November, a plan was announced by the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Denis Lebel to work with ACEC and other stakeholders. This commitment by the government is consistent with ACEC’s recent position paper on long-term infrastructure investment.

ACEC has already begun discussions with Infrastructure Canada on the next steps, which includes taking stock of what the government and its partners have accomplished to date, identifying knowledge gaps, addressing priorities and discussing the orientation of the long-term plan with stakeholders.

At the meeting earlier this month with Harper, ACEC also took the opportunity to congratulate the prime minister on the success of the recent stimulus program that created significant economic activity through infrastructure investment.

“From our perspective, the stimulus program certainly had a positive impact on the economy,” said ACEC president John Gamble.

“It allowed some infrastructure assets to be built that might otherwise not have been constructed.”

At this meeting, ACEC also had the opportunity to meet with James Rajotte, MP for Edmonton–Leduc and chair of the standing committee on finance.

“Infrastructure is vital to Canada’s public safety, economic growth and quality of life,” ACEC said.

“By committing to work with the consulting engineering industry and other various stakeholders, the Government of Canada has demonstrated that Canada’s infrastructure is a priority.”

DCN NEWS SERVICES

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