Unveiling the mysteries of engineering

For more than 30 years, the Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards have served to promote the diversity and innovation that distinguishes our industry’s accomplishments to various constituencies, including our own. This issue of CCE magazine celebrates these qualities by highlighting the winning projects. I am most excited about this year’s edition of the awards, for several reasons.

First, we recognize not only the 11 winners, but all 40 participants. This is important because each project submitted is a testimony to its designers’ imagination in the face of challenging circumstances. All are quality solutions to clients’ problems — and some are much more as they point the way to our industry’s development in the future.

Second, by showcasing all submissions at the 1999 Awards, ACEC produced not only an entertaining, high-quality “new media” presentation for the enjoyment of all in attendance that evening, but also the material to develop future promotional tools. Consequently, all award participants will enjoy, over the coming year, the benefits of free national and international promotion as representatives of the Canadian consulting engineering industry.

Finally, we have been working to position the awards as a “good news” vehicle to carry our message to the media about the successes and challenges that characterize our industry. In conjunction with other media activities by ACEC and its member organizations, this year’s awards are helping to get the word out that we, as a major force in Canada’s economy and way of life, play a key role in our community.

This year’s submissions come from a wide spectrum of firms, small and large, multi-disciplinary and specialized. The fact that a firm with fewer than 50 staff received the Schreyer Award speaks to the opportunity for any ACEC member to get the highest recognition for its accomplishments. The fact that all projects submitted were featured in ACEC’s multi-media presentation, regardless of having won an award, demonstrates the potential for increased individual and collective visibility.

On that note, I encourage all ACEC members to enter the 33rd Annual Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards in the Year 2000, and congratulate all ACEC member firms that entered the 1999 Awards.

JOHN BOYD, P.ENG., CHAIR ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF CANADA