Consulting Engineers Ontario launches campaign to educate voters

As municipalities across Ontario gear up for election day on October 25, Consulting Engineers of Ontario has decided to weigh in by launching a campaign to educate the public about the importance of infrastructure investment.
Barry Steinberg, P.Eng., president of CEO, explains the immediate purpose of the campaign entitled “2110: Think Long-Term, Ontario!” is to make people think about the issues of infrastructure when they cast their votes.
“The bottom line is, whether it’s the municipal elections or the upcoming provincial election, we want the voters to start thinking about the lifecycle of infrastructure assets, realizing that when it comes to those assets, decisions that are made impact generations. I think the voters should be really wondering and thinking about who it is that thinks in this way when they’re selecting their candidates.”
The educational campaign will start with the public, and then concentrate on specific sectors throughout the year. It will promote “the need for a well-informed, integrated and science and engineering-based process.”
In a press release, CEO says that the goal of 2110: Think Long-Term, Ontario! is to have people consider the following:
– Core and social infrastructure affect lives on a daily basis. Core infrastructure is vital to the economy. It can be physically touched such as roads, bridges and public transit. It also includes invisible infrastructure not commonly seen or thought of such as electrical distribution and water pipes or treatment plants. Social infrastructure enhances our quality of life like arenas, recreation centres and universities.
– Population growth in Ontario’s urban centres will require expanded infrastructure to accommodate newcomers.
– Most Ontario schools were built in the 1920s and are in need of re-investment. Similarly, the province’s roads are in need of repair and expansion as well as water pipes that were installed as far back as the early 1900s.
– Infrastructure is largely paid for with the public purse and costs increase when investment is deferred.