Energy supply and use of “Qualified Persons” cause concern in Ontario’s Growth Plan

Last month OSPE submitted feedback to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal (MPIR) on its Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. While OSPE noted the significant role that the profession will play in the implementation of the Plan, the submission also expressed concern about the absence of energy supply, conservation and waste management in the Plan. In addition, OSPE noted that professional engineers should be identified as “Qualified Persons” where the Plan calls for the redevelopment of Brownfields sites.

The Proposed Growth Plan complements the government’s Greenbelt Plan by focusing where growth should happen, to sustain economic prosperity around the Greenbelt and across the Greater Golden Horseshoe which includes every community from Niagara Falls to Peterborough.

OSPE’s submission noted the significant role that professional engineers will play in the execution of the Growth Plan, particularly in the creation of new infrastructure which will need to be developed to accommodate a growth of 4 million people by 2030 in this area. This population increase will result in more pressure on existing infrastructure in decay and presents a tremendous opportunity for professional engineers to play a role in its renewal.

Energy Supply

The OSPE submission also noted concern about the absence of plans for energy supply and conservation, solid waste management and asked if these issues were being addressed by other agencies. OSPE also asked if the finalized plans for these issues would be fully integrated within the Plan.

With the expected population growth in the area, OSPE highlighted that there will be significantly greater demands on existing energy infrastructure and energy supply - a situation that will create new opportunities for combined heat and power (CHP), alternative energies and conservation.

“Energy supply is as much a fundamental issue for the development and redevelopment of urban areas as are water and wastewater systems,” said Chris Cragg, P.Eng., OSPE President and Chair in the submission.

Brownfields

The Proposed Growth Plan also mentions the use of Brownfields sites and OSPE took the opportunity to raise the issue of identifying “qualified persons” to design and direct the clean up of these sites. Mr. Cragg expressed the consistent concern the Society has had with Brownfields by suggesting, “while it is acknowledged that the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) is currently reviewing this issue, we are concerned about the prospect of non-professional engineers being given the authority to clean-up sites by MOE.”

OSPE has requested a follow-up meeting with the Ministry to discuss the issues raised in our submission. Stay tuned to www.ospe.on.ca for further updates.