ACEC Canada launches advocacy campaign for infrastructure investments ahead of federal election

Ontario Construction News staff writer

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) has launched an advocacy campaign for the federal election. ACEC will be engaging with federal candidates from all the major parties and encouraging them to make infrastructure investments a priority in their election platforms.

The Infrastructure: Prosperity by Design campaign includes ACEC’s election website, to provide information to educate candidates, political parties, and the public on the importance of leveraging infrastructure to develop a strong economic and environmental vision for Canada’s recovery. 

According to a news release, ACEC believes there is a unique opportunity to rethink Canada’s vision and approach to infrastructure. 

Initiatives include the National Infrastructure Assessment, which has received broad support from stakeholders from numerous industries and across the political spectrum. 

Also, accelerating existing infrastructure commitments will help Canada build back better. According to ACEC-Canada, decades of studies and experience demonstrate that infrastructure has the potential to contribute both to Canada’s long-term prosperity while also stimulating the economy immediately during the COVID-induced economic downturn, the news release said.

ACEC-Canada’s InvestInfrastructure.ca includes a portal allowing members and interested stakeholders to send letters to all candidates and includes information on ACEC, the association’s election priorities, and several background documents on all parties’ policy positions relating to ACEC’s priorities, which will be featured as the platforms are released. 

ACEC will also post an analysis of party platform announcements relating to infrastructure and issues of importance to the consulting engineering sector. Finally, the site provides social media shareables that anyone can download and use to help spread awareness of the campaign.