Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Canada (ACEC-Canada) and three member firms – Kerr Wood Leidal, Stantec, and Tetra Tech Canada Inc. – were honoured on Monday at the 2019 International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner in Mexico City.
The annual FIDIC conference and gala attracts roughly 800 leaders from the world’s engineering companies. The conference serves as a platform for global colleagues and stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing the future of the industry, debate key infrastructure issues and opportunities, and honour outstanding engineering projects from around the globe.
This year, FIDIC introduced a Member Association (MA) Excellence Awards to recognize, reward and highlight the achievements and successes of its international member associations and the work they do representing the global consulting engineering industry.
ACEC-Canada took home the award for the ‘Best advancement of a cause, advocacy campaign or event’ for its #20DaysOfExcellence campaign. This annual campaign, which takes place following the Canadian Consulting Engineering (CCE) Awards, showcases the 20 CCE award-winning projects, selected for their innovation, complexity, and social and economic benefits.
The CCE Awards represent the highest honours for excellence in consulting engineering in Canada and the winning projects deserve to be honoured and recognized on a national and global scale. The #20DaysofExcellence campaign was created to do just that and has experienced continued growth and success since its inception.
The FIDIC Project Awards recognize outstanding engineering projects by FIDIC member firms and help to publicize the work of consulting engineering firms and the contribution they make to society. The awards promote the use of international FIDIC best practices and resources to achieve quality projects that help develop economies and communities around the world.
Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd. of Burnaby B.C. was recognized with a FIDIC Award of Merit Monday for their Squamish Integrated Flood Hazard Management Plan project. This three-year study to assess and mitigate an extensive range of overlapping flood hazards looked beyond traditional floodplain mapping to systematically consider the interplay of physical, economic, social, and environmental risks. The project was also a recipient of an Award of Excellence at last year’s CCE Awards.
Vancouver area Stantec and Tetra Tech Canada Inc. were honoured for their Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway (ITH) project with a FIDIC Award of Special Merit. This project was also an Award of Excellence recipient at the 2018 CCE Awards and received an additional Special Achievement Award, the Engineering a Better Canada Award, for best showcasing how engineering enhances the social, economic or cultural quality of life of Canadians.
The ITH is the first Canadian highway constructed on continuous permafrost, which posed unique challenges. The project distinguished itself not only for overcoming these challenges but for generating a partnership between two Indigenous contractors and design firms, resulting in a transfer of technology to the local community.