EDITORIAL A forward-looking OIQ: More present in the public sphereAs desired by its members, the OIQ will endeavour this year the key focuses of 2019 to reposition the profession in the public sphere. What does 2019 have in store for Québec engineering? To achieve this, working groups are already contemplating Increasing globalization and changing technologies issues such as the Engineers Act, management of profes- continue to affect our profession and practice. And the pace sional engineering service contracts, infrastructures and of these changes is going to quicken. As a resolutely climate change, and artificial intelligence. The work done by forward-looking organization, the OIQ is already considering these committees will enable the OIQ to make well-informed these issues and how they might impact our mission of contributions to public debates concerning the profession protecting the public in the coming years. These consider- and public protection. I would like to thank the dozens of ations will help guide our next strategic plan and our vision engineers who volunteer on these committees. until 2025. In addition, a pootonal and visibility campaign for the In the short term, we will continue to focus on carrying out profession will be launched this fall. The successful imple- the actions set out in our current strategic plan, the ENG2020 mentation of the ENG2020 Plan and the OIQ’s impending Plan. 100th anniversary in 2020 offer a unique opportunity to highlight the lesser known accomplishments of the profes- With this in mind, we are resuming our efforts with the new sion and the OIQ, so that they are known and recognized government and opposition parties in the National Assem- for their true value by our fellow citizens. bly to put the modernization of the Engineers Act back on track, after it was stalled by last fall’s elections. * * * Greater protection of the public On behalf of my colleagues on the Board of Directors, I would Two spheres of our activities will be given special attention like to take this opportunity at the beginning of the year to in 2019. wish all members of the profession, and all those who are associated with Québec engineering, an excellent 2019! Practice supervision and professional inspection– We are developing a self-assessment program that will allow the OIQ to reach a larger number of engineers. Other means are also being used to achieve the targets that have been set. More than 2,600 basic inspections will be conducted in Share your comments with us : plan@oiq.qc.ca. 2018-2019 and over 3,000 in the following year. Admission process – A new integration program will take effect starting on April 1. All current junior engineers and future engineering graduates are affected by these changes. The OIQ’s intention is to better protect the public, specific- Kathy Baig, Eng., FEC, MBA ally by adopting best practices in evaluating experience. President • JANVIER-FÉVRIER 2019• 7