Engineers Nova Scotia Annual Report 2024

The Power of Synergy

In the world of engineering, the adage “two heads are better than one” couldn’t be more accurate. The synergy created when individuals collaborate and support each other is a powerful force that can transform complex challenges into groundbreaking solutions. This collaborative spirit is the lifeblood of engineering, driving progress and ensuring that the sum of our collective efforts is far greater than the individual parts.

The Magic of Collaboration

Consider the construction of a modern skyscraper. Architects, structural engineers, electrical engineers, interior designers, surveyors, and environmental specialists come together to design and build these towering marvels. Each discipline brings its unique expertise, and when combined, they create a structure that is not only functional but also sustainable and pleasing. If each of these experts worked in isolation the result would likely be a disjointed and inefficient building. The synergy of their collaboration allows the team to overcome engineering challenges and push the boundaries of possibility.

Innovation Through Diverse Perspectives

Diverse perspectives are another key element of successful collaboration. In the engineering sector, teams often consist of individuals from various cultural and educational backgrounds. This diversity fosters creativity and innovation, as different viewpoints lead to unique solutions. For example, in the development of complex systems, computer engineers, mechanical engineers, civil engineers, and others collaborate to integrate their portions.

Supporting Each Other for Success

Support within a team is crucial for overcoming obstacles. In the aerospace or marine industry, for instance, the development of a new aircraft or ships involves countless tests and iterations. Engineers must rely on each other’s expertise to troubleshoot issues and refine designs. When one team member encounters a problem, others step in to offer support and guidance, ensuring that the project stays on track. This culture of support not only enhances productivity but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.

Universal Impact

The impact of synergy in engineering is evident in global projects like the International Space Station (ISS). This monumental achievement is the result of collaboration between engineers from space agencies from around the world. Engineers and scientists from diverse backgrounds, speaking different languages, work together across nations to conduct research that benefits humanity, from advancing medical technologies to improving environmental monitoring.

Conclusion

Synergy created through collaboration and support in the engineering sector is a catalyst for innovation and success. By embracing diverse perspectives, supporting each other, and working together, engineers can tackle the most daunting challenges and create solutions that shape the future. As we continue to face global challenges, the power of synergy, of being “better together” remains an essential ingredient in driving progress and achieving the extraordinary not only here in Nova Scotia, but across the world.

President’s Report

Looking back on the past year, the staff and volunteers at Engineers Nova Scotia continue to take on significant projects and challenges as we make progress in our 20222027 Strategic Plan. An operational overview of some of the specific projects and recent activities can be found in the CEO and Registrar’s Annual Report on the following pages.

As a regulator and a professional association, Engineers Nova Scotia is tasked with working with our registrants to maintain confidence in the engineering profession, serve the public interest, and support professional sustainment for both current and future registrants. Many of the activities over the last year have been critical in meeting these expectations.

Council and the CEO have been busy developing collaborative relationships with other regulatory bodies in Nova Scotia, while exploring how we can more effectively partner with higher education institutions

within the province to ensure sustainability of the engineering profession.

We are updating our professional development expectations to bring Engineers Nova Scotia in-line with standards in place across Atlantic Canada and most other Canadian provinces and territories.This includes a more strategic and defined focus on areas where professional development is expected, enabling access to high-quality training opportunities, and implementing a more formalized auditing process to meet our accountability expectations as a regulator.

Engineers Nova Scotia is also modernizing our registrant database, website and volunteer coordination systems.We are investing in the transition to a Competency Based Assessment (CBA) for experience reviews, making us one of the last regulators in Canada to do so. This transition includes looking at how we evolve our exceptional mentorship program as the experience review element is transitioned under the CBA model.

We continue to plan for operational needs as we develop strategic approaches to communications, volunteer support, staffing and infrastructure.This includes setting aside strategic funding from affinity revenue and investments for major projects and reserves needed to meet our regulatory obligations.

In summary, Engineers Nova Scotia is in a major period of transition and modernization, and this couldn’t happen without the exemplary efforts of our volunteers, CEO and staff, and dedicated members of Council.

As my President’s role comes to an end, I would like to take a moment to express my thanks towards your 20232024 Council and to recognize their value and dedication.These individuals have truly invested their time and passion into supporting Engineers Nova Scotia, with a conscious view on how we can remain relevant and effective as a provincial regulator. In particular, I would like to thank Past-President Denise Pothier and Vice-President Sue Molloy for their engaging discussion and perspective as members of the executive this past year.

To our new members of Council soon stepping into their role, welcome and thank you in advance to both you and your supporters. I would not have been able to engage in this role without the steadfast support of my family, friends and colleagues. I wish you the best in the upcoming year.

With warmest regards,

Adam Donaldson, PhD, FEC, P.Eng,

Adam Donaldson, PhD, FEC, P.Eng.

CEO and Registrar’s Report

DS (Pal) Mann, CD, FCSSE, ICD.D., P.Eng.

Innovative, responsive, and responsible engineering continues to be in high demand in our province. Nova Scotia is currently facing a series of significant challenges, including economic pressures from inflation, housing issues, and the demands of a growing population:

∙ The housing market is under considerable stress, with a need to dramatically increase housing starts to accommodate the rapid population growth. The province’s ambitious immigration targets, aimed at doubling the population by 2060, further increase the demand for housing and essential services.

∙ The healthcare system in Nova Scotia is also under pressure, struggling with infrastructure limitations and workforce shortages. These challenges necessitate innovative solutions to improve healthcare delivery and efficiency. One such initiative involves the

integration of industrial engineering interns to optimize healthcare systems, demonstrating how engineering can play a crucial role in enhancing service delivery and patient care amidst increasing demands.

Engineering innovations remain pivotal in addressing Nova Scotia’s challenges by offering solutions to many of these challenges. The province is investing in research and development to build sustainable and resilient communities. This strategic approach, in which engineering expertise is critical, not only addresses immediate needs but also lays the groundwork for long-term prosperity and sustainability, ensuring that Nova Scotia can thrive despite economic and demographic pressures.

Within this context, the role of the regulator is key to ensuring that Nova Scotians are served by qualified and competent engineering professionals. We continue our work at Engineers Nova Scotia to build our capability and capacity to meet the growing expectations of the public and our registrants to play our role in a safe and sustainable Nova Scotia, protected by accessible, progressive, and trusted regulation of the engineering profession.

Over the next few paragraphs, I will provide an overview of what we have been working on for the past year.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

We have completed year two of our five-year strategic plan. Council and the staff continue to work on a dashboard that allows for measurement of our progress and allows us to quickly focus on new priorities in what is a rapidly changing regulatory environment across Canada. Our activities across the four lines of our strategic plan have been:

Organizational Excellence

∙ Structure. Progress has been made in the size of organization we now have increased capability and capacity across several areas including fiscal management, volunteer management, and professional development. Our team has seen new additions over the past year, with Emma Forbes joining as the Professional Sustainment Officer, Evelyn Hnin as the Professional Sustainment Assistant, Lisa Brinson as the Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator, Marie AdsettBoudreau as the Communications Coordinator, and Yidan Zhang as the Communications Assistant. Our current staff complement is 19.

∙ Human Resources. To better support our employees, we have implemented a new performance measurement system that sets expectations and evaluates performance.

∙ Registrant Administration Application and Database. We have engaged Tech-Markets Inc., to coordinate our work in identifying the requirements for, and selecting a vendor to modernize our registrant administration application and database, we aim to complete this project by December 31, 2026.

∙ Accommodation Need Analysis

As we were unsuccessful in recruiting a contractor to provide a comprehensive solution to our future accommodation needs, we are recreating the request for proposals to conduct a needs analysis that will help us evaluate if we can modernise our existing facility to meet needs, or whether we must look at our other options.

Regulatory Excellence

∙ Competency-Based Assessment (CBA). With the services of the former lead for registration and CBA at Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia, Gillian Pichler, P.Eng., we have finalized our implementation plan, and work is underway to conduct a pilot program in 2024/25 with a transition to CBA beginning in 2025.

∙ Harmonized Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Several regulators have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that recognizes the CPD of other provinces and territories. Engineers Nova Scotia is a signatory of this MOU alongside 7 other regulators. We continue

to work on changes to our CPD program with a series of informational sessions to registrants over the summer period. We are working with the Government of Nova Scotia and our legal counsel to make the necessary changes to our By-laws to align with national standards and officially roll out the new program in 2025.

Legislative Review

∙ We have engaged the legal firm Stewart McKelvey to assist us in completing an environmental scan and legislative risk assessment that we can use to engage the Nova Scotia government effectively. We aim to discuss this paper and develop an engagement strategy as part of Council’s strategic discussion in early 2025.

Outreach and Partnerships

∙ Strategic Communications Plan. Council has reviewed a strategic Communications Plan that provides guidance to staff and volunteers for engagement with internal and external audiences as well as the tools and branding we will use to meet our goals.

∙ Professional Sustainment Strategic Plan. We have finalized a Professional Sustainment plan that provides guidance on the direction of activities by staff and volunteers to achieve the following goals:

º Volunteer Management System

º Professional Development Activities

º Zone Engagement

REGISTRATION

Our registrant numbers continue to enjoy net growth over the past year. Our registration report on July 31, 2024, at the end of the fiscal year shows we have grown from 8624 registrants (July 31, 2023) to 9110 in all registrant categories (excluding student members and exam candidates); this is a positive change of 5.6% over last year. As for women in engineering, as of July 31, 2024, 946 (16.1%) of our 5880 professional engineers are women, while 357 (24.2%) of our 1476 engineersin-training are women.

ENGINEERS CANADA

Engineers Nova Scotia continues to play a strong role in supporting Engineers Canada working groups and committees such as:

∙ The three national officials’ groups (Admissions, Practice, and Discipline and Enforcement), and liaison to the Policy and Process Committee of the Canadian Engineering Qualifications Board. We thank Pemberton Cyrus, FEC, P.Eng., for his leadership of the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board over the past year.

∙ Specialized groups such as the Communications Officials Group, the Information Technology Group, and the Finance Officers Group.

∙ Outreach and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity committees, including 30 by 30.

∙ Special Task Forces – such as the Trust in the Professional and the Value of Licensure initiatives, and the Future of Engineering Accreditation Advisory Group.

Engineers Nova Scotia has been a signatory for pan-Canadian initiatives such as the National Statement of Collaboration that reflects regulators’ renewed commitment to proactively work together to address national and international barriers to mobility for engineers and engineering entities, further advancing public safety, and increasing regulatory efficiency.

Conclusion

Consistent with this year’s theme, ‘the Power of Synergy’; the combined talent and potential of our registrants, volunteers, and staff working together collaboratively and towards the same goal, understanding each other’s capabilities and capacities, is greater than any of us could achieve by working separately.

As your CEO & Registrar, I thank you, and all our volunteers and registrants, for your continued commitment to our profession. Your ongoing contribution to professional regulation shows Nova Scotians that engineers work diligently to meet the public’s expectations and protect their interests. As always, I am open to ideas regarding how we can be a better regulator for our profession. I have stated many times, there is no “us” without you.

I will close by thanking the entire Engineers Nova Scotia team for their effort and energy over the past year; their support as always, has been stellar.

Operations

Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer

Kris Dove, P.Eng., MBA, FEC

Professional Practice Officer

Charity Harrington

Senior Accountant

Grace Castillo

Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator

Lisa Brinson

Registration

Director of Registration

Shanice Bryce

Registration Coordinators

Nadine Avery, FEC (Hon)

Brittany Dart, FEC (Hon)

Ashley Warner

Chantal Williams

Administration Assistant

Okiki Bello

Professional Sustainment

Director of Professional Sustainment

Heidi McKnight-Whitford, P.Eng.

Professional Sustainment Officer

Emma Forbes

Event Coordinator

Pavel Diaz

Professional Sustainment Assistant

Evelyn Hnin

Communications and Information Technology

Director of Communications and Information Technology

Christine Larocque, FEC (Hon)

Multimedia/Graphic Designer

Aaron Harpell

Communications Coordinator

Marie Adsett-Boudreau

Communications Assistant

Yidan Zhang

In your service,

Pal Mann, CD, FCSSE, ICD.D., P.Eng., Chief Executive Officer, Registrar, & Secretary

A Message from Engineers Canada

Dear Colleagues,

As the Engineers Canada Board Director for Nova Scotia, I am pleased to offer an update on the work of Engineers Canada over the past year, and the direction we’ve planned for our coming years. As we convene for the 2024 Annual Business Meeting and Professional Development Conference, I hope you will find that our work complements your interests and the activity of Engineers Nova Scotia.

The vision of Engineers Canada is “advancing the engineering profession through national collaboration,” and the by-line for our 2022-2024 strategic plan, is “a vision for collaboration.” Over the past two years I have been fortunate to have been selected as a member of the National Collaboration and Harmonization Task Force. I am very pleased to share that the task force’s work culminated in all 12 regulators signing a formal statement of commitment to collaboration

and harmonization at the Annual Meeting of Members in Manitoba, in May 2024.

Engineers Canada is also continuing significant work to evaluate the current system of accreditation of Canadian undergraduate engineering education programs. Accreditation of engineering programs is a dominant function of Engineers Canada through their Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) which is made possible by hundreds of dedicated, caring and uniquely knowledgeable volunteers. Evaluating the purpose and value of engineering accreditation in Canada is both a benchmarking and exploratory exercise that will inform the future interfacing of engineering education and licensure in our country.

2025 brings the advent of a 5-year strategic plan (2025-2029) focused on realizing the future of engineering in Canada. Engineers Canada’s 2024-2029 strategic plan includes:

∙ Expectation of a renewed accreditation system that works collaboratively with regulators and engineering educators, and a pan-Canadian academic assessment process that is fair and inclusive for all applicants.

∙ Focus on reflecting the diversity of Canadian society through supporting an increase in the percentage of newly licensed

engineers who are women and are broadening our focus to foster truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples while working with regulators to improve equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the engineering profession.

∙ Increasing awareness of the contributions of engineers to society with the public.

∙ Upholding our ethical obligations of promoting environmental sustainability by considering carbon neutrality, and an environmental, social, and governance policy to reflect our commitment. We will also determine how Engineers Canada, working with regulators, can best advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals within the engineering profession.

∙ We will also ensure that our governance system is designed to enable efficient and trustworthy decision-making that meets the expectations of the regulators.

With the work of the Harmonization and Collaboration Task Force completed, I have joined the Governance Committee who complete the routine evaluation and development of governance documentation for the Board. An important function of this year’s Governance Committee will be supporting a comprehensive

Crysta Cumming, FEC, P.Eng

governance review to identify areas for improvement in support of national collaboration.

As of August 6, 2024, Philip Rizcallah, P.Eng. has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer. Rizcallah succeeds Gerard McDonald, MBA, P.Eng., ICD.D, who retired after six years of service to the association. Rizcallah most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Head of Accessibility Standards Canada, and prior to that led teams at the National Research Council of Canada as both Program Director and Director for the Building Regulations Resource Unit. Licensed as an engineer in the province of Ontario, Rizcallah holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia and a Bachelor of Science, Honours Mathematics from Dalhousie University.

Engineers Canada develops many helpful resources that are available online, and should not be missed, including:

∙ Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Engineering: Diversity in engineering means engaging the best minds of the profession, which includes women, Indigenous peoples and internationally educated professionals. Resources including guidelines for reconciliation in engineering, information on our national 30 by 30 goal, EngineerHere.ca for newcoming engineers, and guidance on managing workplace leave transitions can be accessed here: engineerscanada.ca/diversity/ about-diversity-in-engineering

∙ National Position Statements: engineerscanada.ca/public-policy/ national-position-statements

∙ Engineering licensure reports and statistics: engineerscanada.ca/ reports

∙ 2024-2029 Strategic Plan: engineerscanada.ca/about/ governance/realizing-tomorrows#1

∙ Information on the 12 Canadian engineering regulators: engineerscanada.ca/regulatoryexcellence

If you ever have questions about the work of the Board of Engineers Canada or are interested in getting more involved in engineering selfregulation, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I am interested in your perspective and am happy to share my thoughts with you.

Yours truly,

Crysta Cumming, FEC, P.Eng

Deceased Members

We have been advised the following registrants passed away this year. Our thoughts are with their families and friends.

Barry J. Bennett, P.Eng.

Paul E. Benoit, P.Eng.

Brian R. Bohaker, P.Eng.

Francis J. Callaghan, P.Eng.

Donald J. Cameron, P.Eng.

D. H. Brian Campbell, P.Eng.

Philip A. Collins, P.Eng.

Douglas G. Ellis, P.Eng.

G. Fred Farmer, P.Eng.

John R. Fiske, P.Eng.

Richard E. Grantham, P.Eng.

Paul Klaamas, P.Eng.

James A. LeBlanc, P.Eng.

Alfred H. Lohnes, P.Eng.

James G. Martin, P.Eng.

Wallace D. McDougall, P.Eng.

James A. McFadgen, P.Eng.

Ora R. McManus, P.Eng.

William J. Phillips, P.Eng.

Michael J. Pothier, P.Eng.

Mark W. Savory, P.Eng.

Rednael D. Swaine,P.Eng.

J. Mark Wallace, P.Eng.

A Message from Saint Mary’s University

It was an exciting start to the 2024-25 academic year for engineering students at Saint Mary’s as the Division of Engineering opened the doors to its new home at 960 Tower Road. The modern, light-filled, 28,000-square-foot building is now fully dedicated to delivery of engineering education during the academic year, with most first-year engineering courses and all secondyear engineering courses being delivered within the building this Fall semester.

Designed with close adjacency of new lecture rooms and neighbouring teaching laboratories for hands-on activities in electric circuits, thermodynamics and fluids, and mechanics of materials, engineering students benefit from the combination of amazing facilities and small class sizes with expert faculty who are dedicated to delivering a fantastic learning experience.

Important to fostering teamwork and peer-to-peer learning, the building features a three-story atrium lined with open workspaces where students can collaborate before classes, between classes, and late into the evening. Student design project teams will benefit from having individual team design rooms, a 3D print centre and hand tool workshop.

The new building will also support faculty research programs, providing expanded space for our professors’ leading work in renewable energy

technologies, metallurgy, machine learning and artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, and the history of science and technology. With a strong history of undergraduate involvement in research activities, and strong growth in graduate student enrolments in PhD and master’s programs within the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s, these new research facilities are timely addition to the Faculty.

Through the summer, the new Engineering Building together with SMU’s new Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre will become co-hosts to a variety of outreach activities designed to provide exposure to and build on existing interests in engineering, computing, and innovation amongst both junior high and high school students. In addition to stimulating the next generation of university learners, these activities will provide a new source of fun and fulfilling summer jobs for our current students on campus.

Longer term, the building will support new academic programming. Actively under development is a Master’s in Engineering Management program—an exciting three-way collaboration between the Division of Engineering, our expert Industrial/ Organizational Psychology group, and the Sobey School of Business. This program will help prepare engineering graduates for transition into managerial roles, equipping them with the skills needed to be effective leaders in the workplace.

This past spring we celebrated another big engineering success on the Saint Mary’s campus; completion of what is now the tallest integrated solar exterior of any building in North America. The $6-million retrofit project has seen the 22-storey south-facing wall of the Loyola student residence reclad in building-integrated photovoltaic cells. The array will provide about 100,000 kWh of energy annually, contributing about half of the power currently required to operate the Loyola building.

Carried out by DSRA Architects, Dillon Consulting, BMR Structural Engineering, EllisDon, Grey Cardinal Management Inc., Able Electric and Markland, Saint Mary’s was proud that this project was recognized with a Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering. We hope that this highly successful project inspires additional use of solar cladding throughout HRM and the province.

It has been an exciting past year for engineering at Saint Mary’s. As a Professor in the Division of Engineering, and now as the recently appointed Dean of the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s, I look forward to continuing to work closely with colleagues at Dalhousie and the other Associated Universities to have a strong, positive impact on engineering education within Nova Scotia.

Dr. Sam Veres, P.Eng., Dean of Science, Saint Mary’s University

A Message from Dalhousie University

Last spring, Dalhousie University launched its historic $750 million “Bringing Worlds Together” campaign, aimed at driving meaningful change through partnerships, research, and community impact. I am proud to say that thanks to our donors, alumni, and partners, the Faculty of Engineering is thriving in many of the areas highlighted in this initiative.

By fostering future-ready leaders, engaging in high-impact research, and lifting our communities, we are contributing to a more just and equitable future. Our students, faculty, and partners are coming together to develop solutions that address some of the world’s most complex challenges, ensuring that our work here in Nova Scotia impacts the world.

One of the areas of research we are proud to announce is the opening of our new Hydrogen Applications Research Lab. Here, faculty and students are exploring hydrogen-enriched natural gas as a low-carbon energy alternative. This research supports Nova Scotia’s goal to lead in green hydrogen production, a key component in achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The lab positions the faculty at the forefront of clean energy development, highlighting our role in driving environmental change.

Another example of our commitment to innovation is the development of the world’s first industrial-scale UV LED reactor for wastewater treatment. In collaboration with industry partners and Halifax Water, researchers from

Dalhousie’s Centre for Water Resources Studies have created ground-breaking technology that reduces energy consumption, eliminates mercury bulbs, and curbs greenhouse gas emissions. The reactor, operational at Halifax Water’s Eastern Passage facility, has the potential to reshape the global wastewater management industry, and positions Dalhousie as a leader in sustainable water solutions.

While our Faculty members are pursuing some of the top leading-edge research projects in Canada, our engineering students also continue to push the boundaries of success. Dalhousie’s Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) Electric Vehicle team celebrated a major achievement this year with a 4th place finish at the North American Formula Hybrid and Electric event. After unveiling Atlantic Canada’s first student-built electric vehicle, powered by Emera, in 2023, they refined their design and showcased their skills and resilience against top university teams worldwide. Students from the Dalhousie Space Systems lab (DSS) are making significant strides. Sponsored by MDA Space, the team is building a nanosatellite set to launch into space in 2025. This follows their historic achievement in 2022, when they became the first group in Atlantic Canada to successfully design and launch a satellite into orbit.

Opportunities such as DSS and FSAE are vital to student success by providing hands-on learning experiences beyond the

classroom. As we continue to enhance our teaching, we are also seeking new ways to prepare our graduates with the skills and confidence needed to excel in the workforce. That’s why we’re excited to introduce the Sexton Leaders Program.

This extracurricular initiative enhances our strong technical curriculum by offering workshops on leadership, communication, conflict management, and teamwork, areas critical to success as modern engineers. The program is supported by generous donors including Aubrey Palmeter and EastPoint Engineering, EllisDon, and Michel Comeau. This program ensures that graduates not only excel in technical expertise but also enter the workforce as well-rounded professionals ready to make a meaningful impact in their communities.

As we continue our work within the Faculty of Engineering, I’d like to thank all our donors and partners for their continued support. Your contributions are crucial to fostering the next generation of leaders.

While the Faculty is making great progress in many of the key areas featured in Dalhousie’s campaign, there’s much more to achieve. Engineering plays a pivotal role in reaching the university’s $750 million goal, and with the ongoing support of our donors and partners, we can continue to push boundaries, drive innovation, and create a brighter future for all.

Dr. John Newhook, P.Eng., FCAE, FCSSE Dean, Faculty of Engineering Dalhousie University

Director Updates

Professional Affairs and Operations Update

Kris Dove, MBA, FEC, P.Eng. Chief Operating Officer & Treasurer

The Professional Affairs and Operations team has worked diligently over the past year updating policies, processes and programs, and working with closely with the registrants who volunteer on many Committees.

Once again, Committees were essential to the work completed by the Professional Affairs and Operations team. The review of various Engineers Canada papers, guidelines, and national position statements, as well as documentation developed by Engineers Nova Scotia staff to facilitate compliance and establish regulatory best practices, such as guidelines, policy, procedures and program requirements could not have been completed without your tireless commitment.

The Committees that Professional Affairs and Operations staff supports include:

∙ Complaints Committee

∙ Continuing Professional Development Committee

∙ Discipline Committee

∙ Professional Practice Committee

∙ Public Safety Committee

∙ Scrutineers Committee

∙ Sustainability Committee

A summary of some highlights over the past year are included below.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Information sessions on the new harmonized CPD program, developed in conjunction with the other Atlantic Canadian engineering regulators, were completed over the summer. Attendees were provided with details regarding a reduction of the number of required professional development hours, new and improved categories of learning, and plans for program implementation. Additional program modernization components that will align our CPD program with other engineering regulators include annual reporting of CPD activities, and future auditing of a random, small percentage of registrant activities. To facilitate the implementation of the modernized

program, an update to the By-Laws is required, which will allow for the minimum number of CPD hours required to be reduced.

The modernized CPD program is slated to commence starting January 1, 2025, with reporting due at the end of 2025. Registrants will be provided additional information regarding learning activities and other CPD program supports in the upcoming months.

Engineering Practice Guidelines

Staff, together with the Professional Practice Committee, have commenced a review of all the practice guidelines currently published by Engineers Nova Scotia to ensure consistency and modernization. Engagement of registrants on the Professional Practice Guidelines and the Use of the Professional Stamp Guidelines is expected to commence before the end of the year, with engagement on other guidelines to follow, once review by the Committee has been completed. The Committee remains active in assessing a number of published guidelines from other engineering regulators across Canada to determine their relevancy for adaptation or adoption by Engineers Nova Scotia.

Bilingual Engineering Work Products for Federal Procurement Update

In 2024, the federal government released an additional update and subsequent amendment (PN-48R2) to Policy Notification (PN-48R1) regarding updated obligations for federal procurement activities with respect to the Official Languages Act. Public Works and Procurement Canada (PSPC) may require submission of engineering work products in both official languages—French and English—each being of equal quality and published at the same time, for documents being published as part of a government tender process. This requirement is not applicable to documents sent in response to a government tender, which can still be submitted in the supplier’s language of preference.

This issue is being closely followed by Engineers Nova Scotia, as well as Engineers Canada and the provincial consulting engineering groups (e.g., Consulting Engineers of Nova Scotia (ACEC-NS)). Impacts on the practice of engineering, specifically the requirement to stamp translated documents,

are being assessed to determine if additional action from our association is required. Registrants are reminded that they should only accept responsibility for work they can fully understand (if translated), and that is within their area of competence.

Coastal Protection Act Update

In 2024, the Government of Nova Scotia announced, “The Future of our Coastline: A plan to protect people, homes and nature from climate change” in lieu of proclaiming the Coastal Protection Act (CPA) and Regulations, and empowering coastal property owners, governments, communities and business owners to “re-think how we build and develop along our coastline to better protect our homes, communities, natural areas and each other.”

On August 13, 2023, the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg approved an amended Municipal Planning Strategy and new Municipal-Wide Land Use By-Law pertaining to Coastal Protection Regulations, the first municipality in the province to do so. Though the formal CPA and processes will not be implemented

throughout the province, engineers will still be involved in the assessment of coastal properties to provide the public with engineering decisions that consider the impacts of climate change.

Complaints and Discipline

Over the past fiscal year, the Complaints Committee met regularly and was actively engaged in the investigation of a number of new and existing complaints. Additional information can be found in the Complaints and Discipline Committee report, found later in the Annual Report.

Not all potential complaints progress to becoming formal complaints. Some inquiries may relate to business contract issues, payment issues, or communication challenges between a registrant and client, which are outside the jurisdiction of Engineers Nova Scotia.

I wish to acknowledge and thank members of the Complaints Committee who work diligently to administer complaints in accordance with Section 17 of the Engineering Profession Act, and to investigate allegations and

take appropriate action in a timely and efficient manner. There has been an escalation in the complexity of the complaints received, and the amount of time and effort required to assess and action complaints has increased. We continue to work to implement process improvements and tools to assist Committee members with the review and disposition of complaints.

Enforcement Activities

Compliance with, and enforcement of, the Engineering Profession Act and By-Laws is an important area of focus. Activities include ensuring that in Nova Scotia only registrants of Engineers Nova Scotia are practicing engineering and using the title professional engineer, and that non-engineering companies are not using protected terms, such as engineering. This work often results in those who are practicing without a license reinstating or registering with Engineers Nova Scotia.

In 2024 we had great success with our out-of-province campaign, which, in conjunction with other engineering regulators in Canada, gives us the ability to contact engineers that are registered elsewhere in Canada but are residents of Nova Scotia that are not licensed with Engineers Nova Scotia. This allows us to confirm whether they are practicing engineering in Nova Scotia, and determine whether they should become registered with Engineers Nova Scotia.

As reported in previous years, we were made aware of an individual who was misleading the public to believe they were a professional engineer.

Mark B. Connors was not registered with Engineers Nova Scotia and was fraudulently providing engineering services using a forged engineering stamp. Mr. Connors pled guilty to committing a single count of fraud under $5,000 between 2021 and 2022 in relation to work undertaken for two proponents, contrary to section 380(1) (b) of the Criminal Code of Canada

A letter was submitted to the Court by Chief Executive Officer Pal Mann, to provide information regarding the impact on the public interest related to the actions carried out by Mr. Connors. Pal’s letter outlined the importance of ensuring that only those with an acceptable academic foundation and experience are granted a license to practice, the title professional engineer, and are permitted to practice engineering as defined in the Engineering Profession Act. Chief Operating Officer Kris Dove testified at the sentencing hearing, providing additional clarity to the Court regarding the professional integrity of the profession and the need to ensure the protection of the public.

In 2024, Mr. Connors received a conditional sentence in the community, consisting of a short sharp period of custody of three months (house arrest), followed by a 12-month period of probation. This sentence was in alignment with what the Crown Attorney was seeking. In making her decision, the Honourable Judge Ronda van der Hoek noted that “Society has to be able to trust that an engineering stamp means something. Just as a person who consults a doctor relies on advice that a mole is not skin cancer, the source of advice from all professionals

is backed by knowledge, skill, training, and oversight by a trusted regulatorin the public interest.” The complete sentencing decision can be found on the Nova Scotia Courts website.

As a general reminder, if you become aware of, or suspect that, someone may not be a professional engineer, you can access a list of all our registrants through the “Member and Company Directory,” on our website. You can also call the association, and we can provide additional clarification, as needed.

Staff continues to work with individuals and companies to ensure that violations of our Act and By-Laws are administered accordingly. We continue to be involved in enforcement issues at the national level and are in continuous communication with the other provincial engineering regulators.

In closing, I would like to thank all the volunteers that help support the Professional Affairs and Operations work of the association. Your willingness to exchange information and ideas concerning the engineering profession is of great benefit to the association, and we would not be able to engage and support registrants without your dedication. It is very much appreciated, and I look forward to working with you all again during the upcoming year.

Kris Dove, MBA, FEC, P.Eng. Chief Operating Officer & Treasurer

Communications and Information Technology Update

Christine Laroque Director, Communications and Information Technology

Introduction

Effective communication is crucial for the engineering community’s success, bridging gaps between engineers, government, the public, and volunteers. It enhances understanding, engagement, and trust, thereby elevating the value of engineering and fostering collaboration and innovation for a sustainable future in Nova Scotia.

The 2024 Annual Report of the Communications and Information Technology team of Engineers Nova Scotia highlights the importance of effective communication in connecting registrants and Nova Scotians with Engineers Nova Scotia. As the Director of Communications and Information Technology, it is a privilege to serve the registrants and work with your Council and Chief

Executive Officer, Pal Mann, P. Eng., to strengthen the community.

New Communications Staff

This year, we are excited to welcome several new members to the Communications team. Marie Adsett Boudreau as our Communications Coordinator and Yidan Zhang as our Communications Assistant. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise will undoubtedly enhance our efforts in connecting with our registrants and the broader community.

The Power of Synergy

This year, our theme is “The Power of Synergy.” By working together, we have achieved remarkable results that highlight the strength of our collaborative efforts. Synergy has been the driving force behind our success, enabling us to enhance our digital presence, improve internal and external communications, and support various organizational initiatives.

Building and Fostering Community Connections

Over the past year, Engineers Nova Scotia staff have been actively involved in numerous initiatives to build and foster community connections with interested organizations, community partners, volunteers, engineering firms, the public, and government.

Some key efforts include:

∙ Strengthening PartnershipsEngineers Nova Scotia has strengthened our partnership and cooperation with our Atlantic regulating partners, particularly the other three provincial engineering regulators, and with Nova Scotia’s Geoscientists, Land Surveyors, Architects, Interior Designers, and the Consulting Engineers of Nova Scotia (for further details, see the CEO and Registrar’s Report).

∙ STEM Education - We have participated on the Board of the Atlantic Science Links Association, which promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) partnerships in school curriculums.

∙ Community Engagement - We have developed strong ties with the Corporation of the Seven Wardens, the custodians of the Iron Ring and the Iron Ring Ceremony.

∙ Inclusion and Belonging - We have opened dialogue with the Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative to provide mutual professional development opportunities (for further details on the above, see the Director of Professional Sustainment’s Report).

∙ Volunteer Involvement - Our volunteers have been actively engaged in various committees, including Women in Engineering, Professional Development, Emerging Professionals, Public Health & Safety, Student Affairs, National Engineering Month, Sustainability, and Professional Practice (for further details on the above, see the Director of Professional Sustainment’s Report and the various committee reports).

Digital Communications

Our digital communications efforts have been robust, with significant engagement across various platforms. The Quarterly Report on Digital Communications Statistics highlights the following:

∙ Publications - such as The Engineer and the New P. Eng. Feature have seen substantial impressions and read times.

∙ Engineering Bytes - Our Engineering Bytes newsletter has maintained high open and click rates, demonstrating strong engagement with our content.

∙ The LINKS Program - (The LINKS Program is a Women in Engineering/Networking and Mentorship Committee Program) email campaigns have also performed well, with consistent opens and clicks throughout the year.

∙ INWED Campaign - Our International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) campaign has been a significant highlight this year.

We launched a special publication featuring original photography and interviews with fifteen women from diverse backgrounds who excel in their field or their engineering program. The campaign received positive feedback and engagement from the engineering community, both locally and nationally.

∙ An Engineer’s Journey Collaboration with ISANS - We collaborated with the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) on the “An Engineer’s Journey” project. This initiative featured profiles of internationally educated engineers, highlighting their journeys and contributions to the engineering community in Nova Scotia.

Strategic Communications Plan

The draft Strategic Communications Plan 2024 is currently being reviewed by the Council. The final Plan provides a comprehensive framework for our communications efforts. It establishes organization-wide communication objectives, identifies key audiences, and articulates core messaging. This plan ensures consistency, clarity, and effectiveness in our communications initiatives.

Professional Development and Engagement

Engineers Nova Scotia is committed to supporting the professional development and engagement of our registrants. The Communications team supports these efforts with aesthetically pleasing visuals and messaging.

Key Achievements

This year, we have accomplished several significant milestones:

∙ Transitioned “The Engineer” magazine to a solely digital format, saving over $27,000 annually in printing and postage costs.

∙ Increased online readership and engagement. Our digital communications strategy has led to a 30% increase in online interactions and a 25% rise in event attendance.

∙ Launched a new publication for International Women in Engineering Day, featuring original photography and interviews with fifteen women from diverse backgrounds.

∙ Enhanced our social media presence, particularly on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

∙ Increased partnerships and ad revenue for our Professional Development Conference, National Engineering Month, and Spotlight event, as well as support for virtual sessions, making those offerings available on our YouTube channel.

Brand Management and Recognition

The Communications team has spent considerable efforts creating and implementing a branding program that includes the creation of a Brand Guide, brand implementation, and brand management.

Our internal and external communications are moving towards a recognizable brand standard, which will be carried through to committee and volunteer work. This ensures registrants and the general public are more likely to see them, interact with them, and take action.

Support for CBA and CPD Modernization Initiatives

The Communications team is actively supporting the Competency-Based Assessment Program (CBA) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Modernization initiatives. This includes creating comprehensive communication plans, developing program tools and guidelines, and promoting initial sessions. Our efforts will continue to ensure that registrants and volunteers are well-informed and engaged with these modernization programs.

Information Technology and Cyber Security

The Communications and Information Technology team is instrumental in supporting the organization’s digital transformation. Staff continue to support and facilitate the digital and virtual collaboration of volunteers and partners using Office 365, allowing us to streamline our communication and collaboration process. Our HelpDesk has provided timely support to internal users, ensuring that all systems run smoothly. Additionally, we have made significant strides in enhancing our cyber security measures. We have implemented advanced security protocols to protect our data and systems from potential threats, ensuring the safety and integrity of our information. Furthermore, we have upgraded our hardware by providing new laptops for several of our staff,

NOTES FROM YOUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

Yidan Zhang, Communications Assistant

enhancing their productivity and ensuring they have the latest technology to support their work.

Conclusion

The Communications team has made significant strides in enhancing our digital presence, supporting organizational initiatives, and engaging with our community. The power of synergy has been evident in our achievements, and we look forward to building on these successes in the coming year.

“In the digital landscape of Engineers Nova Scotia, every piece of content serves as a vital link to the engineering community. We share valuable messages and resources that keep our registrants informed and engaged through our social media platforms, the Engineering Bytes email newsletter, and our website. By understanding our members’ unique needs and aspirations, we tailor our communications to support their professional growth and celebrate the diverse backgrounds within our community, ensuring our information is relevant, meaningful, and impactful.”

Aaron Harpell, Graphic Designer

“Whether a registrant is doom-scrolling on the platform formerly known as Twitter, or hope-scrolling on Instagram, now that Engineers Nova Scotia has strong and consistent brand standards, our communication materials are quickly recognized by our audience of professional engineers, EITs and students.”

Marie Adsett-Boudreau, Communications Coordinator

“Every day Nova Scotians are impacted by the work of engineers striving to keep people safe, protect the environment and conducting research for life changing breakthroughs of tomorrow. These are important stories to tell within the engineering community and beyond to gain recognition and credibility as professional engineers. The Communications Team is looking forward to relaunching the Engineering TV Youtube Channel to provide more inspiring and innovative stories about people and projects in Nova Scotia and around the world. Subscribe today and stay tuned!”

Professional Sustainment Update

Heidi McKnight-Whitford, P.Eng. Director, Outreach and Partnerships

Introduction

This year marked a period of growth and achievement for the Professional Sustainment team. We began the year as a team of one, under the title Outreach and Partnerships. We refined the department name to Professional Sustainment, to more accurately depict the work that we do and the impact that our efforts have on the engineering industry. We also expanded to a dedicated team of four with the addition of Pavel Ramirez, Event Coordinator, Emma Forbes, Professional Sustainment Officer, and Evelyn Hnin, Professional Sustainment Assistant. Pavel, Emma, and Evelyn have significantly increased the capacity of the department through hard work and commitment to initiatives that are central to the sustainment of the engineering profession.

Volunteer Management

Our volunteer management program has undergone considerable improvements this year. With the expansion of our team, we were able to formalize a volunteer recognition process, with steady effort concentrated on volunteer recruitment, training, and retention. Volunteers played a crucial role in supporting events and other regulatory initiatives, contributing over 2400 hours of their time. We will continue to develop a robust volunteer management system to better support our registrants and members of the public who are dedicated to supporting us with strategic priorities.

Events

This year, we organized and hosted a variety of events that supported our registrant’s diverse interests and needs. Our annual Spotlight on Local Innovation event was a notable success, attracting over 280 attendees and featuring technical speakers from the engineering industry and academia. We also hosted several smaller social, sporting, and professional development events throughout the year. Our events provided valuable networking opportunities and fostered a sense of community among our registrants.

Professional Development Offerings

Professional development remains at the top of the list of action items for our department. Although we had hoped to roll out a new suite of professional development offerings this year, we are still about 6-12 months out from implementing a new framework. While we work to launch the new framework, registrants can expect to see some Lunch and Learn offerings hit the calendar in January 2025. These Lunch and Learns will cover various topics, including technical topics, regulatory learning, leadership skills, EDIA, and other professional subjects. We did host a couple of online Lunch and Learn offerings this year that were well attended, most particularly a session on Artificial Intelligence that generated over 300 registrations. This outstanding participation reflects our registrants’ commitment to continual learning and growth, which we will aim to support through hosting more sessions that focus on high interest topics.

Student Recognition and Support

We recently launched an update to the support and recognition frameworks of our Student Affairs Committee, for students enrolled in engineering programs at accredited universities

in Nova Scotia. These updates aim to enhance the accessibility of support available to students at Dalhousie’s Associated Universities, ensuring they can access the resources and recognition to thrive in their academic and professional journeys. The updated frameworks are more robust, with increased accountability for both Engineers Nova Scotia, and the students applying for funding, scholarships, and awards. These changes reflect our team’s commitment to fostering excellence and innovation in the field of engineering and preparing the next generation of engineers to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Conclusion

As a result of the dedication and hard work of our expanded team, we have made significant progress on professional sustainment efforts this year.. We have strengthened our volunteer management, expanded our event offerings, and increased accessibility and accountability of our student recognition and support. We will continue to focus on enhancing professional development offerings over the next fiscal year. I am proud of the team’s accomplishments and look forward to building on this momentum in the coming year.

Thank you to all our committees, volunteers, and registrants for your continued dedication to supporting professional sustainment initiatives.

Heidi McKnight-Whitford, P.Eng. Director, Outreach and Partnerships

Volunteers

As a self-regulating professional organization, Engineers Nova Scotia could not operate without the dedicated effort of its volunteers.

Currently over 150 volunteer registrants and others contribute over 2400 hours annually, conducting work on behalf of Engineers Nova Scotia in support of regulation, professional sustainment, and professional affairs. We thank each and every one of you for your work over the past year. Volunteer names are noted below, we apologize if any volunteer names have been missed.

Ashraf T. Abdelrahman, P.Eng.

Rebecca M. A. Acker, EIT

Zulfiqar Ali, P.Eng.

Browren J. Allard, P.Eng.

Jennifer N. Almon, P.Eng.

Paul R. Amyotte, P.Eng.

Craig W. Arthur, P.Eng.

Muhammad Usman Asad, P.Eng.

Alain Asafor Asafor Chi, P.Eng.

Michael O. Barton, P.Eng.

Leslie A. Bateman, P.Eng.

Georgeta Bauer, P.Eng.

Genanne Beck, P.Eng.

James O. Beck, P.Eng.

Anne-Marie H. Belliveau, P.Eng.

Kevin K. Bezanson, P.Eng.

John T. Blake, P.Eng.

Christine L. Bonnell-Eisnor, P.Eng.

Christian Boudreau, P.Eng.

Janna M. Boutilier, P.Eng.

Ceilidh A. M. Bray, P.Eng.

James L. Brown, P.Eng.

Kayleigh H. Brown, P.Eng.

D. Oliver Browning, P.Eng.

Sylvia L. Bryson, P.Eng.

Paul V. Burgess, P.Eng.

Aven T. Cole, P.Eng.

Pemberton Cyrus, P.Eng.

Harry A. Daemen, P.Eng.

Amy Darrach, EIT

Christopher E. Davis, P.Eng.

Alexander J. de Sousa, P.Eng.

Amy Deeb, P.Eng.

Mark A. Dellapinna, P.Eng.

Kaluwa D. Dharmawansa, P.Eng.

Kulvinder S. Dhillon, P.Eng.

Rosalind C. Dickinson, P.Eng.

Colin F.L. Dickson, P.Eng.

Adam A. Donaldson, P.Eng.

Patricia L. Duncan, P.Eng.

John D. Eisnor, P.Eng.

Hana Elnaggar, Student

Edward A. Farquhar, P.Eng.

Jade C. E. Farr, EIT

Christopher L. Feetham, P.Eng.

James Fletcher, P.Eng.

Blair F. Forbrigger, P.Eng.

Jordan R. Foster, P.Eng.

Dennis A. Fowler, P.Eng.

Emma L. H. Fudge, P.Eng.

Matthew A. Glynn, P.Eng.

George T. Goad, P.Eng.

Richard M. Grant, P.Eng.

Kelsey D. F. Green, P.Eng.

Giselle Hage, P.Eng.

Selvana Hagh Gooei, P.Eng.

Sarah E. Hall, Student

James E. Hannam, P.Eng.

Christopher J. Henningsen, P.Eng.

Jeffrey P. Heyman, P.Eng.

Ronald A. Hiltz, P.Eng.

Audrey E. Hiscock, EIT

Audrey E. Hiscock, EIT

Rob C. Jamieson, P.Eng.

Clifton J. Johnston, P.Eng.

Tapan A. Katwala, P.Eng.

Jeffrey R. Knapp, P.Eng.

Craig B. Lake, P.Eng.

Kayleigh M. Landers, EIT

Kent D. Lane, P.Eng.

Helen M. Langille, P.Eng.

Hannah G. H. LeBlanc, P.Eng.

Linda M. Lefler, P.Eng.

J. Conrad LeLievre, P.Eng.

Marius J. Lengkeek, P.Eng.

Mary Margaret Letman, P.Eng.

Payton G. Lockhart, EIT

M. Daniel MacDonald, P.Eng.

Robert Joseph MacDonald, P.Eng.

Michael R. MacDonald, P.Eng.

Alexandra M. R. MacDonald, EIT

Luke A. MacDonald, P.Eng.

Alexandra M. R. MacDonald, EIT

Brittany A. MacDonald-MacAulay, P.Eng.

Allison L Mackie, P.Eng.

Edwin J. MacLellan, P.Eng.

Leon D. MacLellan, P.Eng.

Stephan L. MacLellan, P.Eng.

Alana C. MacLellan-Bonnell, P.Eng.

Katherine M. MacLeod, P.Eng.

Jillian D. MacMillan, P.Eng.

James D. MacQueen, P.Eng.

Amit K. Malik, P.Eng.

Stephen W. March, P.Eng.

Ronald G. Marks, P.Eng.

Darrell B. Marsh, P.Eng.

Darrin F. McLean, P.Eng.

Debra L. McLellan, P.Eng.

Teo Milos, Student

Christopher I. Moffitt, P.Eng.

Lawrence M. Murphy, P.Eng.

Peter M. Murray, P.Eng.

Martha L. Myers, P.Eng.

Amir Nafez, P.Eng.

Huu Nghia Nguyen, P.Eng.

Zachary L. B. Norris, EIT

Brianna M. O’Malley, EIT

Darcy A. Fuller, P.Eng.

Eva L. Parada, P.Eng.

Krista E. Phillips, P.Eng.

Andrew J. Polegato, P.Eng.

Amy H. Price, P.Eng.

Jennie L. Rand, P.Eng.

Skylar Riggan, EIT

Colleen C. Rodgerson, P.Eng.

Patricia T. Roe, P.Eng.

R. Larry Rosborough, P.Eng.

Donald V. Ross, P.Eng.

Makayla D. Rozsa-Grover, P.Eng.

Leslie T. Russell, P.Eng.

Camelia Salem, P.Eng.

Holly N. Sampson, P.Eng.

Julia M Sarty, EIT

Fatou Secka, P.Eng.

Mae L. Seto, P.Eng.

Christopher R.P. Shortall, P.Eng.

H. James Simmons, P.Eng.

Thomas O. Simmons, EIT

Hamed Soleimani Motlagh, P.Eng.

Ian M. Squires, P.Eng.

Amina K. Stoddart, P.Eng.

Lisa D. Stout, P.Eng.

Nancy S. Sutherland, P.Eng.

Crystal L. Sutton, P.Eng.

Martin S. Tango, P.Eng.

Andrew H. Thalheimer, P.Eng.

Darrell D. Thompson, P.Eng.

Vivek S. Tomar, P.Eng.

Brian R. Travis, P.Eng.

Denise M. Trim, P.Eng.

Nigel Dilan Watson, P.Eng.

Alanna K. West, P.Eng.

Laura E. C. White, P.Eng.

Christopher S. Zinck, P.Eng.

Philip A. Zinck, P.Eng.

Committee Reports

Board of Examiners

Blair Forbrigger, P.Eng. Chair, Board of Examiners, Shanice Bryce, Director of Registration

Board Policy Issues

In addition to the Board’s normal workload which includes assessing academic and experience qualifications of internationally educated applicants, assessing the experience of Engineers-in-Training (EITs) without an assigned mentor, and assessing Post Grad Degree experience of EITs, the Board has held policy meetings to address the following issues:

∙ Submission of experience records without supervisor signatures

∙ Recruitment of new BOE members

∙ Exam misconduct

∙ Waiving confirmatory exams policy

∙ Internal review and re-assessment procedures

∙ Pre and Post-Grad degree experience policy

∙ Technical exam policy

∙ Assessment of complementary studies

Following is a list of topics provided to the Board for information and comment to assist regulation:

∙ Draft general direction for an Engineers Canada paper on emerging disciplines

∙ Draft Regulators Guideline on fitness to practice

∙ Draft revised Guideline on good character (to include principles for character investigations)

∙ Research Paper on Machine Learning and Data Science –Draft General Direction

∙ Revised 2007 Building engineering syllabus

Revised Guideline on assuming responsibility for the work of engineers-in-training

∙ Revised Petroleum engineering syllabus

Welcome to new P.Eng. Board Members: Michelle Adams (Chemical), Maen Artimy (Electrical/Computer), Keith Boddy (Civil), Ben Breen (Mechanical), Dean Forgeron (Civil), Neil Fraser (Mechanical), Tapan Katwala (Electrical), Eileen McEwan (Civil), Erin McMenemy (Materials), James McQueen (Electrical), and Mary Anne Tanner (Mechanical).

Board of Examiners Activity

Stats from August 2023 to August 2024:

Board Academic Assessments Completed 115

Board Academic Assessments Pending 33

Board Experience Reviews Completed 54

Board Experience Reviews Pending 13

Assessments by the Board of Examiners increased by 12.7% and experience reviews increased by 20%. The volume of internationally educated applicants and the increasing complexity of their files significantly impacts the workload for staff and the Board of Examiners.

Technical Exams

There were 14 technical exam candidates who wrote 29 technical exams in the last year with a success rate of 65.5%.

The National Technical Exams are held online by virtual proctor. The cost of an exam is $485. Applicants that are assigned confirmatory exams have the option to take the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Online Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE) in lieu of confirmatory exams. Four of the nine candidates who wrote the FE in the last year were successful.

437

Registration Activity

August 2023 to August 2024 Limited

Engineer-in-Training Registrations

2 662

Full Registrant Registrations

247 36

Retired Non-Practicing Registrations

Life Registrant Registrations

Registrant Growth

Gender percentages of Nova Scotia Engineers as of August 31, 2024

Honours & Awards Committee

Following the inaugural Celebration of Engineering in Nova Scotia Dinner in October 2023 (and the 2023 ABM), the Honours and Awards Committee (the Committee) worked hard this past year to continue to foster pride in, and raise the profile of, the engineering profession in Nova Scotia. Mandated (by Council) to recognize excellence in engineering and support to the engineering community and the public, the Committee:

∙ Helped organize and prepare the presentation of the 2024 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering to Dillon Consulting Engineering in partnership with Saint Mary’s University, for the Loyola Student Residence Recladding Project.

The Committee’s Vice Chair, Georgeta Bauer, served on the three-person evaluation committee, vetting the many worthy nominations. The award was presented by the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, KC, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, during a closed ceremony held at Government House on May 15, 2024.

Andrew Thalheimer, P.Eng.

∙ Solicited and vetted nominations for awards related to the practice of engineering, and other service awards, as noted below. Award recipient recommendations were provided to Council for endorsement. The 2024 Award recipients, being recognized at the Celebration of Engineering in Nova Scotia Dinner on October 24, 2024, at Pier 21, Halifax, NS are:

º F.H. Sexton Gold Medal Award: Aubrey Palmeter, P.Eng.

º Engineering Award: Ahmad Rana, P.Eng.

º L.A. White Young Engineer Award: Shaun Dieltgens, P.Eng

º S.L. Devereaux Award for the Advancement of Women in Engineering: Jennifer Almon, P.Eng.

º J.D. Fraser Service Award: Denise Trim, FEC, P.Eng.

º Citizenship Award: Denis Morris, P.Eng. and Steve Eisan, P.Eng.

∙ Conducted administrative affairs of the Committee to advance the Committee’s transparency, objectivity, and effectiveness.

∙ Began to vet external awards (e.g., Engineers Canada and Discover Center) to understand how the Committee can support Engineers Nova Scotia registrant nominations.

The Committee continues to encourage all registrants, their colleagues, and members of the public to raise attention to the amazing work engineers are doing to improve the lives and welfare of Nova Scotians and protect the province’s beautiful environment.

Nominations for the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering are due January 31, 2025, and Nominations for the various Engineers Nova Scotia awards are due May 31, 2025. Independent of these award cycles, please reach out to the Engineers Nova Scotia Communications team or Committee members with news of recognition worthy engineering projects.Thank you for promoting and raising the profile of our profession!

Continuing Professional Development

John Eisnor, P.Eng.

The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee is a CEO Advisory Committee which assists, reviews, and oversees the association’s CPD program, policies, and guidelines. The Committee is responsible for keeping CPD program requirements current, with guidance from Engineers Canada and from best practices of other provincial engineering association programs across the country.

To modernize Engineers Nova Scotia’s CPD program, and better align it with those of its sibling regulators, the four Atlantic Canadian regulators of engineering agreed to conform to common requirements for their CPD programs. A harmonized CPD requirements document, outlining the common CPD program requirements was developed, and reviewed by the Atlantic regulatory CEO’s, association staff and the CPD Committee. Council reviewed and approved the draft Guidelines and provided direction for moving forward with plans for implementation.

Engagement sessions were held across the province and virtually over the summer, with over 350 registrants having attended. Sessions included an overview of the modernized program, including:

∙ Removal of Professional Practice hours (50 Professional Development Hour (PDH)/year)

∙ Reduction in overall PDHs (from 80 PDH/year to 30 PDH/year)

∙ Removal of complicated PDH conversions (i.e., one hour of CPD is equal to 1 PDH for all categories)

∙ Mandatory Learning Categories, for Ethical Practice (2 PDHs/year) and Regulatory Learning (1 PDH/ year), with web-based content being developed to support these areas.

∙ New focused Learning Categories for Technical Learning and Communication and Leadership, as opposed to the previous categories which were more focused on ways CPD was gained.

∙ Mandatory reporting and auditing of CPD activities

∙ Recognition of the CPD activities reported to Engineers Nova Scotia by multiple jurisdictions in Canada

The CPD Committee will be active in the upcoming year, developing program support activities, including:

∙ Updating the CPD Guidelines for final approval by Council.

∙ Developing audit and reporting policies and processes.

∙ Implementing reporting system change requirements.

∙ Rolling out a shared Atlantic Learning Management System (LMS).

∙ Reviewing CPD content for availability through the new LMS.

∙ Developing additional CPD program support content to assist registrants with understanding new CPD program requirements and processes.

Staff will continue working with the CPD Committee to develop, review, validate and deliver CPD program supports prior to the implementation of the modernized CPD program, targeted for January 1, 2025, with reporting due at the end of 2025.

Emerging Professionals

Matthew Glynn, P.Eng.

The Emerging Professionals (EP) Committee has continued to foster an inclusive environment for new and emerging professionals over the last year. The EP Committee rose to the occasion to offer the greatest number of events we have ever hosted in a single year! This speaks to the commitment, involvement, and diverse interests of a variety of Engineers Nova Scotia volunteers. Each of them has been working hard behind the scenes to make these events happen.

This year we provided various opportunities for volunteering, professional development, and networking. Committee members also gathered to prepare lunches for the ‘Out of the Cold’ organization.

We were glad to see smiling faces in person at some of our sport and social events, such as different events at R-Studios and our annual skating party at the Emera Oval.

This year we hosted some firsts at new locations, including a wine tour in the valley, Propellor Arcade visit, paddleboarding at Long Lake, and a surf trip to Lawrencetown. Another exciting new networking event we hosted was getting new Engineers and Architects together. We have been happy to bring back some old favourites like Mooseheads and Wanderers sporting events.

EP committee members continued to support the annual Golf Scramble and ABM. These events are always well attended, and we were glad to see registrants in high spirits again this year. As always, we are extremely grateful for the registrants who participated in our events and supported us by encouraging co-workers to join them. The EP Committee would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Engineers Nova Scotia staff, who make our event dreams a reality!

Finance and Audit Committee Reports

The Finance and Audit Committee met monthly throughout the 20232024 fiscal year. At each meeting, the Committee reviewed investments, cheques issued by Engineers Nova Scotia, and monthly financial statements as prepared by Engineers Nova Scotia staff. A summary was issued to and reviewed by Council at each of their regular meetings. The Committee also met on two occasions with our auditors - Grant Thornton - to review their work plan and the audit results.

The 2024-2025 budget was prepared by staff based on historical and projected requirements for the next operating year and considering any lingering special circumstances created by the COVID pandemic. Engineers Nova Scotia operated, this year, with normal and other revenues of over $2.7 Million, expenses of approximately $2.7 Million, other income of approximately $372K, and a surplus of $355,325 for the year. This compares favourably to a surplus of $9,878 that had been projected in the original 2024 budget.

Membership growth and associated revenues remained very positive, and expenses were well managed by Engineers Nova Scotia staff. Current projections from staff indicate that the association’s finances will remain positive over the next few years and that we will be able to continue to build on these initiatives.

Long and short-term fixed income and equity investments have historically continued to provide decent returns, and we have benefited from

Jeff Knapp, FEC, P.Eng.

the recent spike in interest rates, providing over $181,000 in income in 2023-2024. Our equity investments also continue to provide good returns, providing a 54.7% gain in market to book value, including dividends, since inception in 2015 on total deposits of $422,803. Overall, as of July 31, 2024, our total investment portfolio saw a small unrealized loss of $14,004.

As part of the overall governance review work being completed in 2023-24, the Committee reviewed the status of our investment reserves against our current Financial Policy and worked with staff to review and adjust financial reserves, as appropriate. The Committee will also continue to provide feedback on other specific policies, as appropriate (e.g., Capital Expenditures, Restricted Asset Funds, Investment Policy, Cash Management, Spending Limits, etc.) in the coming months.

In 2023-2024, the Committee worked closely with Grant Thornton, our auditors, to hold two in-camera meetings – one during the lead up to the audit, and one after the completion of the audit – to ensure unbiased oversight, feedback, and review and endorsement of the annual financial statements by the Committee. The 2023-2024 financial statements have been reviewed and endorsed by the Committee, with additional direction for staff to create a policy around restricted asset funds, project plans for each fund, and a regular reporting process for each fund.

In addition to our normal duties, the Committee has also continued to closely monitor progress on the recommended changes made in 2019-2020 by the Committee around financial controls and reporting, various changes to financial governance policies, the Committee’s Terms of Reference, and improving financial transparency. The Committee, Council and staff are committed to further progressing and implementing all the Committee’s earlier recommendations in the years ahead.

The finances of your association continue to be very well managed by Engineers Nova Scotia staff. Our Treasurer, Kris Dove, and our Senior Accountant, Grace Castillo, have and will ensure that the best interests of Engineers Nova Scotia and its membership have been looked after in all financial matters. The Committee thanks Kris, Grace and our CEO Pal Mann for their dedication in providing the information which we needed to perform our function and deliver on the duties outlined in the Terms of Reference for the Committee.

Finally, I would like to sincerely thank all the members of the Committee. Their hard work, devotion to transparency and the betterment of the association has enabled us to fulfill our mandate once again on behalf of the membership of Engineers Nova Scotia. Your dedication and service to the Association is very much appreciated.

National Engineering Month

Darrell Marsh, P.Eng.

March is National Engineering Month (NEM), a month to promote and celebrate engineering, as well highlight activities designed for outreach to students, the public and Engineers Nova Scotia registrants. This year’s theme was, “There’s a Place For You in Engineering”.

The NEM Committee consists of volunteers and Engineers Nova Scotia staff who met, from October to April, this year to plan, promote, organize and run events to celebrate engineering.

This year our dedicated team of Engineers Nova Scotia staff and volunteers, with assistance from the National Outreach group supported by regulators across the country, with other Engineers Nova Scotia committees provided outstanding experiences for outreach and professional development. Thank you to the Engineers Nova Scotia staff, the NEM, Emerging Professionals and Women in Engineering Committees for filling the calendar with inspiring and educational events, especially during another challenging year.

Events for Registrants:

∙ Spotlight on Local Innovation; a signature event from the Women in Engineering Committee, highlighting interesting projects and research led by engineers in Nova Scotia.

∙ Virtual Town Hall Meetings: Engineers Nova Scotia President Dr. Adam Donaldson FEC, P.Eng.

and CEO and Registrar, D.S. (Pal) Mann, CD, FCSSE, P.Eng. held two sessions, where approximately 40 members had the opportunity to learn about the regulatory structure of Engineers Nova Scotia and ask questions.

∙ Curling Event – 7th Annual Curling Bonspiel where 8 teams competed in friendly competition.

∙ Trivia Night at the T-Room; presented by the NEM Committee.Trivia was hosted by our very own Stan Selig, P.Eng. & Ben Schulman, P.Eng. The trivia questions were pop-culture and general knowledge-based, with an engineering slant.

∙ Webinar: “3 Things Every Engineer Should Know About AI,” Presented by Robert Newcombe, P.Eng., Newcombe Consulting.

∙ Sweat and Sip Pilates Class, hosted by the Emerging Professionals Committee

Events for Students:

∙ Student / Professional events held at various universities in Nova Scotia.

∙ Dalhousie Faculty of Engineering and Associated University Open Houses, Sexton Campus was also held in March

∙ P-12 NEM opportunities were made available through the website “Explore Engineering” (www.exploreengineering.ca)

Events For the public

∙ The National Engineering Month Public Engineering Day returned

to the Halifax Central Library; it was a great success. There were interactive STEM based display tables, a paper tower competition and a science carnival atmosphere. There were an estimated 300 attendees for the event.

National Engineering Month is a time to celebrate engineering and look to the future via outreach and encourage students in STEM. Our success depends not only on Engineers Nova Scotia and the volunteers on this and other committees, but on the support of the registrants. I encourage you to reach out to your communities, share your knowledge and experiences with others to help grow the profession in Nova Scotia.

On behalf of the National Engineering Month Committee, I want to thank those who helped with the events and outreach this year; whether it was through sponsorship, volunteering for committees and participating in outreach events, thank you. I’m looking forward to National Engineering Month 2025 where, with the help of our volunteers and Engineers Nova Scotia staff, we will find greater opportunities for outreach and participation.

The NEM Committee is also looking for more volunteers, please consider reaching out to us, we’d love to have you remember, “There’s a place for you in Engineering!”

Professional Practice Committee Reports

Browren Allard, P.Eng.

The Professional Practice Committee acts as a resource to members and external groups in areas of engineering practice. This includes assisting the Chief Operating Officer in identifying possible contraventions to the Engineering Profession Act by non-members, provide advice and/or recommendations for achieving suitable resolutions to any possible contraventions, assisting Engineers Nova Scotia with developing and maintaining relevant engineering practice guidelines, and assisting Engineers Nova Scotia in providing feedback to Engineers Canada on developing and maintaining relevant research and guidelines for professional practice in Canada.

Eight meetings were held throughout the year and the Committee reviewed several issues. The major undertaking for the Committee in 20232024 was to continue the work on updates to ‘Guideline for Use of the Professional Stamp’ and ‘Professional Practice Guidelines.’ The ‘Professional

Practice Guidelines’ have not been updated since 2021 and the ‘Guideline for Use of the Professional Stamp’ had not been reviewed and updated since 2019. Both documents are utilized regularly by Engineers Nova Scotia members and members of the public. Revisions to these documents are still in progress and will be circulated for member consultation once they are completed.

The Committee reviewed a number of different guidelines published by other engineering regulators within Canada to determine whether they would be appropriate for adaptation in the future. Two topics were identified for possible adaptation, ‘Temporary Works for Construction Projects’ and ‘Expert Witness Guideline.’ It is anticipated that the work to adapt these guidelines will commence in 2025, once the work to update ‘Guideline for Use of the Professional Stamp’ and ‘Professional Practice Guidelines’ is complete.

Finally, the Committee reviewed and provided feedback on a significant number of draft documents and legislative issues. From Engineers Canada, the Committee reviewed and provided feedback on a draft general direction document on ‘Research Paper on Machine Learning and Data,’ revisions to the ‘Guideline on Good Character,’ the draft regulators guideline on ‘Fitness to Practice,’ the revised ‘Public Guideline on Assuming Professional Responsibility for the Work of Engineers-in-Training,’ the draft guideline on ‘Duty to Report,’ and the draft general direction document on ‘Guideline on Emerging Disciplines.’ The Committee also provided feedback on ‘Considerations for Flexible Work Arrangements’ document published by Engineers & Geoscientists Manitoba.

The Public Safety Committee (not to be confused with a joint occupational health and safety committee) is a standing committee that reports to the CEO to provide advice on public safety issues as they relate to the practice of engineering and, broadly, to the work completed by members in Nova Scotia.

The Committee generally meets four times per year. Our membership has a wide range of experience from consulting and university environments to industrial settings and all levels of government.

The safety page on the Engineers Nova Scotia website continues to evolve. Please check back regularly for new resources and tools. Members are also encouraged to submit to the committee any health and safety topics for which clarity is needed or support is otherwise requested.

Public Safety

James Beck, P.Eng.

The Committee continues to enjoy a laudable relationship with the Safety Branch of the provincial government. This allows for two-way communication and collaboration which yields a mutual benefit.

Topics of discussion this year included the following:

∙ Trench Cage Guidelines

∙ Road Plate Practice Advisory

∙ Workers’ Compensation system

∙ Harassment in the workplace

∙ Traffic Safety Act

∙ Court case pertaining to the drowning of an EIT at Marshall Falls in 2020.

It seems prudent to close with a reminder of our first canon in the Code of Ethics: “Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public, and the protection of the environment, and promote health and safety in the workplace.”

Student Affairs Committee Reports

Christine Bonnell-Eisnor, FEC, P. Eng.

The Engineers Nova Scotia Student Affairs Committee’s (SAC) core function is to promote the engineering profession and Engineers Nova Scotia to students at all levels.The SAC continues to meet this mandate by raising the awareness level of the engineering profession to students throughout the province.

The SAC has one sub-committee, Youth Engagement (YE).Their important work helps the SAC further achieve their mandate. YE is comprised of a strategy team and a general team. The strategy team is the leading team, coming up with new initiatives and organizing them. The general team supports these initiatives and provides feedback on upcoming events. YE has supported several initiatives including GoEngGirl and the Engineering Open House at the Halifax Public Library during National Engineering Month.

At each monthly meeting, the SAC reviews funding requests from students attending events, competitions and conferences, and from nonprofit organizations who focus on engineering associated activities and information for students.This year the SAC approved funding requests totaling over $9,000.This funding helped over 15,000 students from the elementary to university levels.

This past year the SAC was very pleased to support student related activities and events such as SuperNova, Dalhousie’s Microtransat Autonomous Sailboat Team, Associated Universities’ orientation events, student attendance at the Atlantic Engineering Competition and the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineering (IISE) Outstanding Capstone Competition, ENGage in ENGineering, Nova Scotia Institute of Science, and Atlantic Science Links Association.

All Associated Universities (AU) are invited to have representatives on the SAC. Acadia University, Saint Mary’s University and St. Francis Xavier University had representatives participate on the SAC this past year. These representatives provide valued support to the SAC and I thank them for their continued involvement this past year.

One of the best parts of the SAC’s role is awarding student awards and scholarships every year. It is an important responsibility of the SAC to administer the Engineers Nova Scotia Student Awards and Scholarships, which are detailed on the Engineers Nova Scotia website.

Engineers Nova Scotia, through the SAC, awarded over $26,000 in scholarships and awards. The following is a summary of the Engineers Nova Scotia Student Awards and Scholarships

awarded during the 2023-2024 academic year:

Engineers Nova Scotia Entrance Scholarships and Awards

Acadia University

Jack MacLeod

Quade Shand

Allia Raine Pillarina

Eliza Stokesbury-Price

Cape Breton University

Colby Aucoin

Brett MacKenzie

Morrison Thomas

Thai Thi Lam Thao (Iris)

Dalhousie University

Carly Atherton

Matthew Isshac

Meaghan Charko

Hailey Silver

Dalhousie University, Agricultural Campus

Erin Black

Rachel Hawkes

St. Francis Xavier University

Griffin Gamble

Owen Jean

Amy MacDonald

Bria Raduy

Engineers Nova Scotia Associated University Scholarships

Acadia University

Peize Zhang

Cape Breton University

Maria Morrison

Dalhousie University

Jessie Davidson

Dalhousie University, Agricultural Campus

Eytan Mendel-Elias

St. Francis Xavier University

Lyza Ells

Engineers Nova Scotia

Associated University Awards

Acadia University

Owen Urquhart

Cape Breton University

Carter McNeil

Dalhousie University

Paige Chahley

Dalhousie University, Agricultural Campus

Simon Allen

St. Francis Xavier University

Breagh Dunn

Engineers Nova Scotia Convocation Award

Civil Engineering

Chi Phung

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Brian Peters

Environmental Engineering Vinaykrishan Dansinghani

Industrial Engineering

Amelia Lane

Mechanical Engineering

Avery Opalka

Marc Garneau, Ph.D., P.Eng. Scholarship

Isabelle Jollymore, graduated May 2024

Marc Garneau, Ph.D., P.Eng. Award

Sarah Hall, graduated May 2024

Winners of 2023 Children of Engineers Nova Scotia Registrants Scholarships (selected September 2023)

Acadia University

Elian Jordan

Luke Ramsden

Ian Eisnor

Dalhousie University

Malik Arsenault Battikh

Beth Hailstone

Drew Newhook

Dalhousie University, Agricultural Campus

Robert Holmes

Saint Mary’s University

Peyton Henneberry Xepher Avis

William Boddy

University of Calgary

Carter Toole

University of New Brunswick

Bella Teed

Adam Bateman

Volunteers are essential to making sure the SAC events happen and that students are engaged and informed. The SAC is always looking for volunteers to join the Committee, to speak to student groups and schools, to judge science fairs and to participate in other student-related events. If you are interested in taking part, please contact volunteer@ engineersnovascotia.ca

Our mandate is achieved by the hard work of the committee members and their support and engagement is appreciated. A special thank you for the valuable contributions from Engineers Nova Scotia staff, especially Heidi McKnight-Whitford, P.Eng.

I have been the Chair of the Student Affairs Committee since 2004 and a member since 2000. I have decided to step down as Chair to allow others to lead this great Committee. I have enjoyed my time as Chair and am proud of the work this Committee has completed to enrich the lives of engineering students and educate students about a career in engineering. I want to thank the great members on the Student Affairs Committee and the support from Engineers Nova Scotia staff.

The Sustainability Committee is a CEO Advisory Committee.

We met 9 times this past year to discuss key issues related to energy and the environment. As a committee, we strive to be conscientious and practical in developing our understanding of key issues related to sustainability in order to:

∙ Assist Council and staff in providing input on regulatory or policy developments and

∙ Allow us to increase member and public awareness of significant and emerging topics

This year, our key areas of focus included:

∙ Offshore wind development

∙ Green hydrogen industry

∙ Coastal Protection Act and municipal coast protection plans

∙ Evolving grid needs, including inertia, short circuit contribution and energy storage

Sustainability

Laurie Murphy, P.Eng.

∙ The potential role of natural gas generators and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in our future grid

∙ Green building design

∙ Climate change adaptation

∙ Tidal industry challenges

Sustainability Committee chair, Laurie Murphy, submitted an article for The Engineer – “Planning for increasing renewable generation and declining system inertia” that was published in the 2024 Project Issue.

The Sustainability Committee regularly updates the committee webpage (engineersnovascotia.ca/ professional-practice/sustain/) to provide members with easy access to past articles published by committee members, links to information related to guest speaker sessions, and links to relevant industry and media articles.

In the next year, the Sustainability Committee expects to continue to focus on issues related to:

∙ Implementation of coastal protection plans

∙ Climate resilient design, maintenance, and upgrades for Nova Scotia infrastructure, such as the Chignecto Isthmus

∙ Deployment of new renewable energy, battery storage and transmission line projects in Nova Scotia

∙ Planning and design related to new fast acting natural gas generation and fuel conversion of existing coal generating plants

We are interested in welcoming enthusiastic new members from all backgrounds to the Sustainability Committee. If you are interested in joining the Sustainability Committee, send an email to volunteer@engineersnovascotia.ca.

Women in Engineering Committee Reports

Helen Langille, P.Eng.

The Engineers Nova Scotia Women in Engineering (WiE) Committee is an advisory committee to the Engineers Nova Scotia CEO and Registrar, Pal Mann. Our mandate is to support the CEO and Engineers Nova Scotia Staff to create the conditions and culture needed to foster an engineering profession that is reflective of the communities it serves, and an engineering profession that respects, values, and supports professional engineers, engineersin-training, and engineering students who are women and minority genders.

The WiE committee works to advance working conditions and cultures that support the increased participation, advancement, and retention of women engineers by championing policies, programs, and workplaces where our colleagues, coworkers, clients, and the public are treated equitably and justly, and where their experience, their contributions, and their perspectives are valued, recognized, welcomed, and acted on.

Our mandate, as WiE members, is to support Engineers Nova Scotia in realizing their vision of being an accessible, progressive, and trusted regulator of the engineering profession, for all professional engineers, engineers-in-training, and engineering students by assisting and advising their works and programming in

accessibility, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Our committee structure consists of an Executive Committee, the WiE main Committee, two standing sub-committees and an event subcommittee, as well as partnerships and shared membership with other Engineers Nova Scotia committees and external organizations with shared goals where opportunities arise.

The Improving Working Conditions (IWC) Standing Subcommittee members work to make engineering workplaces better places for women engineers, engineers-in-training, and engineering students through directed research, development and dissemination of best practices for workplace policies and programs, supporting recognition and awards initiatives, and creating opportunities for professional development and skills training. Ongoing IWC initiatives include salary equity and equality, awareness and action toward addressing unconscious bias, managing career transitions, navigating challenging situations, leave and benefits, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the recurring “Positive Pause” articles in The Engineer

The Networking & Mentorship (N&M) Standing Subcommittee works to create opportunities for Engineers Nova Scotia members to

create, expand, and maintain their personal and professional networks, and to realize the power of, and the amazing relationships that can be fostered through mentorship. N&M members are currently managing the third year of the LINKS (Learning through Interacting, Networking, and Knowledge Sharing) peer mentorship program, and are busy laying the foundation for the next year of the program. The N&M membership are doing fantastic work creating new networking opportunities including a brand-new “fun books only” book club, fitness classes, hiking meetups, and developing and generating innovative and interesting resources for LINKS participants.

This year’s Spotlight on Local Innovation dinner was another fantastic evening. We heard from Tiannie Paul, EIT about how her Wabanaki world view led her to pursue a degree in western engineering, to her groundbreaking work with the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, and to her continued academic works. Tiannie encouraged us to see our work through the principle of Etuaptmumk (“two-eyed seeing”) - founded in both indigenous knowledge and western science – to bring us all into a practice of increased mindfulness and to recognize how essential true engagement and transparency are when engineers work with First Nations communities.

Debra McLellan, P.Eng., and Elizabeth Dionne. P.Eng. brought us into their work on the Grid-Scale Battery Pilot Project at Nova Scotia Power. When completed, the Battery Pilot Project will be the largest battery storage project constructed in Atlantic Canada to date.

Dawne Skinner, P.Eng. wrapped up the evening’s speakers showcasing her work as Chief Innovation Officer at Acuicy. Acuicy is a startup software development company focused on decarbonizing supply chains with data-driven and tailored recommendations to support businesses in achieving their net-zero goals.

As I write this report, WiE committee and subcommittee volunteers are busy writing (by hand, no less!) personal notes to all women first-year engineering students at the Associated Universities across Nova Scotia, to offer support and encouragement through a difficult academic program, and to welcome them into the broader community of women engineers.

Through the work of the Women in Engineering team, it is our hope and our goal that all Engineers Nova Scotia members experience success and fulfillment in a fair, equitable and respectful work environment, where their experience, expertise, and ambitions are recognized, where they are compensated equitably, and where they are able to take pride in the work that they do and the lives they impact for the better.

I would like to personally recognize all our members and volunteers for your time, knowledge, and dedication. A massive thank you as well to my fellow WiE Executive members Selvana Hagh Gooei, Hannah LeBlanc, and Jennie Rand for your creativity, understanding and support, and your listening ears.

As ever, our work would be near impossible without Engineers Nova Scotia staff, especially Heidi, Christine, Pavel, and Pal – thank you for reminding us of our goals and of their value to the membership, and for supporting us in achieving them.

I would like to end this report with a call to action for all Engineers Nova Scotia members to work together with us. Making our profession a better place for everyone in it is the shared responsibility of us all.

Zone Reports

Cumberland Zone Reports

Andrew Polegato, FEC, P.Eng.

There was a zone meeting/session held on October 10, 2023, which included a presentation on the replacement of the Rainbow Bridge (renamed Roger Bacon Bridge) on Highway 2 in Cumberland County. This is the largest three lane wooden bridge in Canada. Dan Tingley, PhD, P,Eng., of Wood Research and Development lead the presentation on timber bridge structures at the Community Credit Union Business Innovation Centre in Amherst.

There was a lunch and learn session regarding professional practice & the CPD Program update presented by Kris Dove, FEC, MBA, P.Eng., Chief Operating Officer & Treasurer. This was held on July 18, 2024, at the Community Credit Union Business Innovation Centre in Amherst.

Zone members are encouraged to follow and take part in Engineers Nova Scotia’s Lunch and Learn sessions for professional development.

Kings-Annapolis

Conrad LeLièvre, FEC, P.Eng.

In 2024, the Kings-Annapolis Zone returned to a more moderate level of activity. The zone representative delivered two Hazard Assessment presentations to the engineering students at Dalhousie University’s Sexton Campus; one in October of 2023 and the second in late January 2024. This presentation has been given for the last 5-6 years as part of the Engineering & Society course, and is associated with the profession’s mentoring of future engineers..

In addition to those presentations, the zone representative also delivered a pep-talk to the first-year engineering students at Dalhousie University in November of 2023. It is a presentation entitled, “Things I Wish I Knew in First Year Engineering,” and is designed to motivate the students to stay in engineering.

The zone representative attended the Acadia University Student Engineering banquet in early March. This is always an excellent chance to interact with the students.

The zone representative once again participated as a judge at the Annapolis Valley Regional Science Fair, held in Windsor in early April. The Engineers Nova Scotia prize was awarded to Emerson Boersma of New Minas Elementary School, for his project, “Can I Make a Bridge Out of Popsicle Sticks That Can Support a Person’s Weight?” The prize included a $100 cheque and an engraved plaque.

In late May, the Kings-Annapolis Zone held a networking gathering at Domain du Grand Pré Winery. President Adam Donaldson also attended this function together with the zone representative. Local engineers enjoyed the fine weather and the chance to meet other engineers while tasting locally produced wines.

Engineers Nova Scotia Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer, Kris Dove delivered a CPD update on June 28th at the Maritime Cidery in Kentville. A total of 14 members attended this presentation and all appreciated the information provided.

2023 Minutes

2023 Annual Business Meeting Minutes

Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia (Engineers Nova Scotia)

2023 ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

October 25, 2023

The 2023 Annual Business Meeting was a hybrid event, with in-person attendees and a virtual broadcast via Zoom, from Kenneth C. Rowe Hall at Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia on October 25, 2023.

1.0 CALL TO ORDER

Engineers Nova Scotia President and Chair, Denise Pothier, P.Eng., called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm. Denise acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq.

Following the land acknowledgement, the CEO, Pal Mann, P.Eng., provided details and instructions regarding the conduct of the hybrid business meeting.

Pal noted that all meeting documents were posted on the Engineers Nova Scotia website one week prior to the Annual Business Meeting, and that they are also available through the resources section of the virtual meeting portal for those online.

Denise Pothier confirmed quorum, with 59 in-person registrants in attendance at the start of the meeting, and 14 registrants attending virtually. Denise welcomed the registrants and guests, including virtual attendees from our sibling regulators from across Canada.

President Denise then introduced the members of Council and ex-Officio members, and she commended the continued dedication of the Past-Presidents who were in attendance and asked them to rise and be acknowledged.

Attendees were also notified that a Parliamentarian was joining the meeting virtually, to assist with any procedural rules of order during the meeting.

2.0 ADOPTION OF AGENDA

Denise Pothier directed attendees to the meeting agenda, available on the screen and included in the Annual Report package. Registrants were asked to submit any changes to the agenda. No changes were proposed.

Moved by Wayne McCullough, P.Eng., and Seconded by Kelsey Green, P.Eng., that the 2023 Annual Business Meeting Agenda be adopted as presented. Carried.

3.0 MOMENT OF SILENCE

A moment of silence was held for registrants who passed away in the last year. These registrants are listed on page 26 of the 2023 Annual Report.

4.0 ADOPTION OF THE 2022 ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES

Denise Pothier directed attendees to the 2022 Annual Business Meeting Minutes. Members were asked to submit any suggested changes. No changes were proposed.

Moved by Bob MacDonald, P.Eng., and Seconded by Dan MacDonald, P.Eng., that the 2022 Annual Business Meeting Minutes be approved as presented. Carried.

5.0 BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE 2022 MINUTES

There was no business arising from the 2022 Annual Business Meeting Minutes.

6.0 ANNUAL REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF CHAIRS

President Denise moved the Officers’ Reports, and asked Vice-President, Adam Donaldson, P.Eng., to assume the Chair for the President’s Report, found on page 7 of the Annual Report package.

President’s Report

Denise noted that the year passed quickly and stated that she was honoured to have been able to Chair the Council meetings. She expressed her gratitude for her fellow Council members and for having been a part of discussions therein, and she thanked those who reached out to her with encouragement and support. She provided a brief summary of her report, which included:

∙ Completing the first year of the 5-Year Strategic Plan.

∙ Continuing the internal policy review specifically related to human resources policies and organizational structure, to make the organization as efficient as possible.

∙ Welcoming seven new staff members to the association

∙ Council approving a new policy to publish summaries of each Council meeting, to keep registrants informed of Council decisions and deliberations.

∙ Updating the Terms of References for Committees.

∙ Finalizing Guidelines and processes regarding Limited Licenses.

∙ Planning for major initiatives for the upcoming year, including a task force to examine the association’s accommodation needs and office space, modernization of the registrant database and website, streamlining the complaints and discipline process, and developing and implementing a change management plan to introduce Competency Based Assessments for experience assessment for licensure.

Denise concluded her report by thanking the association’s volunteers and staff for their efforts over the past year and expressed her gratitude for all the support she received during her term as President. She then invited questions on her report from the registrants attending in person and virtually.

There were no questions and President Denise re-assumed the Chair.

Chief Executive Officer’s Report

Pal Mann reminded attendees of the association’s vision to work for a safe

and sustainable Nova Scotia, protected by accessible, progressive and trusted regulation of the engineering profession. He noted that it was a tough year for Nova Scotia, with Hurricane Fiona, wildfires and flooding, and expressed that we need engineering leadership and expertise more than ever to develop programs, initiatives and solutions to deal with emerging needs.

Pal then spoke to his report found on page 10 of the Annual Report Package, with highlights including:

∙ Entering year two of 2022-2027 5-year Strategic Plan.

∙ Progressing the association’s human resources policies and capabilities.

∙ Collaborating with the other Atlantic Canadian engineering regulators.

∙ Continuing to work on tools that allow the association to respond to the rapidly the changing regulatory environment.

∙ Restructuring of the staff complement and increasing from a team of 13 to a team of 16, which addresses capacity challenges in enforcement and professional practice, event management, volunteer management and social media engagement.

∙ Recognizing the departure of two of the association’s longest serving employees – Sandra Oickle, Director of Registration, and

Virginia MacQuarrie, Director of Finance & Administration, and thanking them for their contributions to the association.

∙ Reporting increased registrant numbers across all categories (other than student and exam candidates).

∙ Supporting Engineers Canada’s working groups and committees and representing the perspectives of engineers at the national level.

∙ Documenting financial management processes and continuing to strengthen financial policies, processes, procedures and internal controls.

∙ Evaluating information technology architecture through third-party technology support.

∙ Increasing social media presence and increasing online registrant engagement.

∙ Developing and implementing a volunteer management system

∙ Finalizing the final draft of the equity, diversity, inclusivity toolkit.

Pal highlighted several priority areas for 2024, which includes developing the Atlantic Regulators Continuing Professional Development Requirements, including internal verification and an auditing function, developing an implementation plan for Competency Based Assessment, and evaluat-

ing the association’s long-term accommodation needs.

Pal finished by thanking Engineers Nova Scotia’s volunteers, registrants, and partners for their contributions to the profession and to professional regulation, and continued commitment to the engineering profession.

There were no questions posed regarding the CEO and Registrar’s Report.

2022 AUDIT REPORT AND OPERATIONAL BUDGET REPORT

Jeff Knapp, P.Eng., Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, referred to the financial reports, which were posted on the association’s website and the resources section of the virtual meeting portal; printed copies were distributed to in-person attendees.

Jeff acknowledged that the firm Grant Thornton conducted the audit this year in August 2023. Jeff then presented further details regarding the audited financial statements and budget.

∙ Fiscal year operating expenses were approximately $2.4 million, and operating and other revenues were over $2.7 million.

∙ We enjoyed a surplus of $343,000, the majority of which is the result of rising interest rates within our investment portfolio and increasing registration numbers.

∙ We experienced an unrealized investment gain of approximately

$40,000 and a 25.6% gain in market to book value since inception on an equity investment portfolio of approximately $373,000.

∙ Added internally restricted funds for strategic initiatives and contingencies from funding that had previously been set aside.

∙ Approximately $60,000 from the legal reserve was used in 2022-2023 to support ongoing complaint and disciplinary processes that required third-party technical support, as well as legal support.

∙ We allocated $160,000 of this year’s surplus to restore and increase the legal reserve to $700,000, allowing for continued mitigation of any unexpected legal challenges in the future.

∙ Reserves for other strategic initiatives remain unchanged from 2022.

∙ The Committee notes that good progress continues to be made on the recommended changes made in 2019-2020 around financial controls and reporting, financial governance policies, and improving financial transparency.

Jeff concluded by acknowledging the efforts of the association’s staff and thanked CEO Pal Mann for providing the information needed to help the Finance and Audit Committee fulfill their mandate. Jeff further thanked Virginia for her 26 years of service to the organization and invaluable

support to the Finance and Audit Committee, and welcomed the new Senior Accountant, Grace Castillo. He concluded his remarks by sincerely thanking all members of the Finance and Audit Committee for their hard work and devotion to the transparency and betterment of the Association.

Denise Pothier welcomed questions related to the Audited Financial Statements.

There were no questions regarding the audited financial statements. President Denise then asked Jeff Knapp to provide details regarding the 20232024 Budget.

Jeff provided an overview of the 2023-2024 budget. Key points are included below:

Revenues

∙ Member dues and corporate fees are increased by 4%, slightly less than the annual average Nova Scotia CPI for the previous year.

∙ Affinity growth is forecast to be 10% in 2023-24 based on the increasing registrant base inflationary impacts on the dollar, amounts of policies underwritten and the sharing formula for new policies.

∙ 2023 AGM revenues and expenses are expected to remain near 2022 levels.

Expenses

∙ A return to in-person events and decrease in virtual attendance will result in increased expenses for travel, meals and Committee expenses.

∙ Live streaming and electronic voting services are not cost effective given the rising cost for both functions and audio-visual services; however, the Committee will research lowercost live streaming services and the recording of major events to share on social media platforms.

∙ Significant changes include an expansion of our Outreach and Partnership activities, harmonization of our Professional Development program with other Atlantic region associations, expansion of zone governance activities, introduction of electronic funds transfer, and expanding our marketing and branding materials and awareness activities.

The 2023-24 Budget also reflects changes to the staff complement, including:

∙ A Senior Accountant to replace the retiring Director of Administration.

∙ A part-time Administrative Assistant to handle reception, Committee meeting logistics and data management.

∙ A yet-to-be-filled Professional Development Coordinator to manage the planning and delivery of comprehensive PD program events.

Overall, the budget for 2023-2024 is conservative, showing a small operating surplus of approximately $10,000. This surplus includes non-operating revenues of just over $300,000, sourced mainly from affinity revenue, interest earned on fixed income investments and dividend income earned on equity investments.

Denise Pothier asked if there were any questions or discussion related to the 2023-2024 budget.

There were no questions on the 2023-2024 Budget.

President Denise acknowledged that the reports of the President, CEO and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee have been presented to and discussed with the membership.

7.0 COMMITTEE AND ZONE REPORTS

President Denise noted that Committee Reports, as well as Zone Reports, are included in the Annual Report Package, starting on parge 27. Denise thanked all the Committee Volunteers and Zone Representatives for their continued dedicated to the profession.

Leo Brooks, P.Eng., commented that the names of the volunteer Committee members are not included in all the Committee reports, and indicated that they should be included to show our appreciation.

8.0 AFFILIATE REPORTS

Greetings from Engineers Canada

A recorded greeting from the President of Engineers Canada, Nancy Hill, was played.

Engineers Canada Director’s Report

Crysta Cumming, P.Eng., Engineers Canada Director, then provided her report, found on page 13 of the Annual Report Package.

Crysta provided an overview of highlights of some recent initiatives by Engineers Canada, including:

Consultations with regulators across the country as part of Engineers Canada’s National Collaboration and Harmonization Task Force, to identify opportunities to work together to support the future of engineering.

Delivering best practices and National Position Statements, developed through national collaboration, such as guidelines for reconciliation in engineering, information and resources on the national 30 by 30 goal, resources to help support workplace leaves, and position statements related

to coastal, ocean and subsurface engineering, achieving net zero emissions by 2050, software engineering, national and international labour mobility and other interesting topics.

The engineerhere.ca resource for internationally educated engineering graduates.

Denise Pothier asked if there were any questions related to the Engineers Canada Director’s report.

There were no questions on the Engineers Canada Director’s report.

9.0 ENGINEERS NOVA SCOTIA SCHOLARSHIPS

The intent of these $500 scholarships for children of registrants is to return something tangible to our membership while encouraging and promoting the study of engineering.

The 2023 Scholarship for Children of Engineers Nova Scotia recipients are:

∙ Piper (Xepher) Avis, child of Colleen Rodgerson & Sean Avis

∙ Malik Arsenault Battikh, child of Hamdi Battikh

∙ Adam Bateman, child of Leslie Bateman

∙ William Boddy, child of Keith Boddy

∙ Ian Eisnor, child of Christine Bonnell-Eisnor & John Eisnor

∙ Peyton Henneberry, child of Tom Henneberry

∙ Robert Holmes, child of Matthew Holmes

∙ Elian Jordan, child of Eric Jordan

∙ Drew Newhook, child of John Newhook

∙ Luke Ramsden, child of R. Ellen Coady

∙ Bella Teed, child of Trudy Teed

∙ Carter Toole, child of Marilou Toole

Denise congratulated the scholarship recipients and wished them the best of luck in their future studies.

10.0 ELECTION OF 2023-2024 COUNCIL

Denise Pothier thanked the outgoing members of Council for their support over this past two years and acknowledged the time and dedication that they have given to their association.

The outgoing Council members, who were asked to stand to be recognized, and had their pictures shown on screen, include:

∙ Outgoing Past-President: Darrin McLean, P.Eng.

∙ Outgoing Councillors: Kelsey Green, P.Eng.

∙ Jennifer MacDonald, P.Eng.

∙ Wayne MacDonald, P.Eng.

∙ Alexander de Sousa, P.Eng.

President Denise then called upon Kris Dove, FEC, MBA, P.Eng., to present the Scrutineers’ Report. The Scrutineers’ Committee reviewed the 2023 Council Election results and attested the results were accurate.

On behalf of Council and the registrants, Denise expressed appreciation to all the candidates who showed their commitment to self-regulation by offering their names in the Council elections. She also expressed thanks to all those who supported the Council election process.

Denise then asked that the newly elected members of Council to stand and be recognized:

∙ For President: Adam Donaldson, FEC, P.Eng.

∙ For Vice-President: Sue Molloy, P.Eng.

∙ For Councillors Resident in Halifax: Krista Phillips, P.Eng., and Dilan Watson, P.Eng.

∙ For Councillors Resident Outside Halifax: Cliff Johnson, P.Eng., and Ian Squires, P.Eng.

Denise extended a warm welcome to the new members of Council.

Installation of the President

Denise Pothier then introduced incoming President Adam Donaldson, P.Eng., and asked outgoing Past-President Darrin McLean, P.Eng. to present the Past-President and President’s medals.

Past-President Denise then passed the Chair over to newly elected President Adam for the remainder of the meeting.

President Adam thanked Denise for her many contributions over the past year.

11.0 PRESIDENT’S REMARKS (2023-2024 FOCUS)

President Adam thanked the membership for their trust in him serving as President, and contextualize the upcoming year’s strategic plan activities, including:

∙ Initiating discussion with the provincial government to review the Engineering Profession Act

∙ Continuing to expand our partnership networks and to develop and maintain healthy working relationships with other regulators in the Maritimes and across Canada.

∙ Working with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion to develop resources, not only internally as a regulator so that we are operating in an accessible and inclusive manner, but also building resources and tool kits for our members so that they have access to those resources.

∙ Increased focus on continued developments, specifically the CPD program.

∙ Efforts to develop management systems and other tools that are going to help support volunteers, with emphasis on increasing registrant participation.

∙ Discussions and implementation of new tools and approaches to aid in the licensure process and registration, such as CompetencyBased Assessments and database upgrades.

∙ Outreach activities specifically intended to enable the association to better understand member priorities for, and expectations of, Engineers Nova Scotia.

Adam recognized the outstanding efforts and contributions of the current and outgoing Council members, Past-President Denise, Past-President Darrin, and Engineers Nova Scotia staff in organizing the Annual Business Meeting, as well as over the past year. He also acknowledged the many mentors and committee volunteers who give their time each year to ensure that the association is operating successfully and extended his thanks to the individuals attending the meeting in person and virtually.

12.0 OTHER BUSINESS

No Other Business was identified.

13.0 ADJOURNMENT

On a Motion by Kelsey Green, P.Eng., and Seconded by Bruce Wornell, P.Eng., it was resolved to adjourn the 2023 Annual Business Meeting at 11:25 am. Carried.

ENGINEERS NOVA SCOTIA OPERATIONAL BUDGET

APPROVED BY COUNCIL JULY 11 2024

2023-2024 Budget

2023-2024 Budget

2023-2024 Budget

2023-2024 Budget

2023-2024 Budget

Engineers Nova Scotia

July 31, 2024

Independent Auditor’s Report

To the Members of Engineers Nova Scotia

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Engineers Nova Scotia (the “Association”), which comprise the statement of financial position as at July 31, 2024, and the statements of operations, changes in members’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies.

In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Engineers Nova Scotia as at July 31, 2024, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Association in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Canada, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for the financial statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Association’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to a going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Association or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative to do so.

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Association’s financial reporting process.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:

 Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

 Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Association’s internal control.

 Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.

 Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Association’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Association to cease to continue as a going concern.

 Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Halifax, Canada

September 19, 2024

Chartered Professional Accountants

Engineers Nova Scotia Statement of Operations

Year ended July 31, 2024

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

Year ended July 31, 2024

Engineers Nova Scotia Statement of Financial Position

On behalf of Council

President Treasurer

Engineers Nova Scotia Statement of Cash Flows

Year ended July 31 2024 2023

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

Operating

Change in non-cash operating working capital (Note 3)

Investing

Purchase of investments, net of disposals (590,237) (94,046) Purchase of capital assets (56,336) (34,716) (646,573) (128,762) Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (118,986) 220,545

of year (Note 3) $ 2,716,525 $ 2,835,511

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

Engineers Nova Scotia

Notes to the Financial Statements

July 31, 2024

1. Nature of operations

Engineers Nova Scotia (the “Association”) is incorporated under the laws of the Province of Nova Scotia to administer the Nova Scotia Engineering Profession Act.

The Association is a not-for-profit organization and is exempt from income tax under the Income Tax Act.

2. Summary of significant accounting policies

Basis of accounting

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations (“ASNPO”) and include the following significant accounting policies.

Fund accounting

The Association uses fund accounting and, accordingly, resources are classified for accounting purposes into funds based on specific activities or objectives. This method recognizes the limitations and restrictions placed on the use of resources available to the Association by classifying all transactions according to their nature. The following funds are being utilized:

Operational fund

The operational fund is the accumulation of unspent and unallocated revenue that is available to meet the day-to-day operational costs of the Association.

Reserve for legal expenses fund

The reserve for legal expenses fund has been established as an internally restricted fund for enforcement of the Engineering Profession Act.

Investment in capital assets fund

The investment in capital assets fund is the equity used to fund the capital assets of the Association.

Heritage building maintenance fund

The Heritage building maintenance fund has been established as an internally restricted fund for infrastructure improvements and crisis contingencies other than routine operations and maintenance.

Legislative review (strategic initiative) fund

The legislative review (strategic initiative) fund has been established as an internally restricted fund for modernization of the Act and Bylaws.

Member database and website modernization/automation (capital project) fund

The member database and website modernization/automation (capital project) fund has been established as an internally restricted fund for a new registrant database and member management system.

Competency based assessment fund

The competency based assessment fund has been established as an internally restricted fund for modernization of the assessment framework.

Engineers Nova Scotia

Notes

to the Financial Statements

July 31, 2024

2. Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)

Fund accounting (continued)

Professional development fund

The professional development fund has been established as an internally restricted fund for the enhancement of the professional development initiatives.

Revenue recognition

The Association follows the deferral method of accounting for contributions. Restricted contributions are recognized as revenue in the year in which the related expenses are incurred. Unspent restricted contributions are deferred until the funds are spent on their designated purpose. Unrestricted contributions are recognized as revenue when received or receivable if the amount can be reasonably estimated and collection is reasonably assured.

Association dues are billed on a calendar year basis and recognized in revenue over a 12-month period. Association dues relating to the period subsequent to year end are recorded as deferred revenues.

Revenue on investments is recognized as it is earned and collection is reasonably assured. Gains or losses on the sale of investments are recognized as investment income in the year of disposal.

Affinity income is recognized when earned and measurement and collection are reasonably assured.

Other income, including miscellaneous revenue, professional engineers’ stamps, annual meeting and publication committee is recognized as it is earned.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, balances with banks and term deposits with maturity dates within one year.

Capital assets

Capital assets are recorded at cost. Rates and bases of depreciation applied to write-off the cost of property and equipment over their estimated useful lives are as follows:

Building 5%, declining balance

Computer equipment and software 30%, declining balance

Equipment 20%, declining balance

Website and database 30%, declining balance

When a capital asset no longer has any long-term service potential to the Association, the excess of its net carrying amount over any residual value is recognized as an expense in the statement of operations. Any write-downs recognized are not reversed.

Investments

Investments are carried at quoted market value. All investments are measured at fair market value with changes in fair value recognized in net income in the period in which they arise.

Engineers Nova Scotia

Notes to the Financial Statements

July 31, 2024

2. Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)

Use of estimates

Management reviews the carrying amounts of items in the financial statements at each statement of financial position date to assess the need for revision or any possibility of impairment. Many items in the preparation of these financial statements require management’s best estimate. Management determines these estimates based on assumptions that reflect the most probable set of economic conditions and planned courses of action. These estimates are reviewed periodically and adjustments are made to net income as appropriate in the year they become known. Items subject to significant management estimates include the useful lives of capital assets.

Financial instruments

The Association considers any contract creating a financial asset, liability or equity instrument as a financial instrument, except in limited circumstances. The Association accounts for the following as financial instruments:

 Cash and cash equivalents

 Receivables

 HST payable (receivable)

 Payables and accruals

 Investments

A financial asset or liability is recognized when the Association becomes party to contractual provisions of the instrument.

The Association initially measures its financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value.

The Association subsequently measures its financial assets and financial liabilities at amortized cost, except for investments, which are measured at fair value. All changes in fair value of the Association’s investments are recorded in the statement of operations. The Association removes financial liabilities, or a portion of, when the obligation is discharged, cancelled or expires.

Financial assets measured at cost are tested for impairment when there are indicators of impairment. Previously recognized impairment losses are reversed to the extent of the improvement provided the asset is not carried at an amount, at the date of the reversal, greater than the amount that would have been the carrying amount had no impairment loss been recognized previously. The amounts of any write-downs or reversals are recognized in net income.

Unless otherwise noted, it is management’s opinion that the Association is not exposed to significant credit, interest, currency, or liquidity risks arising from these financial instruments, except for investments. The Association is exposed to interest risk in relation to its investments.

Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in market interest rates. Investments are managed by professional investment managers in accordance with the Association’s Investment Policy developed and monitored by management, which mitigates exposure to these risks.

Engineers Nova Scotia

Notes to the Financial Statements

July 31, 2024

3. Cash and cash equivalents 2024 2023

4. Capital assets 2024 2023

5. Investments 2024 2023

Engineers Nova Scotia

Notes to the Financial Statements

July 31, 2024

6. Operating

$ 2,227,501 $ 2,205,234 $ 1,918,650

Engineers Nova Scotia

Notes to the Financial Statements

July 31, 2024

7. Communications (Unaudited)

8. Engineers Canada (Unaudited)

Engineers Nova Scotia

Notes to the Financial Statements

July 31, 2024

9. Engineering practice

10. Comparative figures

Certain comparative figures have been adjusted from these previously presented to conform to the presentation of the 2024 financial statements.

Annual Business Meeting and Professional Development Conference Partners