May 20, 2021 – Toronto, ON. Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Ontario (ACEC -Ontario) hosted their 19th annual awards program for the Ontario engineering community, recently renamed to the Ontario Engineering Projects Awards (OEPA). For the second straight year, due to the pandemic, the gala was hosted virtually, premiering on YouTube.
For the past 46 years, ACEC-Ontario has been advocating for the advancement of the business interests of their membership along with promoting the value of their contributions to the social, environmental, and economic welfare of Ontario. The OEPA program was created by ACEC-Ontario to recognize the dedication and the innovation advancements of their member firms within the engineering industry.
This year, 12 prestigious accolades were awarded. Taking home the top honour, the Willis Chipman award, was Integral Group for the work they conducted at George Brown College, the Arbour. This structure is anticipated to become Toronto’s first tall wood, low carbon institutional building and the first Tall Wood Research Institute in the country. For the first time in the history of these awards, the Willis Chipman award also had a finalist; Blackwell for Shopper Drug Mart new flagship retail location in downtown Toronto.
Further congratulations go to the 2021 Awards of Merit winners and finalists in the categories of; Building & Engineering Science Environment; Industry, Energy & Resources; Project Management; Studies & Research; and Transit. The honours were awarded as per the below:
| Awards of Merit | ||
| Building & Engineering Science | ||
| Winner: | Blackwell: Shoppers Drug Mart Flagship | |
| Finalist: | WSP: Re-cladding project at Richmond Adelaide Centre | |
| Environment | ||
| Winner: | GHD Limited: The Regional Municipality of York – Forcemain Twinning | |
| Finalist: | Jacobs Engineering Group: Hanlan Feedermain | |
| Industry, Energy & Resources | ||
| Winner: | BBA: 300MW Henvey Inlet Wind Project | |
| Finalist: | Hatch Ltd.: Kelso Dam – Urgent Repairs & Rehabilitation Project | |
| Project Management | ||
| Winner: | Parsons: Major MacKenzie Drive – Schedule `C’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment and Preliminary Design; and Detail Design | |
| Finalist: | CIMA+: Early Works Transmission Project | |
| Studies & Research | ||
| Winner: | Morrison Hershfield: Mushkegowuk Council James Bay All Season Road Feasibility Study | |
| Finalist: | WSP: Climate Change Adaptation Approaches and Planning Considerations for York Region’s Water and Wastewater Systems | |
| Transit | ||
| Winner: | Dillon Consulting Limited: Dundas Place Flexible Street | |
| Finalist: | R.V. Anderson Associates Limited: Alton Village Streetscaping and Road Construction | |
Awards of Excellence were awarded to: Integral Group: George Brown College, the Arbour, Blackwell: Shoppers Drug Mart Flagship, Tulloch: Huntsville Storm Sewer Inventory and Management, and WSP: Re-cladding Project at Richmond Adelaide Centre.
| Award of Excellence | |
| Firms with 1 to 50 employees | |
| Winner: | Integral Group: George Brown College – The Arbour |
| Finalist: | BBA: 300 MW Henvey Inlet Wind project |
| Firms with 51 to 100 employees | |
| Winner: | Blackwell: Shoppers Drug Mart Flagship |
| Finalist: | Eramosa Engineering: City of Guelph Wastewater Services SCADA System Master Plan |
| Firms with 101 to 350 employees | |
| Winner: | Tulloch: Huntsville Storm Sewer Inventory and Management |
| Finalist: | R.V. Anderson Associates Limited: Alton Village Streetscaping and Road Construction |
| Firms with 351+ employees | |
| Winner: | WSP: Re-cladding project at Richmond Adelaide Centre |
| Finalist: | Parsons: Major Mackenzie Drive Schedule `C’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment and Preliminary Design; and Detail Design |
An exciting new addition to the OEPA project occurred this year all well, the judging panel was so impressed with one submission an additional category was created to showcase the project and give nod to its exemplary work. The newly created award was named “Impressive Engineering International Project performed by Ontario Consulting Engineering Firm” (International Award) and it was given to Hatch Ltd. For their Hell’s Kitchen Geothermal Study.
ACEC-Ontario would like to thank all those firms that participated and submitted projects to be considered for the 2021 OEPA program.
About ACEC-Ontario
ACEC-Ontario represents the interests of over 130 consulting engineering firms that employ over 21,000 Ontarians. Accumulated gross revenues of consulting engineering firms across the country contribute more than $28 billion to the Canadian economy annually.