Mission, charter and areas of endeavour

The engineering profession: quality services

Computers, roads, buildings, agriculture, drugs, industrial production, video games, vehicles and materials are just a few examples of the many fields in which the engineering profession is applied and of the profound impact this profession has upon our lives. At all times and under all circumstances engineering work must be performed flawlessly and meticulously. The OIQ seeks to ensure that its members provide the public with outstanding professional services.

A government chartered organization

The Government of Quebec established the professional system when it enacted the Professional Code in 1974. Ever since that time, Quebec's professional orders have been charged with the responsibility for protecting the public in the area of professional services.

Simply put, the OIQ ensures that Quebec society has every reason to maintain its confidence in the engineering profession. The Order achieves this goal by:

• Controlling access to the practice of engineering through the imposition of specific conditions that must be met to become and to remain an engineer. Furthermore, all engineers (except forestry engineers, who have their own order) must become members of the OIQ before they may practice in Quebec). Such membership attests to an engineer's training and skills.
• Overseeing the professional practice and the conduct of its members.
• Applying its efforts to ensure that only members engage in functions that are reserved by law for engineers.
• Promoting the engineering profession.

Six areas of endeavour

To carry out its mission and its charter, the OIQ devises and applies a range of effective measures falling under six general headings.

1. The Order ensures the know-how of its engineers through such means as encouraging members to maintain and to develop their skills. It fulfills this goal by hosting workshops and conferences and produces various documents directed at members. The Order also participates in training activities and in establishing new courses.
2. The Order promotes the ethical and professional conduct of its members. It encourages members to consistently apply the four professional values of competence, ethics, responsibility and social commitment and requires compliance with the Code of Ethics of Engineers. As part of this approach, the Order provides a program in which veteran engineers serve as sponsors to junior engineers, permitting the latter to become well versed in the best professional practices.
3. The Order takes the lead in curtailing any improper practice of the profession by disseminating information on the subject, among other means. It also blocks improper professional practices by launching its own investigations and by responding to complaints. Improper professional behaviour is subject to penalties.
4. The Order helps the profession and the laws governing it adapt to technological and to socioeconomic change. The Order is, for example, actively involved in the process of revamping the Engineers Act.
5. The Order seeks to enhance the renown and the credibility of the engineering profession. It promotes this profession in secondary institutions, colleges and universities. On the public scene, the Order is actively involved in issues that call upon engineering skills, in such fields as climate change and infrastructure.
6. With its efficient internal system of administration, the Order can follow through on major projects, including those pertaining to the modernization of technological resources and procedures.