The Sydney Tar Ponds project was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering for 2015. 

Future Land Use and Sustainable Remediation at the Sydney Tar Ponds: A Case Study and Lessons Learned on Adaptive Remedial Design

The Sydney Tar Ponds Remediation Project is the result of nearly 100 years of steel production in Sydney, Nova Scotia, leaving a legacy of contaminated soils, sediments and groundwater, contaminated with PAHs, VOCs, PHCs, PCBs and heavy metals at two major sites: the Tar Ponds, a 34 hectare marine site; and, the Coke Ovens, a 68 hectare land based site. Given the urban setting, the remediation program presents an opportunity for sustainable remediation, reclaiming an industrial brownfield, and creating a unique solution to concerns and contaminants commonly encountered on many railroad-related projects.

The vision for the remediation of these sites has its roots dating back over 30 years and has encompassed aspects of Green and Sustainable Remediation. With the remedial engineering design completed in 2009 all twelve contracts were completed in August 2013; by this time the reality of a sustainable community based solution for brownfield development at these sites came clearly into focus. This reality, coupled with strong community support for successful remedial implementation to date, has created momentum with respect to this vision for urban renewal that extends beyond the remedial construction phase.

The Project Proponent, the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, has leveraged recommendations from the Environmental Assessment to develop a Future Land Use Plan for the sites. Supported by Community engagement the task of integrating the design and implementation of the remedial works with the Future Land Use Plan has begun. The Project’s, through implementation of the Future Land Use Plan will build upon sustainable remediation features in the remedial design and provide the necessary base foundation to enable future brownfield development to occur.

The primary remedial solution for the Tar Ponds site is Solidification/Stabilization (S/S) of approximately 700,000 tonnes of coal tar contaminated sediment within the marine influenced site.  The remedial solution features Green and Sustainable Remediation aspects supporting a recreational and park-type future land use. This has culminated in a Future Land Use Plan encompassing a Commons Area, walking trails, a look-out over Sydney Harbour, and passive recreational infrastructure that are coordinated with the remedial design and integrated with the surrounding area, including the Atlantic Ocean.

The remedial solution of the Coke Oven site includes subsurface infrastructure such as groundwater collection pipes and vertical cutoff walls. The entire site will be covered with a soil cover.  This remedial solution includes similar sustainable remediation aspects to the Tar Ponds site. In addition, the Coke Oven site bisects two residential communities within Sydney and as such the intent is to connect these areas via surface streets and promote light commercial development while preserving some areas as green-belt.

This presentation will provide a review of sustainable remediation aspects of one of Canada’s largest remediation projects as a case study on the implementation of Green and Sustainable Remediation on the Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens sites. The focus of the presentation will lend itself to common attributes shared with sediment, urban renewal and brownfield redevelopment projects while highlighting lessons learned in integrating GSR with a major remediation project from environmental assessment, through design and construction phases.

Presenters Bios:

Bruce Noble is AECOM’s Director of Remediation Services in Canada. Bruce was involved in the Sydney Tar Ponds project from 2005 through completion as well as several other major projects across Canada including the Port Hope Area Initiative for remediation of low level radioactive waste, Cape Breton Mine Reclamation, and the Lac-Mégantic oil train disaster remediation. Bruce has held responsibility for schedule and project controls, client interface and point of contact, and community liaison. Bruce now lives in Toronto with his family and looks forward to meeting the market challenges related to providing innovative solutions to complex options for the remediation, re-use, and redevelopment of contaminated sites.

The Halifax Central Library project was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering for 2015. 

Halifax Central Library – Structural Design and Construction Overview

The Architectural and Engineering consultant services contract for the New Halifax Central Library was awarded in March 2010. Since that time, the Halifax Central Library has grown out of the ground before our eyes and the project has gained significant public and media interest, including making CNN’s list of top 10 new eye-popping buildings for 2014.

The new Library is considered to be a civic landmark building for Halifax and features complex geometry and innovative thinking that complement a modern Library.

This presentation will provide an overview of the new Halifax Central Library structural design, as well as discussion on the design coordination and building construction.

Presenter Bios:

Alice Cumming, B.Eng., P.Eng. is a Structural Engineer working for SNC Lavalin Inc. Antigonish, Nova Scotia office (C.J.MacLellan & Associates). Ms. Cumming is a graduate of Dalhousie University and holds professional engineering membership in the province of Nova Scotia. Ms. Cumming has 6 years of experience in Structural Engineering Consulting in the design, tender and construction review of a wide variety of structure types; including buildings, bridges, marine, earth retaining, and crane supporting structures. Ms. Cumming has experience in 3D structural analysis and has experience designing with structural materials that include steel, concrete, masonry, heavy timber and wood.

David Bulger, BSc. Eng., P.Eng. is a Senior Structural Engineer and the Structural Department Manager for SNC Lavalin Inc. Halifax Nova Scotia office. Mr. Bulger is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick and holds professional engineering membership in five Canadian provinces, as well as being a Graduate Member of the Institute of Structural Engineers, UK. David has 25 years of experience in Structural Engineering Consulting in the design, tender and construction review of a wide variety of structure types; including buildings, bridges, marine, earth retaining, equipment support and scaffolding; utilizing structural materials that include steel, concrete, masonry, aluminum, heavy timber and wood.

Tidal Power Update

Dr. Sue Molloy will present some of the latest happenings in the marine renewable energy industry. Dr. Molloy will discuss her work on the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) project teams, talk about recent developments in Nova Scotia for supporting industrial research in tidal power and will update on the installation projects happening at FORCE from the perspective of one of the berth holder teams of which Dr. Molloy is a member.

The Speaker:

Sue Molloy, PhD, MEng, BEng, BSc, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, is a consulting engineer, researcher and adjunct professor in Ocean Engineering, specializing in Marine Renewable Energy, Eco-Ships and sustainable engineering. In April Sue was appointed General Manager of Black Rock Tidal Power. Recently, Sue guest edited the Journal of Ocean Technology Ocean Energy issue and appeared on Global morning TV in Halifax to discuss Tidal Power. Sue is regularly invited to speak to engineering organizations and institutions on Tidal Power around the country. She is the international convener for the International Electrotechnical Committee TC114 River Turbines ad-hoc committee and one of the 3 Canadian delegates on the Design subcommittee of IEC TC114 Marine Energy. Sue was hired by FORCE to develop their instrumentation R&D and is a co-chair of the Fundy Energy Research Network (FERN) Engineering Sub-Committee. She was the executive secretary for the Engineering Committee on Oceanic Resources (ECOR) and chair of the ECOR Specialist Panel on Marine Renewable Energy, which has recently been subsumed into the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT). Sue teaches sustainable engineering and turbomachines for the Dalhousie University, Faculty of Engineering and has taught sustainable design and renewable energy at OCAD University in Toronto. Sue is an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie and a research associate at ACER at Acadia University. Sue has worked on research and consulting projects related to educating communities about investing in tidal power, the development of tidal power test facilities, testing methods for tidal turbines, cabling of tidal turbines and the efficiency and environmental effects of power systems. Sue is currently working with SCHOTTEL.de and Black Rock Tidal Power on the development of a Tidal Power project in the Bay of Fundy at the FORCE.

Developing Your Resume 

Having an up-to-date, streamlined resume is one of the most fundamental steps in the job search process and a resume is not complete without an equally impressive cover letter. Key to landing your next role will be learning how to create an accomplishment based resume and cover letter that is tailored to your audience and has impact for all the right reasons.  In this interactive session we will explore the do’s and don’ts of resume writing, sharing tips and best practices regarding the different types of resumes and when to use each. We will discuss the key factors that should be included on your professional resume and cover letter and the differences between accomplishments and responsibilities. We will review proper cover letter structure and how to bridge the gap between your existing resume and the job ad. Your resume and cover letter are an advertisement of you. They should serve as an overview of your professional accomplishments and generate interest in the skills you can bring to an organization.

Presenter Bio:

Ashley Leopold is a Consultant for the Leadership & Career Solutions Practice at Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette, focusing on the areas of talent management, assessment, employee engagement, job evaluation and leadership development. She has created customized processes for clients on the full gamut of talent management and succession - from identifying future trends, competencies and behaviours, to assessing top talent. Ashley has earned a solid reputation as an effective coach and persistent champion to her clients in career transition.

Developing Your Leadership Presence

As a top professional in your field, wouldn’t you want to have Leadership Presence? We all know leaders who light up the room. We are drawn to them when they speak and pay attention to what they say.

 It’s not one size fits all. We all have the opportunity to develop our own unique leadership presence in a way that is true to ourselves… not a copy of someone else. Of course some key principle should be followed to get there. Often it’s the little things that can make or break our leadership connections.

 The good news, if we care enough; leadership presence can be learned. Yes, we can all learn to be more confident, authentic, and effective as leaders and communicators. Leadership presence isn’t a onetime event; it takes place over the longer term. It requires self-awareness, energy and consistency in how we speak and interact with others. Ultimately it about how well we practice reading the room and making the appropriate adjustments. We must also remember that messages are delivered with more than words. The best leaders have the presence to keep listeners engaged in the moment.

 Attend Developing Your Leadership Presence workshop to discover how today’s most effective leaders use confidence, passion and poise to sell themselves and their ideas. Explore the key communication and behaviour principles that lead to strong leadership presence. Learn how authentic leaders deliver clear and inspiring messages one-on-one or in front of groups. Discover how the best leaders connect with influence and build lasting trust with people inside and outside the organization.

Speaker

Derrick Whalen is Managing Partner with PowerTalk Communications; a Nova Scotia based business serving Atlantic Canada since 1993. PowerTalk delivers ‘on your feet’ leadership communication programs that help today’s professionals become more confident, engaging and influential leaders.

 PowerTalk has been developing leaders through the power of communication for the past 20 years. Over 10,000 clients have participated in PowerTalk programs.

 Derrick is a certified professional trainer specialized in leadership communication and delivers high impact leadership development workshops, seminars and corporate training programs to a diverse mix of business leaders & industry professionals. 

 Formally a Vice President Information Technology and Operational Risk with ING Real Estate Canada. Derrick is also a seasoned management consultant with experience leading executive level IT strategy and enterprise information system initiatives. Derrick advises and guides management teams through business improvement & organizational change projects with a results-oriented, collaborative and pragmatic approach.

Biography:

Doug Dean, P.Eng., is currently Project Director of the Halifax Shipyard Facility Modernization.  He is a graduate from the University of New Brunswick in Civil Engineering and obtained a Master of Business Administration from Queens University.  He is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick  and Engineers Nova Scotia.   Doug and his team have been working diligently to complete the  Halifax Shipyard Facility Modernization by mid-2015.

Mr. Dean will discuss the Halifax Shipyard Modernization with particular focus on the “Design and Construction Challenges” during the past two years.

This session is an opportunity to put into practice the lessons delivered in the first session from 10:15-11:00 AM. 

Developing Your Leadership Presence

As a top professional in your field, wouldn’t you want to have Leadership Presence? We all know leaders who light up the room. We are drawn to them when they speak and pay attention to what they say.

It’s not one size fits all. We all have the opportunity to develop our own unique leadership presence in a way that is true to ourselves… not a copy of someone else. Of course some key principle should be followed to get there. Often it’s the little things that can make or break our leadership connections.

The good news, if we care enough; leadership presence can be learned. Yes, we can all learn to be more confident, authentic, and effective as leaders and communicators. Leadership presence isn’t a onetime event; it takes place over the longer term. It requires self-awareness, energy and consistency in how we speak and interact with others. Ultimately it about how well we practice reading the room and making the appropriate adjustments. We must also remember that messages are delivered with more than words. The best leaders have the presence to keep listeners engaged in the moment.

Attend Developing Your Leadership Presence workshop to discover how today’s most effective leaders use confidence, passion and poise to sell themselves and their ideas. Explore the key communication and behaviour principles that lead to strong leadership presence. Learn how authentic leaders deliver clear and inspiring messages one-on-one or in front of groups. Discover how the best leaders connect with influence and build lasting trust with people inside and outside the organization.

Speaker

Derrick Whalen is Managing Partner with PowerTalk Communications; a Nova Scotia based business serving Atlantic Canada since 1993. PowerTalk delivers ‘on your feet’ leadership communication programs that help today’s professionals become more confident, engaging and influential leaders.

 PowerTalk has been developing leaders through the power of communication for the past 20 years. Over 10,000 clients have participated in PowerTalk programs.

 Derrick is a certified professional trainer specialized in leadership communication and delivers high impact leadership development workshops, seminars and corporate training programs to a diverse mix of business leaders & industry professionals. 

 Formally a Vice President Information Technology and Operational Risk with ING Real Estate Canada. Derrick is also a seasoned management consultant with experience leading executive level IT strategy and enterprise information system initiatives. Derrick advises and guides management teams through business improvement & organizational change projects with a results-oriented, collaborative and pragmatic approach.

Join the Dalhousie University Chapter of Engineers Without Borders to hear the experiences of their recent Junior Fellow who spent the summer in Africa. 

Engineers Without Borders is a national, non-profit organization working to end poverty. It is also a movement of professional engineers, students, overseas volunteer staff, and supporters across Canada. 

Mark de Jonge, E.I.T., is an olympic medalist who recently won Gold in the K-1 200 meter race at the Pan American Games. Mark will share his experiences competing at the highest level of sport and how it relates to his career in engineering. 

Session Description

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the world's leading not-for-profit professional membership association for the project, program and portfolio management profession. Founded in 1969, PMI delivers value for more than 2.9 million professionals working in nearly every country in the world through global advocacy, collaboration, education and research.

PMI strives to help advance careers, improve organizational success and mature the profession of project management through its globally recognized standards, certifications, resources, tools, academic research, publications, professional development courses, and networking opportunities.

The Nova Scotia Chapter of the Project Management Institute will present a detailed overview of its two most popular certifications: PMP - Project Management Professional, and CAPM -  Certified Associate in Project Management.

• PMP - The most important globally-recognized and independently validated credential for project managers, perfect if you have demonstrated experience and competence in leading project teams.

• CAPM - PMI’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)^® is a valuable entry-level certification for project practitioners. Designed for those with little or no project experience, the CAPM^®demonstrates your understanding of the fundamental knowledge, terminology and processes of effective project management. Whether you are new to project management, or already serving as a subject matter expert on project teams, the CAPM can get your career on the right path or take it to the next level.

The presentation will outline the prerequisites and approaches at attaining these certifications, as well as convey the mandate of the PMI NS Chapter, Chapter Programs, membership details, past and upcoming events, and helpful hints related to preparation for the certification process.

This session is beneficial for anyone that is currently working in a project environment, managing projects, or aspiring to become more involved in project management.

Presenters Bios:

Carolyn Stewart - Carolyn is an IT Business Relationship Manager with the Halifax Regional Municipality. She has over 25 years of IT/Business experience. Prior to joining HRM in the fall of 2013 she was employed with Unisys Canada where she was in the position of Senior Project/Service Manager. Carolyn has worked in both the private and public sectors locally, in Ontario, as well as in the USA the UK, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. Carolyn has significant experience in ERPs, Finance operations management, IT service management, project management, and business relationship management. She attended Saint Mary’s University where she obtained her B.Comm. in Computing and Information Systems in 1986 and achieved her Project Management Professional certification in April of 2013. She has been a PMI NS Volunteer since May 2013. As a Director at PMI NS, Carolyn is primarily responsible for the Chapter Mentoring Program and the Outreach Program, promoting the Chapter's value to prospective organizations and industry associations with the ultimate objective of attracting new members.

Anne-Sophie Coressel is a Senior Project Manager with Adesso Project Management in Halifax. She has over 22 years of diverse experience as a Project Manager/Cost controller in telecommunications, business consulting, project management, cost control, business processes, organizational restructuring, civil construction, oil and gas, quality assurance, Health Safety & Environment as well as ISO 9001 implementation.  Anne-Sophie’s has worked on projects in Trinidad and Atlantic region and also worked in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and South East Asia. She graduated from the Danish Technical University as Master of Science in Structural Engineering. Anne-Sophie joint the PMI NS as a volunteer in Autumn 2014 as part of the Outreach Program. 

The Fool Proof Performance Management Roadmap:

-Tips, Tricks and Advice on how to manage employee performance like a boss!

Do the words “performance management” make you want to cringe?  Do you despise the annual performance review process?  Better yet, do you feel lost when it comes to addressing performance issues with your staff?  Do you dread those 1:1 conversations with your employees when it comes to addressing poor or underperformance?  Do you simply want to feel more confident having these discussions with your employees?  If so, this is the session for you!

This workshop will provide you with a general overview, as well as tips, tricks and a foolproof plan on how to make performance discussions part of your regular dialogue with your employees.   Additionally, you will walk away with specific tips and actions to take to make the performance (review) process less dreadful.   You will learn:

• What the phases of performance management are, how to navigate them and why they are important to you as a manager
• How to better measure performance and define what it looks like for your employees
• How to use a high level, practical coaching Tool  that will change your thinking from performance manager to performance coach
• How to eliminate performance review anxiety and pain points
• How to reduce and possibly eliminate conflict at performance review time or anytime
• How to effectively respond to employee performance feedback
• The keys to better performance goals
• How to develop, utilize and leverage effective goal setting techniques with your staff

You will walk away from this workshop with more confidence in your ability to manage employee performance as you follow the performance roadmap.  At the end of the workshop, you will have valuable tools, including a better performance management tool, to help better define employee goals and manage/measure performance.

Presenter:

Scott Boulton is a graduate of St. Mary's University and a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).  His Management & HR experience have come within the fields of marine engineering, contact centre, gaming and hospitality and information technology.  Scott has had the opportunity to provide HR solutions to organizations ranging in size from 50 to 5000 employees.  He has also coached and worked with Managers who have had a variety of experience levels, including managers who are brand new to their roles, as well as those that have been managing and leading for 20+ years.  All of this has given him a unique perspective and appreciation for the day to day challenges that Managers and leaders face in their roles.

Scott has spent the last 6.5 years of his career working with engineering Directors, Managers and staff, which has allowed him to view, understand and alleviate some of the pain that technical staff and managers face in their day to day lives as they deal with “human resources.”  Scott takes a hands on approach to his HR practice as he believes in building partnerships with his operations clients as he sees the role of HR as being that of an advisor and problem solver and not as an obstacle to success.

When he isn’t spending time being an HR Manager, Scott enjoys being schooled in a game of 1:1 basketball with his daughter, mountain biking and traveling with his family to Florida.  Scott also writes about all things leadership on his blog - The Armchair HR Manager.

Contract Law and Avoiding Lawsuits

Daniel W. Ingersoll, Q.C.

This session will examine contract law and how contracts can assist an Engineer in avoiding lawsuits during and after the performance of engineering services.

The Contract:

• What constitutes a contract?
• Who are the parties covered by a contract?
• Why do I need a contract?

Avoiding Lawsuits:

• What are my obligations as an Engineer under a contract?
• How far does my duty of care extend under a contract?
• What are the risks?

Presenter Bio:

Daniel Ingersoll, Q.C.

Cox & Palmer

Dan practices employment and labour law at Cox & Palmer.  Dan represents self-governing organizations, private corporations, and institutions.  Dan provides advice with respect to employment contracts, employee terminations, collective agreement interpretation, labour standards, occupational health and safety, workers' compensation, and human rights. Daniel has extensive civil litigation experience and has been involved in hearings before specialized tribunals. He has been a prosecutor for offences involving municipal by-laws and legislation, represented insurance companies in litigation matters, and employers in human rights complaints. Daniel is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences on matters involving employment and labour law.  Dan is a Member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1990.

Note: This is a continuation of the session at 1:15 PM. This portion will focus on the practical aplication of the principals presented in the first half. 

The Fool Proof Performance Management Roadmap:

-Tips, Tricks and Advice on how to manage employee performance like a boss!

Do the words “performance management” make you want to cringe?  Do you despise the annual performance review process?  Better yet, do you feel lost when it comes to addressing performance issues with your staff?  Do you dread those 1:1 conversations with your employees when it comes to addressing poor or underperformance?  Do you simply want to feel more confident having these discussions with your employees?  If so, this is the session for you!

This workshop will provide you with a general overview, as well as tips, tricks and a foolproof plan on how to make performance discussions part of your regular dialogue with your employees.   Additionally, you will walk away with specific tips and actions to take to make the performance (review) process less dreadful.   You will learn:

• What the phases of performance management are, how to navigate them and why they are important to you as a manager
• How to better measure performance and define what it looks like for your employees
• How to use a high level, practical coaching Tool  that will change your thinking from performance manager to performance coach
• How to eliminate performance review anxiety and pain points
• How to reduce and possibly eliminate conflict at performance review time or anytime
• How to effectively respond to employee performance feedback
• The keys to better performance goals
• How to develop, utilize and leverage effective goal setting techniques with your staff

You will walk away from this workshop with more confidence in your ability to manage employee performance as you follow the performance roadmap.  At the end of the workshop, you will have valuable tools, including a better performance management tool, to help better define employee goals and manage/measure performance.

Presenter:

Scott Boulton is a graduate of St. Mary's University and a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).  His Management & HR experience have come within the fields of marine engineering, contact centre, gaming and hospitality and information technology.  Scott has had the opportunity to provide HR solutions to organizations ranging in size from 50 to 5000 employees.  He has also coached and worked with Managers who have had a variety of experience levels, including managers who are brand new to their roles, as well as those that have been managing and leading for 20+ years.  All of this has given him a unique perspective and appreciation for the day to day challenges that Managers and leaders face in their roles.

Scott has spent the last 6.5 years of his career working with engineering Directors, Managers and staff, which has allowed him to view, understand and alleviate some of the pain that technical staff and managers face in their day to day lives as they deal with “human resources.”  Scott takes a hands on approach to his HR practice as he believes in building partnerships with his operations clients as he sees the role of HR as being that of an advisor and problem solver and not as an obstacle to success.

When he isn’t spending time being an HR Manager, Scott enjoys being schooled in a game of 1:1 basketball with his daughter, mountain biking and traveling with his family to Florida.  Scott also writes about all things leadership on his blog - The Armchair HR Manager.

Roundabouts in Halifax- Lessons learned

The history of roundabouts in Nova Scotia from rotaries to the first major municipal roundabout project has been challenging and a learning experience for Municipal staff, Regional Council and residents alike. Best practices including public engagement, geometric design, accessibility and aesthetics have turned the tide of roundabouts in Halifax, one project at a time.

Lessons learned from early struggles have allowed Halifax to embarking on an ambitious project, the first signalized intersection conversion to a roundabout. More than just reconfiguring two intersections, this is a bold approach to a larger civic project that includes many disciplines, departments and goals.

The signalized intersections on North Park Street had infrastructure at the end of their service life, did not meet transportation standards, had poor traffic flow, a history of collisions and where complex and cumbersome for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

The North Park Roundabouts project combines the conversion of one urban 6-leg and one urban 4 leg signalized intersection into multi-lane roundabouts in downtown Halifax.  They are connected by North Park Street, an urban treed boulevard with residences, businesses, a 20^th century armoury, and highly used and valued park. Only 300m separates the proposed roundabouts and a tee intersection with pedestrian crossing signals intersects the street.

Scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2015, the project is complicated by abutters (National Historic Site, High School, highly used urban common park), the need to underground existing overhead utilities, the convergence of several Active Transportation (AT) connections, and a highly engaged stakeholder community of cyclists, visually impaired pedestrians, park users and those still wary of roundabouts.   Learning from the previous roundabout project failure, significant public and stakeholder engagement forms part of this project including public and community art participation and consultation on the AT cross section between the roundabouts.

The lack of a Canadian Geometric Design guide and few urban roundabouts in the province requires breaking new ground in a province historically resistant to change.  Roundabouts allow simplification of the intersections, including the potential to eliminate one leg at the 6 – leg intersection, upgraded streetlighting, excellent AT connections and transitions, geometric design focusing on pedestrians while accommodating large trucks, high vehicle volumes a significant number of buses, and a significant increase in high quality open space.

Construction staging and traffic control is a significant challenge in this urban environment.  Limited ability to close the intersections, significant volume of vehicles, buses, pedestrians and cyclists, proximity to downtown and extremely high use of the park add to the complexity.

This presentation will focus on the progression of the roundabout program from its beginning in the planning stages to the final completion of this large urban project including significant challenges of the project and lessons learned as HRM moves forward with roundabout implementation and road network improvements.

Presenters:

Tanya Davis, P.Eng, PTOE, is from Tracadie, Nova Scotia and graduated from Dalhousie University with a Civil Engineering Degree.  She received her Professional Traffic Operations Engineers (PTOE) designation in 2013. Tanya has spent her 15 year career working in the Transportation and Traffic Engineering field.  With the first 5 years of her career as an engineering consultant  in Washington DC, USA, Toronto, Ontario, and Halifax, NS.  She joined the Halifax Regional Municipality in 2005 as a Design Engineer.  Since 2005 she transitioned to the Traffic Management group where she held the position of Traffic Services Supervisor and is currently the Senior Traffic Operations Engineer where she is responsible for the planning, management and operation of HRM’s regional roadway network.  Tanya was the Project Lead for the introduction of Modern Roundabouts in the Municipality and led the public engagement process for the North Park Redesign Project.  She sits on the Project Steering Committee for the first Canadian Roundabout Design Guide for the Transportation Association of Canada. 

Anne Sherwood, P.Eng., is a Dartmouth native and Civil Engineering graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa. After 5 years with Morrison Hershfield in Ottawa working on construction inspection, design of municipal, provincial highway and rapid transit projects including the Ministry of Transportation’s first roundabout in Picton Ontario, she returned home in 2008 to work as a Design Engineer with the Halifax Regional Municipality.

With 12 years’ experience, including over six years’ experience as a Professional Engineer in Nova Scotia, Anne has been involved in more than 100 projects for HRM as a design engineer and project manager. These have included the Highway 111 Pedestrian Bridge in Burnside, The Ragged Lake Transit Centre Access Road built with tire derived aggregate, the Queen Street Streetscaping and Undergrounding Project, and the North Park Street Updates Project which involves the first modern, urban roundabouts in HRM. She is also a member of the Project Steering Committee for the first Canadian Roundabout Design Guide for the Transportation Association of Canada.

Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship for Engineers: The IDEA Innovation Initiative

The typical curriculum in Canadian engineering programs is focused on math, engineering science and design with little preparation in business and virtually no mention of entrepreneurship. However, when considering the necessary skills to develop a new technology start-up, engineering is critical. Yet, little has been done to prepare engineering students in entrepreneurship. If we hope to reach the Ivany Commission’s recommendation that Nova Scotia “Grow the number of new businesses by 50 per cent,” it is clear more must be done. The Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA Innovation) hopes to address some of this need.

IDEA Innovation is a collaboration between Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Engineering and Rowe School of Business, and NSACD University’s Division of Design that was funded through the Province of Nova Scotia’s Sandbox initiative. IDEA Innovation is focused on providing students with training, mentorship and pre-incubator support for the creation of product-focused start-up companies. In May 2015, IDEA Innovation help its first annual Summer Design Bootcamp, with 18 students (six engineering, six design , six business) participating in six weeks of training in design and entrepreneurship. THe result have been the creation of two student led, start-up companies.

This session will provide more background on IDEA Innovation, describe the activities and outcomes of the IDEA Summer Design Bootcamp and the plans for IDEA Innovation moving forward.

Speaker details:

Clifton R. Johnston, Ph.D., P.Eng., is the NSERC Chair in Design Engineering and as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Dalhousie University. 

In today’s economy it is prudent to plan for your financial future. Join Tim Houck, a Certified Financial Planner with more than thirty years of experience, to learn the options of retirement planning so you can make informed choices. Whether you are close to retirement or just starting out, this session will provide useful information.

Retirement Planning

The advantage of a complete retirement plan is that it coordinates all of your efforts into one comprehensive approach which will help you achieve your goals throughout your lifetime.

Understanding Pensions:
 

Types of Pension Plans

• Registered Pension Plans

• Defined Benefit (DB)Defined Contribution (DC) or Money Purchase Plan (MPP)
• Deferred Profit Sharing Plans
• Other Pension Plans

Pressure on pension plans:

• Changes to Public Pensions (CPP and OAS)
• Changes to Private Pensions
  • Defined Benefits – Reduce – Defer – Eliminate
  • Defined Contributions becoming the norm. 

Other Questions to consider:

• How many pension sources do you have?
• What type of pension plan do you have?
• What financial benefits will you be entitled to receive? 
• What benefits will you be covered for if you cease full time employment and for how much(Dental, health, prescriptions)?
• When can you access your benefits?
• Will receipt of your benefits align to when you leave the workforce?

Session Presenter:

With over 30 years of financial services and investment experience, Tim Houck has been actively focused on providing comprehensive financial management and solutions to high net worth individuals, families, estates and trusts and charitable and business organizations. He is committed to continuous education and holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and the Personal Financial Planner (PFP) designations. He also completed his MBA at Dalhousie University. He enjoys working with individuals to achieve their goals and dreams for their work and career, well-being, home, lifestyle and legacy. 

Halifax Harbour Bridges - The Big Lift

Beginning in mid-2015 on-site construction began for the Macdonald Bridge suspended spans deck replacement project, also known as the Big Lift. The bridge is safe but after 60 years the deck is reaching the end of its functional life. The project needs to be completed now to ensure it remains safe and to extend the life of the bridge for generations.

The project includes replacing the road deck, the floor beams, stiffening truss and suspender ropes. Once complete the only original components of the suspended structure will be the two towers, the cable bents, the anchors and the main cables.

The project was in the engineering phase for four years and in March 2015 moved to the construction phase.

Starting near the Dartmouth shore, bridge deck segment (there are 46 deck segments in either 20 or 10 metre lengths) will be replaced overnight.

A lifting gantry will be positioned on the suspender ropes and the existing segment will be lowered to a barge in the harbour. A new segment will be lifted into position in the same manner. About every third or fourth night a deck segment will be replaced. On the Halifax side the bridge deck segments will be replaced in 10 metre segments because they will be brought in by truck rather than by barge.

For more information please go to www.thebiglift.ca or follow us on Twitter at @BigLiftHFX.

Presenter Bios:

Jon Eppell, bridge engineer

Jon Eppell is the bridge engineer at Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) currently seconded to manage an estimated $200 million project to replace the suspended spans of the Macdonald Bridge. Known as the Big Lift, the project represents HHB’s largest capital project since the MacKay Bridge opened in 1970.

Jon graduated with a civil engineering degree from TUNS in 1988. Prior to joining HHB in 2006 Jon spent many years as a consulting engineer working on projects locally and internationally.

Anna Chatzifoti, senior structural engineer

Anna Chatzifoti was born in Greece and studied civil engineering at the National Technical University of Athens.

While in Greece Anna was involved in large-scale projects including: industrial and specialized industrial projects, motorways/highways, theatres, hospitals, athletic facilities, residential and commercial buildings. She also participated in the construction of venues for the Olympic Games held in Athens in 2004.

Before joining HHB in March 2012, Anna was working on a wind turbine project in Idaho, USA.

At Halifax Harbour Bridges Anna is a senior structural engineer and HHB’s technical lead on the project. She is an integral member of the project team responsible for the Macdonald Bridge suspended spans replacement project.

The Annual General Meeting will include a presentation for Engineers Canada, the incoming President of Engineers Nova Scotia, financial statements, introduction of new Council members and an opportunity for members to ask questions regarding the business of the Association. 

Join us for a tasting with Ironworks Distillery. Ironworks is a micro-distillery located in the old port of Lunenburg on Nova Scotia’s historic South Shore. We take our name from the 1893 heritage building we call home: a marine blacksmith’s shop that once produced ironworks for the shipbuilding trade. We craft our spirits with the same love of traditional methods and attention to detail. To see what we’re up to, have a look around oursite. Or even better, drop by our distillery shop and enjoy a taste.