News Release

Driving Efficiency and Transparency: MEA and ACEC-Ontario Launch Revised Standard Agreement for Engineering Projects

November 12, 2024

Published  November 12, 2024

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 – Mississauga, Ontario – The Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) and Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Ontario (ACEC-Ontario) are pleased to announce the release of the latest revision of the MEA-ACEC-Ontario Standard Agreement for Engineering Services. This updated agreement is the culmination of extensive collaboration between municipal engineers, consulting engineers, legal experts, and insurance professionals.

The MEA-ACEC-Ontario Standard Agreement has long been a valuable resource for municipalities and consulting engineering firms. It provides a balanced and consistent framework that defines roles and responsibilities clearly, helping streamline commercial considerations and negotiations, fosters trust, and establishes fair risk allocation between parties.

“By providing a well-defined structure for engineering services, the agreement reduces misunderstandings and disputes, leading to smoother project execution and more effective collaboration,” stated Dan Cozzi, Executive Director of MEA. “The updated agreement continues to build on the long-standing collaboration in our industry and reflects the evolving landscape of our industry of municipal engineering, ensuring that we can provide effective resilient solutions to Ontario’s infrastructure challenges. We take pride in this partnership and the agreement, it’s one that municipalities and the consulting engineering industry can trust.”

“Consulting engineering firms are dedicated professionals committed to designing and supporting the delivery of critical infrastructure in our communities that impacts Ontarians daily. By leveraging this agreement, municipalities can ensure consistency and enhance collaboration helping achieve better project outcomes. The new revision reflects our ongoing partnership and commitment to fostering best practices and achieving engineering excellence across Ontario,” Andrew Hurd, Executive Director of ACEC-Ontario, highlighted.

As municipalities face increasing pressure to deliver complex projects on time and within budget, fair professional services agreements, balanced contracts, and unambiguous procurement documents play a crucial role in determining project success. The MEA and ACEC-Ontario encourage all municipalities to adopt the updated MEA-ACEC-Ontario Standard Agreement for their engineering projects. By doing so, they can assist in facilitating a smoother project delivery process and help us all rise to meet the challenge of building stronger, more resilient communities across Ontario.

MEA and ACEC-Ontario will host a webinar in early 2025 further introducing the new agreement. This session will provide an overview of the key terms and conditions, along with some background on its development and intended use. Together, we look forward to working collaboratively and seeing the positive impact of the agreement and principles in communities across Ontario. You can find the latest agreement here.

About The Municipal Engineers Association

The Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) is an association of over 1,200 public sector professional engineers in the full-time employment of Ontario municipalities and other public agencies performing the various functions that comprise the field of municipal engineering. 

Media Contact:

D.M. (Dan) Cozzi P.Eng.
Executive Director
dan.cozzi@municipalengineers.on.ca
Municipalengineers.on.ca

About Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Ontario

ACEC-Ontario represents the interests of approximately 140 consulting engineering firms that collectively employ over 27,000 Ontarians. Accumulated gross revenues of consulting engineering firms across the country contribute more than $10 billion to the Ontario economy.

ACEC-Ontario is dedicated to fostering a business and regulatory climate that empowers its member companies to deliver unparalleled services and value to clients. The Association champions the vital role that consulting engineering plays in enhancing social, economic, and environmental well-being in Ontario and beyond.

Media Contact:

Michelle West
Director, Membership, Marketing and Communications
416.620.1400 ext. 227
mwest@ACECOntario.ca