In today's volatile and uncertain economic context, corporate managers are more likely to be concentrating on financial and commercial priorities, especially in industrial and manufacturing SME's, which are already facing daunting challenges. As a result, actions aimed at increasing competitiveness and environmental performance risk being delayed or completely forgotten.

This situation could also compromise the progress that corporations have made in the last few years in terms of sustainable development. Quebec engineers are directly concerned by this new corporate mindset, because they play a major role in the implementation of innovations and improvements within businesses. They may not get as much media attention as ecologists or economists, for example, but engineers are the ones doing the concrete work to make sure that environmental improvement becomes a reality.

Also an Economic Issue

On-site assessments and experience clearly show that more and more businesspeople in Quebec understand the economic advantages of sustainable development. They know that it can be profitable and that taking action is beneficial to them. In a report published in October 2007 by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), over 80% of small and medium-sized businesses claimed to have made changes to improve their energy efficiency and environmental performance.

Beyond the environmental considerations, it is essential for Quebec SME's to adapt and move forward. Adopting a "sustainable" approach becomes an essential prerequisite to gaining a genuine competitive edge that will help create value and better position a company in a highly competitive and globalized economic environment. This will be even more crucial once the crisis has passed.

The stakes are high, and they're immediate. The need to act is obvious. That's why, for the past several months, the Réseau des ingénieurs du Québec has been asking for the adoption of a strong and coherent industrial policy focusing on investment, productivity and innovation in Quebec.

Faced with this menacing situation, it is imperative for the government of Quebec to send a clear signal. In this period of uncertainty, it appears crucial to foster greater awareness and actively support the efforts of small and medium-sized businesses by leveraging the competence and experience of Quebec engineers. This can be done with simple, pragmatic and effective initiatives that can rapidly be deployed.

Measures to Support Sustainable Development in SME's

In this spirit, the Réseau des ingénieurs du Québec is currently developing several proposals aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. They include the implementation of a program to support specific environmental performance evaluation and improvement projects, the creation of a refundable tax credit to stimulate environmental performance measures, and support for the hiring of young engineering interns who would be specifically assigned to projects aimed at improving environmental performance or applying technical innovations.

Because it is so fundamental to our future, the issue of sustainable development in Quebec's industrial fabric must take on a higher profile in our public debates - particularly during the current election campaign.

To this end, on November 26, 2008, the Réseau des ingénieurs du Québec is organizing a public debate among the major parties' sustainable development spokespersons. This will be an opportunity to discuss the current challenges, the measures being proposed to address them, and the changes required to move beyond the "business as usual" approach, especially in times of crisis.