July 14, 2023 – Every year, CSA Group recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to standards through its John Jenkins Award, awards of Merit.

John Jefkins Award

This award is the most prestigious, as it recognizes individuals who “have fostered the development and advancement of standards, both nationally and internationally”. The 2023 recipient is:

Toby Lau (BC Hydro)—standards for energy efficiency, cybersecurity, and electric vehicles.

A three-decade CSA Group veteran, Lau provided direction and insights for the steering committee for Energy Efficiency and Renewables (SCOPEER), which has been “instrumental in the expansion and strategic growth of the CSA Energy Efficiency Program”.

He has championed the development of a new series of Benchmark Energy Factor standards and supported the establishment of new committees to help expand the scope of CSA’s program.

Awards of Merit

The Award of Merit is bestowed upon individual members for outstanding contributions and leadership in the development and advancement of voluntary standards. In the realm of Electrical, you will find the following among the 2023 Award of Merit recipients:

Simon Aspinwall (Smith + Andersen)—standards for electrical safety for buildings and healthcare facilities

Aspinwall currently serves as chair of the CSA Z317.5 “Illumination in healthcare facilities” technical subcommittee, and vice-chair of the CSA C282 “Emergency electrical power supply for buildings” technical committee. Simon is also an active member of subcommittees for the Canadian Electrical Code–Part I, Sections 32 and 46.

Anca McGee (Ontario Power Generation)—standards for nuclear safety

McGee was directly involved in supporting the N293 technical committee’s decision to develop a small modular reactors supplement for CSA N293S1:21 “Supplement #1 to CSA N293-12, Fire protection for nuclear power plants (application to small modular reactors)”. According to CSA, this provides “a timely response to meet the urgent needs of the industry”.

Gary Smith (Fortis Inc.)—electrical standards

Another CSA Group veteran (over three decades), Smith has been a member of the strategic steering committee on Power Engineering and EMC (SCOPE) since 2014, and currently serves as its vice-chair. Most recently, Smith has been the executive sponsor for the formation of a new CE Code–Part III “Power engineering climate change adaptation” task group.