RC110 JanFeb 2024 - Magazine - Page 8
LEADERSHIP
“A leading nation does more than just build bus lanes—it builds efficient,
mixed-use, dense communities, while attaining sustainability and wellness goals.”
EMPATHETIC ENGINEERING
Matt Pinder conveys his ambitious plans for active transportation
transformation across the country by Connie Vitello
Matt Pinder, a leading
transportation engineer
with WSP Canada.
ATT PINDER, a professional engineer with WSP
Canada, is working to change the way Canadians move in a positive and practical way. Pinder
currently works as a transportation engineer for
WSP Canada where he contributes planning,
design, and engineering skills to a variety of
projects in communities across Canada.
Outside of his work, Pinder facilitates a popular
transportation blog, Beyond the Automobile. He is also an
enthusiastic member of the Transportation Association of
Canada (TAC) Mobility Council and the Active Transportation Integrated Committee.
ReNew Canada recently encountered Pinder as he was
participating in a TAC conference panel focused on developing future leaders in transportation, captivating the
attention of 1,300 conference attendees. We knew we had
to know more about this emerging leader.
M
What prompted you to become an engineer and to specialize in transportation infrastructure? Did you have a
particular moment or mentor that influenced you?
I grew up knowing that I wanted to be an engineer—as
engineering runs in my family—but I wanted to be
di昀昀erent. I initially pursued mechanical engineering and
started working HVAC and building design, but I felt like
something was missing. When I re昀氀ected on it, transportation was a theme throughout my entire life: as a kid I
loved riding bikes on dirt paths, as a teenager I travelled
on bike to my job, and I enjoyed taking transit when I
visited Toronto. I put the pieces together and realized that
transportation is where my passion is, so I recon昀椀gured
my career. I took an internship at Metrolinx and pursued
a Masters of Transportation Engineering at the University
of Toronto.
Connie Vitello is
contributing editor of
ReNew Canada.
8
RENEW CANADA – JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
RENEWCANADA.NET
