The Academy is an independent, self-governing and non-profit organization established in 1987. Members of the Academy are nominated and elected by their peers to honorary Fellowships, in view of their distinguished achievements and career-long service to the engineering profession. There are at present some 372 active members, 142 emeritus members and 3 Honorary members.  Fellows of the Academy are committed to ensuring that Canada’s engineering expertise is applied to the benefit of all Canadians.

The Canadian Academy of Engineering works in close cooperation with other senior academies in Canada and internationally. It is a founding member of the Council of Canadian Academies, along with the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. The Academy works in close collaboration with the other members of the Canadian Engineering Leadership Forum which brings together representatives from Engineers Canada, the Engineering Institute of Canada, the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - Canada, the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students, all working together to ensure a safer, cleaner, healthier and more competitive Canada. The Academy is also a member of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, which includes some 26 similar national bodies around the world. 

Mission Statement

The Mission of the Canadian Academy of Engineering is to provide leadership in engineering advice and to enhance, through the application and adaption of scientific and engineering principles, the promotion of engineering, the well-being of Canadians and the creation of wealth in Canada.

Specifically, the Academy: 

• speaks out on issues of importance to Canada and abroad to highlight emerging issues in which engineering has a role and to comment on their importance and their implications, and more generally to provide an understanding of the need for engineering excellence in professional practice, research, development, innovation and education in Canada's economy.
• provides advice in the appropriate form to government, industry, academia and Canadians at large on specific issues where engineering considerations play a role,
• promotes recognition of engineering excellence by electing Fellows of the Academy from among Canada's most experienced and outstanding engineers, and thus highlighting the contributions of engineers to the well-being of Canadians and the economic development of Canada.
• participates appropriately, actively, and effectively with like-minded national and international organizations in developing a common voice on issues important to Canada and the world.