On May 4, the members of the INRS Foundation admitted Mr. Olivier Joyal to the Foundation’s board of directors. Mr. Joyal is National Executive Vice President, Earth Sciences and Environment, at WSP. He is in charge of the company’s Environmental Assessment, Environmental Rehabilitation, Environmental Monitoring, Geomorphology and Geotechnics business sectors. He previously held the position of vice-president of the Quebec region, from 2014 to 2019.
“It is with pride that the INRS Foundation announces the appointment of Mr. Olivier Joyal to its board of directors. The Foundation works to mobilize donors, partners, and alumni in order to enable the INRS scientific community to increase its impact on issues that are crucial for Quebec society and the world. Mr. Joyal’s extensive experience in the professional services industry and in the environmental field will support INRS’ development and outreach. I am delighted to welcome him to the Board,” declared board chair Martine Vanasse.
Mr. Joyal holds a bachelor’s degree in physical geology from UQAM and began his career in the environmental field in 2002. A member of the Ordre des géologues du Québec since 2005, he specializes in characterization and rehabilitation of contaminated soils. His experience also includes the legislative framework of the Regulation respecting quarries and sand pits. To date, he has completed over 100 environmental characterizations and monitoring, as well as some 60 environmental site assessment projects.
In recent years, he has been project manager for the environmental characterization of more than 1,200 properties in the towns of Dalhousie and Belledune in New Brunswick, following the cessation of mining activities at Noranda. He was also involved in a large-scale groundwater quality monitoring project with the Holcim plant in Joliette. He was also overseeing environmental issues for the Honoré-Mercier Bridge rehabilitation project, one of the largest infrastructure projects carried out by Indigenous people in Canada.
Mr. Joyal was a participant in the 2017 Governor General’s Canadian Conference on Leadership, a training program that brings together Canada’s emerging leaders, and is pursuing a master’s degree in applied science (northern engineering) at the École Polytechnique de Montréal.
The inaugural Board of Directors of the Foundation, chaired by Ms. Martine Vanasse, Chief Compliance Officer at PSP Investments, includes three leaders from the business and philanthropic communities, three INRS graduates and three representatives appointed by INRS.