Canada happens to be one of the countries in the world that offer quality education and students that are trained in Canada usually perform excellently well in their careers. Interestingly, civil engineering is one of the careers that is doing pretty well in Canada and Canadian universities can boast of producing some of the finest civil engineers in the globe.

In order to qualify as a civil engineer in Canada, civil engineering students are mandated to study for four years at the undergraduate level. During this period, students are taught subjects such as mapping, environmental science, drawing skills, material properties, and also surveying.

After you finish your undergraduate degree, you will then be qualified to work as an Engineer in Training (EIT) for some years prior to receiving your P. Eng which is known as a professional engineering designation in Canada. You may also decide to continue with your graduate degree. Having said that, here are the 10 best universities in Canada for civil engineering students.

Best Universities in Canada for Civil Engineering

  1. University of Toronto

One of the leading universities that have a well-structured program for civil engineering students in Canada is the University of Toronto. The University of Toronto is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Canada’s largest city.

Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto has evolved into Canada’s leading institution of learning, discovery, and knowledge creation. The civil engineering department of the University of Toronto started in 1873.

They offer a variety of research programs as well as undergraduate specializations. The University of Toronto is located in one of Canada’s largest urban centers hence they are able to provide students with many opportunities for hands-on research and study.

  1. University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo (UWaterloo or Waterloo) has its major campus in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The university also operates three satellite campuses and four affiliated university colleges. The university offers academic programs that are conducted by six faculties and thirteen faculty-based schools.

The civil engineering program of the University of Waterloo is one of Canada’s largest programs of its type, and students in this department specialize in learning niches such as how to design infrastructure elements like bridges, highways, and dams among others.

Part of the package for civil engineering students at the University of Waterloo includes access to high-tech simulation labs as well as the opportunity to build a concrete canoe for the Canadian National Concrete Canoe Competition.

Please note that when you are admitted to study civil engineering at the University of Waterloo, you will get the opportunity to participate in six co-op terms where they can test various career options. Aside from that, the average student at the University of Waterloo earns $22.92 an hour to help pay their tuition costs.

  1. Concordia University

Concordia University is a university that is based in the eastern Canadian province of Quebec, in the city of Montreal. Concordia University offers the usual four-year civil engineering degree program with the option to specialize in three different options in the third year of studies.

Concordia University gives civil engineering students the option to choose civil infrastructure, which focuses on the design of bridges, dams, and other large structures; the environmental option, which focuses on designing water treatment and waste treatment systems; and construction engineering and management, which teaches engineering knowledge essential to the construction industry. Concordia also offers an MSc, an MEng, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering.

  1. University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is amongst the best universities for international students who want to study in Canada. The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia.

Established in 1908, it is British Columbia’s oldest university. The university ranks among the top three universities in Canada. With an annual research budget of $759 million, UBC funds over 8,000 projects a year.

Please note that in order to be admitted to the civil engineering program at the University of British Columbia, students must have completed one year of general engineering studies at the University or at another college with a transfer program.

The university also has many available batches for students hoping to pursue certain technical specialties, such as geotechnical engineering and materials engineering. Civil engineering students at the University of British Columbia have the opportunity to do a semester at another university and this is also available for students who are only interested in enrolling in the exchange programs.

  1. University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is among the best universities to study civil engineering in Canada. The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, the university’s first president. It was enabled through the Post-secondary Learning Act.

The University of Alberta school of engineering has several faculties, and this includes the faculty of civil engineering. The civil engineering faculty’s state-of-the-art research equipment has attracted nothing less than 900 undergraduate students as well as over 500 graduate students who are actively working as qualified civil engineers.

Students at the University of Alberta are admitted into the civil engineering program after one year of common core engineering courses.

Students have the option of choosing between a regular four-year degree program and the cooperative education program. Please note that you will study for an extra year if you choose the cooperative education degree because this degree gives students an opportunity for 18 months of work experience in the industry.

  1. Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University is amongst the best universities for students who want to study civil engineering in Canada. Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a big public research university that is located in Nova Scotia province, Canada.

The university has three campuses in Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, and second medical school campus in Saint John, New Brunswick. Dalhousie has over 4,000 courses, and 180-degree programs in 12 undergraduate, graduate, and professional faculties. Dalhousie University is a proud member of the U15. (the U15 is a group of research-intensive based universities in Canada).

Dalhousie University has three campuses within the Halifax Peninsula and a fourth, the Agricultural Campus, in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia. The civil engineering department of Dalhousie University has over 200 undergraduate students pursuing their BEng degrees and 90 graduate students working to obtain their MEng, MSc, and Ph.D. degrees.

Just like every other engineering school in Canada, all engineering students are mandated to complete a year of common first-year engineering courses before they can apply to study civil engineering at Dalhousie University. Students who have gained admission into the civil engineering program at Dalhousie University must choose between an infrastructure option and an earth and environment option.

It is important to note that Dalhousie University, gives students the choice to choose between a traditional four-year degree and a five-year co-op degree. This option gives students the choice to decide if they want to complete their degree quicker or acquire paid work experience during their studies.

  1. McGill University

McGill University is yet another ideal university for international students who want to study in Canada. McGill University is an English-language public research university that is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The university was founded in 1821 by a royal charter granted by King George IV, the university bears the name of James McGill, a Scottish merchant whose bequest in 1813 formed the university’s precursor. In 1885, the university officially changed its name to McGill University.

The civil engineering department of McGill University provides an opportunity for aspiring civil engineers to receive robust training and education via courses such as soil mechanics, fluid mechanics, environmental engineering, and structural engineering.

Once students are done with the basic civil engineering foundational courses at McGill University, they can choose an area of specialization to obtain in-depth knowledge in an area of their choice. Civil engineering students at McGill University can decide to specialize in environmental engineering, transportation engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, or water resources engineering.

  1. Queen’s University

Queen’s University is another public research university located in Kingston, Ontario that is among the best universities to study civil engineering in Canada. Queen’s University is highly-ranked in Canada for student experience, taking an inclusive approach and offering learning beyond the classroom.

Queen’s University offers Bachelors’, Masters and Doctoral degrees in civil engineering. Interestingly, the university’s civil engineering program is designed to give students strong foundational knowledge in a variety of areas. One good selling point of Queen’s University is that they pay serious attention to the sustainability of both the natural and built environment, which is a field of focus for those working in civil engineering research.

In addition, the civil engineering school of Queen’s University is home to multiple high-tech research facilities such as the Kennedy Field Station (a water facility), the Coastal Engineering Laboratory, and the Beaty Water Research Centre. Class sizes are small compared to other engineering schools and an additional Job Network is available to help students find employment after graduation.

  1. University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is a public research university that is located in the city of Calgary in the western province of Alberta. No doubt, the University of Calgary is one of the best universities to study civil engineering in Canada. The university has 5 minor options under the civil engineering program: biomedical engineering, digital engineering, energy and environment, structural engineering, and transportation engineering.

Interestingly, undergraduate civil engineering students at the University of Calgary can get a joint Bachelor of Commerce degree alongside their engineering degree. Students who already bagged B.Engr. can apply for their MSc, an MEng, or a Ph.D. in civil engineering.

Please note that aspiring civil engineering students at the University of Calgary must apply to enter the Schulich School of Engineering first.

When you are accepted to study civil engineering at the University of Calgary, students must complete common first-year courses before applying to enter civil engineering. Acceptance criteria to study civil engineering at the University of Calgary are based on your first-year grades and you should note that it is usually competitive.

  1. Western University

The University of Western Ontario (UWO; branded as Western University and commonly shortened to Western) is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on 455 hectares (1,120 acres) of land, surrounded by residential neighborhoods and the Thames River bisecting the campus’s eastern portion.

The university operates twelve academic faculties and schools. It is a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada. The civil engineering school of Western University is known for its excellent research programs on an international level as well as its outstanding academic courses.

As a matter of fact, one of the advantages of studying civil engineering at Western University is the fourth-year design project all students must complete. The project itself is held in partnership with the City of London, and students receive the mentorship of professional consulting engineers and other faculty advisors during the duration of the project.

In Conclusion,

If you are lucky to gain admission to study civil engineering in any of the universities listed above, you are sure going to get the best education and you will be among the top earners as a civil engineer that is practicing in Canada. Civil engineers usually earn between $26.44/hour and $62.98/hour in Canada. The average salary for a Civil Engineer is $75076 per year in Canada.