Matthew Hough, Chief Engineer, Canadian High Arctic Research Station

Some people grow up aspiring to be public servants, while others discover the wide array of opportunities in the public service later in life. When Matthew Hough was younger, he didn’t aspire to be a public servant at all. In fact, his father encouraged him to pursue a career in engineering. Hough followed his father’s advice and found his niche at the University of Alberta, where he studied Civil Engineering and worked as the National Director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

It wasn’t until Hough landed his first job out of university designing infrastructure in 13 communities for a new territory (now known as Nunavut) that he realized he found his calling as both an engineer and a public servant.

Hough’s career as a civil engineer has taken him around both northern and southern Canada, producing fond memories of his dynamic 20-year career. Some highlights include building infrastructure for Iqaluit, consulting in the Northwest Territories, and managing the National Assessment of First Nations Water and Wastewater Systems at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC).

“Working in the public service offers a level of security and opportunity that is not fully replicated in the private sector. Having said that, to be an effective public servant, it helps to have a breadth of experience,” said Hough.

It is that breadth of experience that prepared Hough for his current position as the Chief Engineer of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) project in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Led by INAC, CHARS will be a world-class hub for science and technology research in the Arctic, and the future home of Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR). The Government of Canada first announced plans to establish the Station in 2007, and construction started on schedule in 2014 following a feasibility study and consultations with Indigenous organizations, academia, the private sector, and territorial governments.

Hough credits the successful progress of the Station to the community of Cambridge Bay and the residents who were keen to collaborate on the project. “I visited Cambridge Bay before working on CHARS, and I always wanted to return. It’s a regional hub that has retained its Northern charm,” said Hough.

INAC and the architects chosen to design the campus hosted numerous consultations for Cambridge Bay residents to provide input on the design and functions of the Station. The result is an innovative campus design that draws inspiration from Inuit culture. The Station’s Main Research Building consists of curved shapes similar to the Qaggiq, the traditional gathering space for Inuit; and also includes a Knowledge Sharing Centre inspired by the principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, the pillars of traditional knowledge, to facilitate exchanges between scientists and community members. CHARS is also a registered candidate for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification for excellence in green building.

Hough says that the most rewarding aspect of working on the CHARS project is, “the difference that we are making in real time and the potential opportunities we are facilitating for the future.” The project has contributed to Inuit-owned firms through Inuit Benefits Plans, which include funding for employment, on-the-job training, and subcontracting to Inuit-owned firms.

Hough is looking forward to the final phase of the project and his next steps in what has been a fulfilling career thus far. He encourages younger engineers to think about a career in the public service, and offers succinct advice on what it takes to succeed: “problem-solving, a practical perspective, and patience.”

CHARS will open in time for Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2017. The campus will be the headquarters of POLAR, the federal organization mandated to advance knowledge of the Canadian Arctic and strengthen Canada’s leadership on Arctic issues.