Staff Spotlight: Elie Tugirimana, Maintenance Supervisor
Welcome to our monthly check-in with staff from across the facilities. Learn more about the people who work at REIP. This month we sit down with Elie Tugirimana, Maintenance Supervisor at our Head Office.
- Role: Maintenance Supervisor
- Location: Head Office
- With REIP since: May 2025
Tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to REIP.
I trained as a mechanic and spent years working on engines before moving into supervisory roles. When REIP offered me the Maintenance Supervisor position at the head office, I saw a chance to use everything I had learned on the ground, but from a wider view. Instead of working on one vehicle or one machine at a time, I now oversee the systems and equipment that make accurate emission testing possible across our centres. It felt like a natural next step, taking hands-on experience and turning it into something that supports a whole program.
What's been one of your proudest moments working at REIP?
Rolling out a preventive maintenance schedule for our testing equipment across multiple sites stands out. Before that, issues were handled as they came up, which meant downtime and delays. Getting every site aligned on a proactive routine, and watching equipment reliability improve as a result, was deeply satisfying. It meant fewer disruptions for technicians and more consistent, trustworthy results for the drivers we serve.
What is your favorite thing about your career?
The variety keeps me sharp. One day I am reviewing maintenance logs and planning equipment servicing, the next I am training technicians on proper handling of testing tools, and another day I am troubleshooting a technical fault that is holding up an entire testing line. Supervising means I still get my hands dirty when needed, but I also get to think about how to make the whole operation run smoother.
In your experience, what skills are most crucial to succeeding at REIP?
Organization is essential. With multiple sites and pieces of equipment to track, nothing can slip through the cracks. Leadership matters just as much, since guiding a team of technicians means setting the standard through example, not just instruction. And problem solving under pressure is non-negotiable. Equipment does not fail on a convenient schedule, so staying calm and finding a fix quickly keeps everything moving.
Who is someone you admire, and why?
I admire the senior technicians who trained me early in my career. They never rushed an explanation, even when I asked the same question three times. That patience shaped the way I lead today. When I am training or mentoring technicians now, I try to give them the same room to learn that I was given.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring three things, what would they be and why?
A multi-tool, because fixing and building things is second nature to me and I would need it for shelter and gear. A solar-powered radio, to hold onto some connection with the outside world and keep my mind occupied. And a large pot, because clean water and cooked food would matter more than anything else once the initial excitement of survival wore off.
Testing vehicles is precise work. Behind every accurate result is equipment that has been checked, serviced and cared for by people like Elie.
Want to join the team behind cleaner air and safer roads? Get in touch with REIP to learn about opportunities across our centres.