We provide resources to assist our stakeholders in understanding our regulatory role and how we protect the public interest.
As part of its regulatory mandate, PEO establishes, maintains and develops: standards of knowledge and skill; standards of practice for the profession; standards of professional ethics; and promotes public awareness of its role. The following are resources to assist PEO stakeholders--licence holders, applicants, and the public--in understanding their roles and responsibilities and the regulator’s work protecting the public interest.
Resources
Ontario professional engineers are part of a community of more than 87,500 PEO licence and certificate holders committed to enhancing the quality of life, safety and well-being in the province.
As Ontario’s engineering regulator, PEO relies heavily on its volunteers. More than 1,000 professional engineers, engineering interns and non-engineers volunteer their time each year on behalf of the association through their participation.
PEO's mandate, as described in the Professional Engineers Act, is to ensure that the public is protected and that individuals and companies providing engineering services uphold a strict code of professional ethics and conduct.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "providing services to the public" mean? Who is the public?
The term "providing professional engineering services to the public" is used in conjunction with two specific regulatory issues mentioned in the Professional Engineers Act: the sealing of engineering documents and the need for a Certificate of Authorization. A P.Eng. is providing professional engineering services when s/he undertakes any of the activities considered to be within the practice of professional engineering for the benefit of an employer or 'the public'. For the purposes of all regulatory directives regarding engineering practice 'the public' is considered to be anyone other than him/herself or the professional engineer's employer. Therefore, a P.Eng. is providing professional engineering services to the public when the work is done for the benefit of an individual, corporation, government or other entity that is not the engineer's employer. Work done by a professional engineer solely for the employer's use within the employer's domain is not considered to be work done for the public even if the employer is a public institution such as provincial or municipal governments, school boards, or crown corporations. However, if the work involves the practice of professional engineering it must be done by or supervised by a P.Eng. even if it is solely for the employer's benefit.
When do I need to use my seal?
Section 53 of Regulation 941 of the Professional Engineers Act states that "[e]very holder of a licence, temporary licence or limited licence who provides to the public a service that is within the practice of professional engineering shall sign, date and affix the holder's seal to every final drawing, specification, plan, report or other document prepared or checked by the holder as part of the service before it is issued." For more information, please see the Use of the Professional Engineer’s Seal guideline.
How can I replace my iron ring?
PEO does not have any affiliation with the iron ring. The iron ring is associated with the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer and is administered to engineering students upon graduation at an Obligation Ceremony. You can find out more about the iron ring and how to obtain one by visiting www.ironring.ca.
What happens if someone uses the title “engineer” without being licensed?
If a person uses the title “professional engineer”, or “engineer”, or any other occupational title that might lead to the belief that the person is qualified to practice professional engineering, or uses a seal that leads to the belief that the person is an engineer, PEO will prosecute the matter through provincial court. Fines for people found guilty can range from $10,000 for a first offence, to $50,000 for repeat offences.
What happens when PEO receives a complaint involving engineering work?
PEO has the power to discipline professional engineers found guilty of professional misconduct. The association can also take action against unlicensed individuals who illegally describe themselves as engineers. Similarly, the association can prosecute companies or entities that illegally offer or provide engineering services to the public. PEO may hold a hearing, which works much like a court case: PEO is the prosecutor; the engineer is the defendant; the PEO Discipline Committee is judge and jury. If the Discipline Committee finds the engineer guilty, it imposes a penalty. The penalty might involve revocation or suspension of the license, payment of a fine and/or publishing of the licensee’s name in PEO’s official journal. Publishing of the licensee’s name is mandatory if the license is revoked or suspended.
I’ve been asked to do a review of another engineer's work. What are my obligations to that engineer?
Obligations of one engineer to another are described in the Code of Ethics, Section 77 of Regulation 941. Peer review is covered in subsection 77(7) (ii) which states that a practitioner shall "not accept an engagement to review the work of another practitioner for the same employer except with the knowledge of the other practitioner or except where the connection of the other practitioner with the work has been terminated". In other words, if the P. Eng. who did the work is still involved with the project, the reviewing engineer must inform the first engineer that his or her work is being reviewed. It is best to do this in writing. For more information, please see the guideline: Professional Engineers Reviewing Work Prepared by Another Professional Engineer.
I've just left a consulting firm that has downsized and changed owners. Should I keep any drawings and other documents and for how long? And what are my obligations to previous clients?
If you were not an owner of the consulting firm then you do not need to keep drawings or other documents. In fact, you should return those you do have to the firm or ask their permission if you want to keep some documents. Generally, since you were an employee, you do not have any contractual obligations to previous clients. For instance, you do not need to answer questions about ongoing or past projects. You can provide assistance if you wish and if it is compatible with legal and ethical obligations to your past employer. Your professional obligations to the client, however, continue even after leaving employment.
Does the iron ring make me an engineer?
No. Upon graduation, you may call yourself an engineering graduate, not an engineer.
The iron ring is associated with the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer and is administered to engineering students upon graduation at an Obligation Ceremony. PEO does not have any affiliation with the iron ring. You can find out more about the iron ring and how to obtain one by visiting www.ironring.ca.
What is the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE)?
The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is a member-interest advocacy body whose mandate is to advance the professional and economic interests of professional engineers in Ontario, and to look after non-regulatory matters for the profession. OSPE was created as a legal entity in April 2000 with the support of PEO and the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, the arm of government with the responsibility for regulating engineering in this province.
OSPE seeks to:
- advance the professional and economic interests of professional engineers;
- raise awareness of the role of professional engineers;
- enhance the profession’s image;
- and act as a strong voice on behalf of professional engineers in Ontario.
You can find our more about OSPE on their website.
How can I be sure that someone is a professional engineer?
You can search for all licence holders, holders of the certificate of authorization and consulting engineers using PEO's directory.
If you have concerns about either the work of an engineer, or suspect that a person or a company is practicing engineering and may not be licensed, you can contact PEO's Enforcement Hotline at: 416-224-9528 ext.1444 or 1-800-339-3716 ext. 1444.