Engineering Licensing Body Obtains Order Against Windsor Area Man and his Company

Toronto – (May 30, 2011) – Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) has obtained an Order under the Professional Engineers Act in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against Banabdallah Chouchaoui (Chouchaoui) and Windsor Industrial Development Laboratory Inc. (Windsor) of Windsor, Ontario. PEO alleged in an application before the court that Chouchaoui had held himself out as being a professional engineer and had used the designation “P.Eng.” without being licensed by PEO and that Windsor held itself out as an engineering firm without holding a Certificate of Authorization (C of A). 
 
Chouchaoui has never held a licence and neither he nor Windsor has ever held a C of A with PEO.  
 
PEO brought the application after receiving complaints from prospective clients, who reported that Chouchaoui had misrepresented himself as a professional engineer by using the term “P.Eng.” in promotional materials and had also described Windsor as an “engineering firm”.  
 
After reviewing the affidavit evidence and hearing from Symon Zucker of the law firm of Danson & Zucker, counsel for PEO, and from Chouchaoui, the Honourable Mr. Justice Strathy ordered that Chouchaoui refrain from using the title “engineer”, “professional engineer” and “P.Eng.” or any abbreviations or variations as a business designation unless or until he obtains a licence from PEO. 
 
Both Chouchaoui and Windsor were also ordered to refrain from offering or providing professional engineering services to the public, unless or until they obtain a C of A from PEO. 
 
Under the Professional Engineers Act, a public protection statute, only individuals who are licensed as professional engineers by PEO or hold a temporary licence from PEO may represent themselves as professional engineers, engage in the practice of professional engineering and be in the business of providing to the public in Ontario services that are within the practice of professional engineering or use the title “professional engineer” or the abbreviation “P.Eng.” 
 About Professional Engineers Ontario Through the Professional Engineers Act, PEO governs over 80,000 licence and certificate holders and regulates professional engineering in Ontario to serve and protect the public. Professional engineering safeguards life, health, property, economic interests, the public welfare and the environment. Professional engineers can be identified by the P.Eng. after their names. 
 
 
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For additional information or interviews, please contact:  Eric Newton, Manager of Litigation, Regulatory Compliance, (416) 840-1071; 1-800-339-3716, ext. 1071; [email protected].