Professional Engineers Ontario’s mandate, as given in the Professional Engineers Act, is to make sure that the public is protected and that individuals and companies providing engineering services upload a strict code of professional conduct and ethics.

Among other regulatory activities, Professional Engineers Ontario protects and serves the public by doing dispute resolution and hearings.

Types of tribunals:

Discipline:

The Discipline Committee (DIC) hears and determines professional misconduct or incompetence allegations against a PEO licence holder (Professional Engineers (P.Eng), temporary licence, limited licence, or provisional licence) or a holder of a Certificate of Authorization.

The DIC’s jurisdiction starts upon a decision of the Complaints Committee, Council, or Executive Committee to refer a case to the DIC for determination. The DIC also hears applications by licence holders applying for licences or Certificates of Authorization after a prior revocation and suspension. The parties to a discipline proceeding are organized in the Professional Engineers Act.

Fees Mediation:

The Fees Mediation Committee (FMC) is responsible for handling fee disputes between PEO licence and Certificate of Authorization holders and their clients. The fees mediation and arbitration processes are for clients of engineering companies wishing to dispute fees charged for professional engineering services. The FMC may either mediate or arbitrate fee disputes between the clients of a professional engineering company and the company, as an alternative to legal action taken through the court system.

Registration:

The Registration Committee does formal hearings between the Registrar and applicants for licensure. An applicant who has got a Notice of Proposal to refuse to issue a licence from the Registrar may request a hearing by the Registration Committee. At a hearing, a candidate needs to demonstrate that they had got the Registrar’s Notice of Proposal to refuse and fulfill the requirements that are under the Professional Engineers Act and its Regulations, or, that the applicant must be granted an exemption and will engage in the practice of the professional engineering, with integrity and competency.

Complaints Review Councillor:

The final decision is the decision of the Complaints Committee not to refer, or refer, a complaint to the Discipline Committee. There is not any statutory appeal lying from the decisions of the Complaints Committee. A decision of the Complaints Committee comes with a Notice advising the complainant of the right to apply to the PEO Canada Complaints Review Councillor.