St. Catharines resident fined $5,000 for use of professional engineer's seal

TORONTO, March 27, 2024 /CNW/ - The Ontario Court of Justice at Welland, Ontario fined a St. Catharines resident $5,000 for applying a facsimile of a professional engineer's seal to design drawings without the knowledge or consent of the professional engineer.

Canadian Steel Fabricators and its principal, Himzo Murselovic, applied an engineer's seal to a set of as-built steel structural drawings without the engineer's knowledge or consent, in connection with a restaurant to be built in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

On March 7, 2024, Murselovic pled guilty to one count of breaching section 40(2)(c) and one count of breaching section 40(3)(b) of the Professional Engineers Act in connection with this conduct. His  Worship Ronald Whalen imposed a $5,000 fine on Murselovic. Regarding the count under section 40(3)(b), Murselovic received a suspended sentence and a two-year probation order. Because this sentence was suspended, if PEO learns that Murselovic has breached the Act or the other terms of its probation order, it may return to court to make sentencing submissions on the original conviction, including fines that should be imposed, at that time.

Emily Fraser (counsel) from the Toronto law firm Polley Faith LLP, represented PEO on the matter. PEO would like to thank the engineer for their cooperation in this investigation.

PEO reminds the public that the unauthorized use or forgery of a professional engineer's seal on construction or design drawings is a quasi-criminal offence under the Professional Engineers Act. Such conduct may also result in criminal charges under the Criminal Code of Canada.

Professional Engineers Ontario administers the Professional Engineers Act to serve and protect the public interest by licensing Ontario's 90,000 individual practitioners and engineering firms. Professional engineers can be identified by the P.Eng. after their names. When retaining the services of an engineer or engineering firm, the public may search the directories of licensed professional engineers and authorized professional engineering companies at peo.on.ca/directory. Inquiries regarding unlicensed individuals and unauthorized companies may be made to PEO through its enforcement hotline at 416-840-1444 or 1-800-339-3716 ext 1444 or the e-mail address [email protected].

SOURCE Professional Engineers Ontario