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 licence and practice statuses do I need to be eligible for a PEO Consulting Engineer designation?
You must have both a licence status of “Eligible to practise” and practice status of “Practising” to be eligible for a PEO Consulting Engineer designation.
What licence and practice statuses do I need to be eligible as a designated person for a PEO certificate of authorization?
You must have both a licence status of “Eligible to practise” and practice status of “Practising” to be eligible to be a designated licence holder for a PEO certificate of authorization.
If I am not practising, can I still use the licence seal to stamp engineering documents?
No, if you are not practising—either because you self-declared as “Not practising” or your licence is suspended—you are not permitted to use the licence seal. You should only use the licence seal to stamp engineering documents when you are practising and confirming your responsibility for the work.
If I am not practising, can I still use the P.Eng. title?
Yes, you can use the P.Eng. title when you hold a P.Eng. licence; but you cannot use the P.Eng. title while your licence is suspended.
What is my Practice Status?
Your practice status reflects whether you are currently engaged in the practice of professional engineering in Ontario. Two practice status options are available: “Practising” and “Not Practising.” Practice statuses are displayed in your private PEO portal account.
What is my Licence Status?
Your licence status reflects whether PEO allows you to practise professional engineering, and there are two licence status options available: “Eligible to practise” and “Not currently eligible to practise.” Licence statuses are displayed on the public-facing PEO directory.
What is the practice of professional engineering?
The Professional Engineers Act describes the practice of professional engineering as: “any act of planning, designing, composing, evaluating, advising, reporting, directing or supervising that requires the application of engineering principles and concerns the safeguarding of life, health, property, economic interests, the public welfare or the environment, or the managing of any such act.” If your work—paid or unpaid—involves any of these elements, you are practising professional engineering.
Does my validator have to be a P.Eng?
For engineering work experience gained in Canada, the validator must be a professional engineer (P.Eng.) who was registered during the work period they are validating. For experience gained outside of Canada, it is expected that they will be a senior engineering practitioner.
It is preferred that any validator who is not a P.Eng. and is validating international experience, be a senior engineering practitioner and licensed as an engineer in their jurisdiction. PEO may request information to support their engineering qualifications, which may include proof of academic and engineering credentials, and professional designation during the assessment process.
In the CBA applicant's guide, it states that a validator is not usually a family member. I was working in a family-owned company, and my supervisor was a relative (and an engineer). How should I proceed with my application?
We are updating the CBA for clarity on this particular point to note that a family member working with a candidate can be a validator.
Should an applicant and validator review CBA ratings together before submission to PEO?
Validators should rate competencies in confidence to PEO. Candidate self-assessments and validator ratings are to be submitted to PEO independently.