A PEO complaint starts when a complainant files a Complaint Form with supporting evidence against a licensed engineering practitioner. PEO investigates the alleged failure to meet professional and ethical obligations under the Professional Engineers Act. Before proceeding further, an investigator may attempt alternative dispute resolution if both parties agree. If unresolved, the Complaints Committee reviews the matter, and serious cases proceed to a formal hearing before the Discipline Committee, with a right of appeal to the Divisional Court.
- A complaint starts with a Complaint Form and supporting documentary evidence submitted against a licensed engineering practitioner.
- PEO investigates alleged failures to meet professional and ethical obligations under the Professional Engineers Act.
- Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) may be offered before a complaint reaches the Complaints Committee, but only if both parties agree.
- The Complaints Committee can ask a member to address concerns through a voluntary undertaking — a legal document kept on file.
- If a voluntary undertaking is not accepted or appropriate, the matter can be directed to the Discipline Committee for a formal hearing.
- Members have the right to appeal a discipline decision to the Divisional Court of Ontario.
How a Complaint Is Filed
A complaint against a licensed engineering practitioner — a P.Eng. member, or a holder of a limited, temporary, or provisional licence, or a Certificate of Authorization — starts when a complainant submits a Complaint Form to Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), together with documentary evidence supporting the concerns raised.
The Investigation
PEO investigates whether the licence holder failed to meet their professional and ethical obligations under the Professional Engineers Act. This can involve reviewing engineering work product, project records, correspondence, and obtaining a response from the member about the allegations.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Before a complaint reaches the Complaints Committee, an investigator may propose alternative dispute resolution (ADR) — a process aimed at resolving a concern that may not be well suited to the formal complaints and discipline process. Importantly, ADR is voluntary: it only proceeds if both the complainant and the engineer member agree to it.
Where appropriate, ADR can resolve a complaint without the time, cost, and public record implications of a full discipline hearing — but it is not available or appropriate for every type of complaint.
The Complaints Committee
Where a matter is not resolved through ADR, the Complaints Committee reviews it and may ask the member to explain how they plan to address the concerns raised, or improve their procedures going forward. If accepted, this becomes a voluntary undertaking — a legal document kept on file with PEO. If a voluntary undertaking is deemed unacceptable, or the concerns are too serious for that resolution, the matter can instead be directed to the Discipline Committee.
Even short of a formal discipline finding, a voluntary undertaking becomes a permanent part of a member's regulatory file — it should not be treated as a purely informal resolution.
The Discipline Hearing
Where a complaint is referred to the Discipline Committee, a formal hearing follows court-like procedures, typically held at PEO's offices. Both the complainant and the engineer may be asked to testify, and lawyers are normally present for both sides given the formality of the process.
A client complains that a Toronto structural engineer sealed drawings without adequately reviewing a subcontractor's calculations. After investigation, the engineer and PEO agree to attempt ADR, resulting in a voluntary undertaking to implement stricter internal review procedures — avoiding a contested discipline hearing while still addressing the underlying concern.
Appealing to the Divisional Court
A member found to have committed professional misconduct or incompetence has the right to appeal the decision to the Divisional Court of Ontario — a broader right of judicial recourse available across most Ontario regulatory colleges. See our related guide on appealing a professional discipline decision for the general framework and deadlines that apply.
Call our Toronto regulatory defence lawyers at 416-274-2222 for a confidential consultation about a PEO complaint or investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
By completing and submitting a Complaint Form to PEO, along with documentary evidence supporting their concerns about the engineering practitioner's professional conduct.
Complaints alleging that a licence holder — a member, or a holder of a limited, temporary, or provisional licence, or a Certificate of Authorization — failed to meet the professional and ethical obligations set out in the Professional Engineers Act.
ADR is a voluntary process an investigator may propose before a complaint reaches the Complaints Committee, aimed at resolving an issue where it may not be well-suited to the formal complaints and discipline process. It proceeds only if both the complainant and the engineer agree.
It is a written commitment by a member to address the Complaints Committee's concerns — for example, by improving certain procedures — which becomes a legal document kept on file with PEO. If an undertaking is not accepted or is deemed unacceptable, the matter may proceed to the Discipline Committee instead.
A formal hearing following court-like procedures is held, typically at PEO's offices, where both the complainant and the engineer may be asked to testify, and lawyers are normally present for both sides.
Yes. A practitioner found to have committed professional misconduct or incompetence has the right to appeal the Discipline Committee's decision to the Divisional Court of Ontario.
Outcomes can range from a reprimand and conditions on a licence to suspension or revocation, depending on the severity of the finding — see our general guide on discipline penalties across Ontario's regulated professions for the fuller range of possible outcomes.