Professional Engineers

Traditionally, engineers have worked in fields such as mining, industrial, transportation, communications, chemical, aeronautical and civil engineering. Increasingly, engineers are also practising in new areas involving other professions and disciplines.

Under the Ontario Professional Engineers Act, professional engineering is defined as "any act of designing, composing, evaluating, advising, reporting, directing or supervising wherein the safeguarding of life, health, property or the public welfare is concerned and that requires the application of engineering principles."

In Ontario, engineering is a self-regulated profession, like law and medicine.

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) licenses professional engineers, and sets standards for and regulates engineering practice in Ontario so that the public interest is served and protected. PEO also protects the public by disciplining licence holders who do not maintain the profession's high technical and ethical standards, and by ensuring that only those who are properly qualified practise engineering or lead others to believe they are qualified to practise.

As members of PEO, professional engineers have a responsibility to safeguard public health, safety and welfare. They can be identified by the title "P.Eng." after their names. This means they are licensed to practise engineering, subscribe to a code of ethics, have met the highest standards and are qualified through rigorous training and experience.

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