The Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) recently announced the extension of the deadline for applications to August 31, 2013.
Members who wish to participate must contact Jonathan Fitzpatrick. NOTE: If you have already indicated your participation, no further action is required.
Further information from PEO:
To follow-up on the communications PEO has had with you on the repeal of the industrial exception, I wanted to share an update on the effective date of the repeal.
PEO has just learned that yesterday, the Ontario government extended by six months to September 1, 2013 the effective date for the repeal of section 12(3)(a) of the Professional Engineers Act, also known as the industrial exception to licence. A media release will be issued shortly that we will share with you. More detailed information is available at engineeringinontario.ca and www.peo.on.ca/Committees/RIETF/RIETF.html.
With the goal of improving workplace safety and efficiency in Ontario, as well as harmonizing engineering regulation across Canada, government, industry and PEO have been working together toward a smooth transition since the repeal received Royal Assent on October 25, 2010. With the government’s decision to provide a further six-month extension, companies, affected employees and PEO can now spend more time working together to ensure preparedness.
What does this mean?
- If you, your company, or someone you know has already filed a compliance plan with PEO, that plan continues to be in effect and the compliance period has now been extended from March 1, 2014 to September 1, 2014. What this means is that affected employees who are applying for licence now have six more months until August 31, 2014 to ensure they obtain that licence. Those companies with an accepted compliance plan now have until September 1, 2014 to ensure that either licensed employees do professional engineering work, or P.Eng. licence holders supervise, review and take responsibility for their work. PEO continues to provide EIT seminars on licence requirements and to administer its professional practice exam (PPE) at job sites for groups of at least 20 people. To arrange these services, please send an email to consultwithus@peo.on.ca.
- If you, your company, or someone you know has not yet assessed whether the repeal of the industrial exception affects you or them, or put together a compliance plan, you or they now have an additional six months until August 31, 2013 to be prepared. What this means is that the new deadline for compliance plans and new licence applications is August 31, 2013. If you, your company, or someone you know chooses not to file a compliance plan, you or they must ensure that after September 1, 2013 only licensed employees perform professional engineering work, or P.Eng. licence holders supervise, review and take responsibility for their work. PEO continues to be available to assist those who might be affected with seminars covering how to interpret what qualifies as professional engineering work and the details of the compliance program. To contact PEO for this help, please send us an email at consultwithus@peo.on.ca.
How is PEO continuing to support affected employees?
- To provide financial support, PEO will continue to extend its Financial Credit Program (FCP) to all employees applying for a licence between September 21, 2012 and August 31, 2013 and who are named in their employer’s compliance plan. This program reduces the cost of becoming licensed by almost 50 per cent by waiving the licence application or reinstatement fees and enables first-time P.Eng. licence applicants to enrol for free for one year in the Engineering Intern Program (EIT). Applicants applying under a compliance plan should not include payment of their application or reinstatement fees with their application and should indicate on their application that they are applying “under a compliance plan”.
- Throughout the transition period to September 1, 2014, PEO will continue to assist with the interpretation of what qualifies as professional engineering work, with EIT seminars on licence requirements, and with administering its professional practice exams (PPE) at job sites for groups of at least 20 people.
How can affected employees receive an additional year to become compliant?
Under section 88 of Ontario Regulation 941, employees and companies who choose licensure as their way to comply will continue to have up to one year to obtain the licence. This period will now begin on September 1, 2013 and end on September 1, 2014. To qualify, employers must submit to PEO no later than August 31, 2013 a Request for Exemption form along with a list of names of unlicensed employees seeking to be licensed. As well, all unlicensed employees named on their employer’s Request for Exemption form must apply to PEO for a P.Eng., Limited or Temporary Licence no later than August 31, 2013.
What has been the communication process to date?
Prior to October 2010, government consultation occurred through public hearings on August 3, 2010 at the Ontario government Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Presentations were received from stakeholders that included the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and the Ontario Forest Industries Association. To read transcripts of the hearings, click here. Since October 2010, PEO has sent communications to over 110 industry associations, hosted public meetings in close to 80 per cent of the province and assisted numerous companies to identify any impacts and prepare compliance plans as necessary. A summary of this outreach can be found by visiting www.peo.on.ca.
If you have any questions on the above information, Jonathan Fitzpatrick would be more than pleased to answer them. Thank you for all your efforts to understand this change and work toward compliance.
Working Together For The Public Good
Note: Link to list of Executive embedded in CRPEG Executive.