Equivalent "Responsible Charge" requirements in Canada?

[jjl317]

Do the various provincial P. Eng rules in Canada include anything similar to the more specific "responsible charge" requirements used by many US states, where the engineer stamping the project must be in charge of the development of the drawings, calculations, etc. ? I know each state is somewhat different, but I am thinking of language like the NSPE attached?




While I am in the US, I have some upcoming discussions with a Canadian firm, and I am trying to understand where they might be coming from.

Thanks

 

[canwesteng]

Generally, the term is supervision in Canada, not responsible charge. In practice it is more or less the same, no one should be rubber stamping drawings at the end of the project.

 

[Geoff13]

I have been licensed in five or six of the provinces over the years. I seem to remember they all have something to say about this, but they are quite varied. I suspect the more recent the revision to their guidelines the closer they read like this NSPE statement.

I would advise looking up the rules for the specific province. I would start my search by looking for their stamping or sealing or authenticating rules.

 

[jmec87]

In Alberta, the requirement is for the P.Eng. to "have completed, performed a thorough review of, or directly supervised and controlled the engineering or geoscience work and accept professional responsibility for the engineering or geoscience involved."

The last option is similar to "responsible charge".

The option to stamp based on a "thorough review" (and accepting professional responsibility for the work) is allowed in Alberta (and likely in other Canadian jurisdictions; check the jurisdiction relevant to you), but it might not be allowed in some US jurisdictions.

See the Alberta practice standard at https://www.apega.ca/about-apega/pu...nes/authenticating-professional-work-products

 

[STpipe]

Ontario seems to have something similar. The guide by PEO "Assuming Responsibility and Supervising Engineering Work Guideline" states:

"[...]there may be situations where engineers are required to assume responsibility for work that has been prepared by others outside of the province. These situations could place the Ontario engineer in a predicament, unless the engineer has clear authority and sufficient available information to re-perform substantial portions of the engineering work, make any needed revisions, communicate with the original designers, and potentially completely redesign a project, if required."

https://www.peo.on.ca/sites/default/files/2019-11/Assumingresponsibilityandsupervisingengineeringworkguideline.pdf

The document also outlines the necessary steps for appropriate supervision.