Disciplinary Council

The Disciplinary Council receives complaints against members of the OIQ or a person who was a member at the time of the infraction. These complaints may concern all ethical aspects of the practice for offences related to the Code des professions, the Engineers Act or the regulations adopted under these two acts, such as the Code of ethics of engineers.

At the hearing, the Disciplinary Council sits with 3 members.

• Chairperson: the chairperson is a lawyer appointed by theDisciplinary Council’s Office of the Chairs.
• Two engineers: appointed by the OIQ’s Board of Directors.

Disciplinary complaints follow a rigorous process governed by the Professional Code and the Rules of evidence and practice applicable to complaints submitted to the disciplinary councils of professional orders. It also respects the rights of the engineer.

Complaints may be filed by:

• The OIQ’s Office of the Syndic.
• A member of the OIQ appointed by the Board of Directors to investigate a complaint in certain circumstances(referred to as a Syndic ad hoc) .
• A member of the public, referred to as a private complainant.

Do you want to file a complaint? Consult our guide (in French) Comment porter une plainte devant le Conseil de discipline de l’Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. The private complaint must be supported by a solemn declaration  and mailed to the following address:

Secretariat of the Disciplinary Board, OIQ
1801, McGill College street, 6^th floor
Montreal, Quebec  H3A 2N4

All hearings are open to the public unless otherwise specified. The location, date, time, names of parties, and subject matter of the complaint are listed on the hearing roll (in French) and are available at the Secretariat of the Disciplinary Board and on the OIQ’s website.

The hearing generally begins with any preliminary applications that the Council must decide. Following this, the complainant presents their evidence, at which time witnesses may testify. Once the complainant’s presentation of the evidence is concluded, the engineer or their counsel offers the defence.

The hearing takes place in a dedicated conference room at the OIQ’s offices. It is equipped with the latest audiovisual technology to facilitate the holding of hearings in virtual mode.. The Council may request an in-person hearing, but most cases are now being held virtually. All documents are presented and stored in digital format for greater efficiency and to eliminate paper usage. You can contact the OIQ to obtain an electronic binder at [email protected].

The penalty varies depending on the nature and severity of the infraction. Penalties include:

• Reprimand
• Fine (minimum of $2,500 and maximum of $62,500 for each offence)
• Temporary or permanent removal from the membership roll
• Limitation or suspension of the right to practice
• Revocation of the permit

The sanction is not intended to punish an individual. Its main objective is always to ensure the protection of the public. The essence of the sanction is to deter recidivism and set an example for other professionals. This is why a private complaint is not the appropriate procedure to claim damages. The civil courts handle this type of claim.

Following a final decision of the Disciplinary Council, the engineer and the complainant may appeal to the Tribunal des professions.

Yes. Members of the public and media representatives who wish to attend a hearing must make a request by email 48 hours before the scheduled hearing : [email protected].

Please note that taking pictures or recording videos during the hearing is forbidden, either in the dedicated conference room or in virtual mode.

You can view the schedule and information about upcoming hearings on the OIQ’s hearing roll. You may also request a copy of a recording of a hearing. To do so, complete the  request form (in French) for a copy.

All decisions and evidence filed in a proceeding are public and can be viewed (except in the case of a court  order). Since June 1, 2001, the decisions of the Disciplinary Board are available free of charge on the SOQUIJ website. For decisions rendered prior to June 1 2001, please contact us and note that fees may apply.

• To obtain materials from a member’s disciplinary file, complete the request form Demande de documents produits (in French).
• To validate a member’s disciplinary history, complete the Validation d’antécédents disciplinaires (in French).
• To obtain a disciplinary decision rendered prior to June 1, 2001, complete the Demande de décision disciplinaire (in French).