Struggle to protect “engineer” title continues

The professional engineering association in Alberta is going to ask the provincial government to change the wording of its engineering Act in order to prevent more people calling themselves engineers who are not licensed.
The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists & Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) decided it needs to tighten up its regulations after it lost an appeal to stop an individual unlicensed individual marketing his services as a “systems engineer.” The Association had sought an injunction from the Alberta Court of Appeal to restrict Mr. Raymond Merhej from using the title, but it lost that appeal in November. Mr. Merhej works in the information technology sector.
The association has now voted in favour of a resolution to ask the government to change the legislation. The vote was made at its annual general meeting on April 24.
It is proposing to add just one word in Section 3 of the Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act — but that small change that could have a major impact on how the Act applies. Specifically, APEGGA wants to add the word “may.” The change would mean that in future it would not have to demonstrate that the public has been misled by a person’s unauthorized use of the professional title if it wanted to prevent that use, only that the public “may” be misled. The changed wording would apply to the use of the words “engineer,” “geologist” and “geophysicist,” but would not affect individuals such as “power engineers” who are governed by separate legislation.
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