The Discipline Committee of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) has found1 professional engineer Bing Hung Edward Wong and his firm, Edward Wong & Associates Inc. (EWAI), guilty of professional misconduct arising from a deficient soil sampling and reporting process on a Toronto residential construction project.
In a decision released April 10, 2025, the panel determined that Wong and EWAI failed to meet the standards of a reasonable and prudent engineer in their work for Como Demolition and Excavation (CDE) at 6 Bluejay Place, Toronto. The firm was retained in July 2022 to collect soil samples, arrange chemical testing, and prepare a report for disposal approval.
Laboratory results from Bureau Veritas Laboratories (BVL) indicated elevated arsenic levels in two of the samples (BJP3 and BJP4). However, in the final report issued by EWAI, those samples and their results were omitted without explanation, and no details of their locations or descriptions were provided. The report also lacked required field documentation such as test pit logs.
An expert review commissioned by PEO concluded that Wong and EWAI failed to comply with Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) Excess Soil Best Management Practices and industry standards. While the exceedances were marginal and likely posed no public safety risk, the review found the work fell below professional standards.
Wong and EWAI admitted to negligence, failing to make responsible provision for compliance with applicable standards, and engaging in unprofessional conduct under Regulation 941. The panel accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering:
- A formal reprimand, recorded on the public register indefinitely;
- A one-week suspension of Wong’s licence and EWAI’s Certificate of Authorization;
- Mandatory completion of the National Professional Practice Examination within six months and a Geotechnical & Hydrogeological Engineering exam within twelve months;
- Conditional practice restrictions requiring direct supervision by another professional engineer if the exams are not completed on time; and
- Publication of the findings and order with names disclosed.
The panel noted that Wong had no prior discipline history and cooperated with PEO throughout the process, accepting responsibility and avoiding the need for a contested hearing. It considered as mitigating factors the absence of any intent to mislead, the marginal nature of the arsenic exceedances, and the lack of public safety risk.
- Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) v Wong et al, 2025 ONAPE 3 (CanLII), <https://canlii.ca/t/kbr66> ↩︎
