Sealing, signing and dating of engineering documents
 53. (1) In this section, “document” includes a drawing, specification, plan, report, design or model, whether it is in paper or electronic format or in any other form or medium; (“document”) “engineering content” means any content in a document, whether express or implied, the preparation of which involves the practice of professional engineering; (“contenu en ingénierie”) “engineering document” means a document that contains engineering content and is intended to be used for a purpose that involves the practice of professional engineering. (“document d’ingénierie”) O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (2) A practitioner shall, subject to subsections (7) and (8), sign, date and affix their seal to an engineering document if, (a)  the document’s engineering content is prepared by the practitioner; or (b)  the practitioner otherwise assumes responsibility for any part of the document’s engineering content. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), (a)  the practitioner may use an electronic signature, as defined in the Electronic Commerce Act, 2000; and (b)  an electronic image of the practitioner’s seal may be affixed, if the image, (i)  is of a size that is reasonably visible within the engineering document relative to the document’s other content, and (ii)  includes the number of the practitioner’s licence, temporary licence, provisional licence or limited licence. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (4) The practitioner shall ensure that their signature and the date are applied, (a)  at the same time or immediately after the seal is affixed; and (b)  in a legible manner, either within or immediately adjacent to the seal or in the immediate vicinity of the seal, and not obscuring or otherwise altering the practitioner’s name or the number of their licence, limited licence, provisional licence or temporary licence. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (5) The practitioner shall ensure that the intended purpose of the engineering content of the engineering document is clearly stated on or in the document. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (6) If clause (2) (b) applies, the practitioner shall ensure that the engineering document clearly indicates the portion of the document’s engineering content for which the practitioner assumes responsibility, including by way of suitable text located in the immediate vicinity of the practitioner’s seal. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (7) A practitioner may, but is not required to, sign, date or affix their seal to an engineering document to which subsection (2) would otherwise apply in any of the following circumstances: 1.  An engineering document prepared by the practitioner solely for use by the practitioner’s employer or, if the practitioner is self-employed, the practitioner. 2.  An engineering document prepared by the practitioner, if the preparation of the document’s engineering content does not require the practitioner to hold a licence, temporary licence, provisional licence or limited licence under subsection 12 (1) of the Act. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (8) A practitioner shall not affix their seal to an engineering document that is incomplete or in draft form. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (9) A practitioner shall not affix their seal, including in the circumstances described in subsection (7), other than, (a)  to an engineering document; and (b)  in accordance with this section. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (10) A practitioner shall take reasonable steps to prevent their seal from being affixed to a document without their consent. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (11) The presence of a practitioner’s seal on an engineering document shall, for the purposes of a proceeding before the Discipline Committee, be presumed to indicate that the practitioner assumed responsibility for engineering content in the document, or, if more than one seal is affixed to the document, that the practitioners jointly and severally assumed responsibility, subject to any qualification or limitation that is clearly indicated on or in the document and is reasonably understandable by users of the document. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (12) For greater certainty, where a practitioner is required by subsection (2) to affix their seal to an engineering document, or where, but for subsection (7), a practitioner would be required to affix their seal to an engineering document, the absence of the seal on the document has no bearing on the responsibility assumed by the practitioner for engineering content in the document. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5. (13) Clause (3) (b) does not apply during any period in which a practitioner has returned or is required to return their seal to the Registrar under this Regulation. O. Reg. 837/21, s. 5.