TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 29, 2015) - On Thursday, June 25, Justice of the Peace Costa of the Ontario Court of Justice, fined Danilo "Dan" Marasigan, operating under the business name Danmar Design, $10,000 plus a 25 per cent victim's surcharge. Marasigan pleaded guilty to three offences under the Professional Engineers Act for applying fake professional engineers' seals to home renovation and new home construction drawings submitted to the City of Toronto's building department. Danmar Design represents itself as an architectural drafting, design and building services company serving the general public. Its owner and sole designer, Marasigan, has never been licensed as a professional engineer and has never held a Certificate of Authorization to provide professional engineering services.
On Friday, March 6, Marasigan was prohibited, in an order by the Honourable Mr. Justice Whitaker of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, from either possessing or using the seal of a professional engineer. PEO was awarded $3,000 for its costs of applying to the court for the stop order.
Marasigan had been under investigation by Professional Engineers Ontario, the licensing and regulating body for professional engineering in the province, since 2011. An engineer first reported documents prepared by Marasigan, which bore the engineer's seal but had not been sealed by that engineer. The engineer became aware of his copied seal when a homeowner for whom the documents were prepared contacted the engineer to ask about their East York home renovation project. During its investigation, PEO received further reports, this time from the City of Toronto and the Town of Richmond Hill, regarding questionable seals the building departments could not authenticate on documents associated with home construction projects by Danmar Design. In all, PEO discovered more than 75 questionable documents ostensibly sealed by four different engineers, one of whom was deceased at the time his seal was used. The seals appeared to have been copied from independent engineering firms Marasigan had hired for other projects.
Jessica Prince, of Toronto law firm Polley Faith, LLP represented PEO in this matter.
PEO would like to thank the professional engineers, members of the public and building department officials who cooperated in its investigation.
When you need an engineer and how to verify their licence
Your local city building department can advise when you need an engineer for new construction or a business renovation. Engineers must possess a valid licence and engineering firms (even if operated by sole practitioners) a Certificate of Authorization from PEO and must disclose whether they are insured. The public can verify credentials through PEO's online directories at www.peo.on.ca. Anyone can report or inquire about unlicensed individuals and unauthorized companies in confidence to PEO through its enforcement hotline at 1-800-339-3716, ext 1444, or the email address enforcement@peo.on.ca.
About Professional Engineers Ontario
Through the Professional Engineers Act, PEO governs over 83,000 licence and certificate holders and regulates professional engineering in Ontario to serve and protect the public. Professional engineering safeguards life, health, property, economic interests, the public welfare and the environment. Professional engineers can be identified by the P.Eng. after their names.
http://www.linkedin.com/company/peo---professional-engineers-ontario
Contact Information:
Manager, Communications
Professional Engineers Ontario
416-840-1068, 1-800-339-3716, ext. 1068; Cell: 416-458-4140
dsmith@peo.on.ca