Elliot Lake mall collapse may change rules for engineers

The deadly mall roof collapse in Elliot Lake may change the way engineers work inthe province of Ontario.

Theinquiry investigating the roof collapse at the Algo Centre Mall last summer which killed two people has received a 28-page document withrecommendations from theAssociation of Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO)

"The PEO hopes that the regulation of professional engineering, professional engineering in Ontario, and the regulation and protection of existing structures such as the mall will be improved such that the terrible events of last year will not be repeated," Leah Price, counsel for the PEO, told the inquiry Tuesday.

Overthe 30-plus year history, many different engineers examined the leaky Algo Centre Mall. Thatled to questions at the inquiry as tohow structural problems inside the leaky building could have been missed.

Lawyer Joseph Biscegliarepresents an engineer who signed off on another engineer's inspection of the mall just weeks before the collapse.

"What occured at the Algo Centre Mall brings forth the fact that in Ontario, there are no specific guidelines or requirements as to what should be included in a building condition assessment," he told the inquiry.

Call for change

In its submission, thePEO agrees thatshould change.

The regulatory body says there should be more guidelines for structural inspections so engineers are not limited in their inspectionby terms set out by building owners.

The PEO recommends those reports be called"structural adequacy reports". Theycould include a long list of potential requirements, such as a timeframe for any suggested repairs, and a section on any limitations or restrictions placed on the engineers' work.

The PEO also recommends thatsuch reports be provided to the municipality -- making them available to any future owners, engineers, or the public.

Create specialist certification

In its submission to the public inquiry, the PEO also recommends the creation of a specialist certification for engineers carrying out structural inspections.

It notes this was put into practice more than a decade ago in B.C. following a roof collapse at a Burnaby supermarket.The PEOsubmission explains howaDesignated Structural Engineer in B.C. has more qualifications and has completed specified examinations.

"A structural engineering specialist would be the person who would take responsibility for the structural adequacy reports that are to be mandated, and the contents of which are to be mandated, in accordance with these recommendations," Price said.

Commissioner Paul Belanger thanked the PEO for the submission.

The inquiry will continue to hear witnesses inElliot Lake through October. Then Comissioner Belanger will write hisreport about what happened and will make recommendations.

The public inquiry was established in July, 2012 by the Ontario government and has been underway in Elliot Lake since March.

It was created to report on events surrounding the mall roof collapse on June 23, 2012, the deaths of Lucie Aylwin and Doloris Perizzolo, the injuries to others and the emergency management and response.