Moncton engineer admits 'incompetence' put public safety at risk

Hélène Thériault agreed to give up licence, pay fine to engineering association

A Moncton structural engineer has agreed to give up her licence over design work on buildings she admits was incompetent and put the public at risk.

Hélène Thériault has also agreed to pay fines totalling $75,000.

That's according to the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick, which regulates the profession.

The association on Wednesday released a joint submission to its discipline committee, signed by Thériault, outlining the recommended discipline and admissions about work on multiple buildings across the province.

The joint submission says Thériault "confirms and admits that her incompetence has caused a serious risk to public safety, in multiple instances, over a period of multiple years."

CBC News asked Thériault's lawyer for an interview Wednesday but didn't receive a response.

The association said the committee accepted and imposed the recommended discipline.

'One of the most significant discipline matters'

"This is one of the most significant discipline matters handled by [the association] in recent years," Lia Daborn, the association's CEO and registrar, said in an emailed statement Wednesday.

Daborn said it involved dozens of buildings, some still under construction, and the concerns led to reviews and involvement by municipalities and the provincial government.

The association hasn't said how many buildings she worked on had problems. The document says Thériault provided copies "of all her available historic files and records."

The City of Dieppe said 22 buildings in the municipality were linked to Thériault.

Julie Albert, a spokesperson for the city, said Wednesday that 19 were initially believed to need reinforcement. Of those, 12 have been permanently reinforced while one still has temporary reinforcement. Albert said the remaining six don't require reinforcement.

Concerns about Thériault's work emerged in early 2024 when a Dieppe building owner asked a Halifax engineer to review cracks in the concrete of the structure still under construction.

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John Richardson told CBC News he was alarmed by what he saw during that review and reported his concerns to the engineering association. He was later involved in reviewing more of Thériault's work. He said in 2024 he concluded some of the structures were at risk of collapse.

Some buildings were shored up using temporary wooden or steel posts as long-term changes were designed and implemented. Photos released to CBC News by the province through right-to-information legislation show parking garages in apartment buildings filled with posts.

Richardson described the main issue he observed as a concrete transfer slab over parking garages that were too thin, with too little supporting steel.

"What I saw was some of the most dangerous engineering that I've ever seen by a mile, like not just by a little bit," Richardson, who has worked as an engineer for more than 40 years, said Wednesday.

"And it was widespread. It wasn't just one building. … It was glaringly obvious that there were errors in the design."

Richardson said he was shocked that none of the buildings he reviewed collapsed given elements not meant to be structural were supporting the load of the building.

"Theoretically these buildings should have collapsed, like that's how bad they were," he said.

Firm admits it 'under designed' Dieppe buildings in latest lawsuits alleging errors

More lawsuits against Moncton engineer over alleged building defects

Documents released to CBC News by the province reference buildings with sagging floors preventing fire doors from working properly in one Dieppe building.

At least 14 civil lawsuits have been filed across the province over the last two years naming Thériault or her Moncton firm, Match Engineering.

Those cases remain ongoing. In most of the cases, Thériault has filed statements of defence admitting under-designing, or design deficiencies, in parts of buildings.

Some of the lawsuits are referenced in the joint submission document released Wednesday, which says the ongoing cases allege "millions of dollars in damages."

The joint submission goes on to say that beyond the risk to public safety, Thériault recognizes "that serious financial harm has been suffered by her former clients" and the association.

The discipline, which the CEO described as the among the most serious disciplinary outcomes available, calls for a $10,000 fine and a payment of $65,000 to the association for its costs.

Richardson said he was happy to see the discipline recommended and accepted by Thériault.

Shane Magee is a Moncton-based reporter for CBC News.