The CBC recently published an article about an investigation that revealed an imposter had forged the Seal of an Architect registered in Ontario. With the prevalence of remote work and technological advancements, there has been an increase in fraud, including individuals posing as registered professionals with forged Seals.
The Architect registered with the OAA, as well as those who relied upon the documents, were victims of this fraud. In addition, such fraud seriously undermines the professional reliance system that the public and government officials depend upon.
This case in Ontario highlights the critical importance of proper digital authentication to ensure that sealed documents have been prepared by and issued by the registered Architect who sealed them.
To ensure the authenticity and integrity of sealed documents, the AIBC and other professional regulators use encrypted, digital sealing technology issued by sanctioned providers. Notarius provides this service to the AIBC: it is the only sanctioned provider of digital seals for Architects AIBC. The Notarius software authenticates not only the Seal itself, but also the individual who applies it, and verifies they are registered as an Architect AIBC.
The Digital Certificate (Seal) is applied with the Notarius software ConsignO. The Notarius Digital Certificate may also be applied with other applications, such as Bluebeam or Adobe Acrobat.
When Architects AIBC deliver documents digitally, the digital version of their Seal is required pursuant to Professional Standard 8.5 in Schedule A: Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and discussed in Practice Guideline: Use of the Architect’s Seal.
If you have questions about digital sealing requirements, please email practiceadvice@aibc.ca.
Digital Seal Resources
- Practice Guideline: Use of the Architect’s Seal (PDF)
- Schedule A: Code of Ethics and Professional Standards (specifically 8.5 and 8.6)
- Notarius AIBC Subscription Application Form: notarius.com/aibc
- Notarius: How to Sign-Up in Four Easy Steps
- Notarius: ConsignO Desktop Training Center
- Notarius: Commonly Asked Questions
Note: Capitalized terms in this news item have the same meaning as defined in the AIBC Bylaws.