Prince George Mayor Simon Yu says allegations levied against him in relation to engineering work done before he entered public office are “complete misinformation of the facts.”
The website for Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia lists disciplinary hearings for Sing-Yau (Simon) Yu scheduled for July 18, Aug. 7 and Aug. 8, 2025 based on a citation dated Sept. 26, 2024.
That organization regulates and governs professional engineers and geoscientists in BC, with only people licensed by it allows to work in those fields.
Before running for mayor in 2022, Yu worked as an engineer for decades.
The citation alleges that Yu committed professional misconduct, violated Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s code of ethics and bylaws and violated BC’s Engineers and Geoscientists Act while submitting documentation supporting a building permit application for an addition to a cabin at Cluculz Lake in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako.
The lake is about 65 kilometres west from Prince George by road.
In submitting the documentation, the citation alleges that Yu wrote and authenticated two letters, one certifying the construction of a retaining wall and another certifying the stability of a slope and soil retaining wall “despite not having sufficient geotechnical expertise to provide such a certification.”
It further alleges that the retaining wall letter fell below professional standards by expressing opinions based on insufficient investigation and supporting information and failing to include information required by both the BC Building Code and professional practice guidelines.
For the slope stability letter, the citation alleges that it was not prepared according to the organization’s guidelines and bylaws.
Along with the letters, the citation said that Yu authenticated eight drawings for the projects' “overall design, including both geotechnical and structural aspects, despite those drawings being deficient,” as well as failing to comply with several requirements.
On a letter of assurance dated Dec. 21, 2021, Yu is alleged to have crossed out a reference to “geotechnical aspects of deep foundations” despite the drawings indicating that the project had a deep foundation.
Through the alleged actions, the citation said Yu violated Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s code of ethics. It also accuses Yu of not having kept documents relating to the project for at least 10 years, contrary to the organization’s bylaws.
The ethics rules Yu is accused of violating include holding the safety, health and welfare of the public paramount, only practicing in fields in which a person is professionally competent, having regard for the common law, having regard for applicable standards, providing professional opinions that distinguish between facts, assumptions and opinions, undertake work and documentation with due diligence.
The citation, signed by investigation committee chair Peter Helland, states that Yu has the right to be represented by legal counsel at the hearing at his own expense as well as cross-examine all witnesses called and give evidence in his own defence.
If Yu fails to attend the hearing, the citation warns that the discipline committee has the right to continue with proceedings if it feels he was given advance notification.
Speaking with The Citizen after the Tuesday, June 17 meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Safety, Yu said the charges stem from a complaint made by a building inspector in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako.
He wondered whether there was a political element to the complaint.
At the Cluculz Lake property in question, he said the owners wanted him to comment on whether a block lock wall installed originally in 1984 that was three and a half layers high was safe.
Later, Yu said, the owners wanted to build a 14-by-19-foot large shed and he was asked to comment on a sketch they prepared of screw piles that would be used to anchor the building.
He said that ultimately, the shed was not built after it turned out that part of the retaining wall was located on the neighbouring property.
Yu pulled out his cell phone and showed The Citizen photos of the wall he took this May which he said show that there are no problems with it.
“Any geotechnical engineer or structural engineer should be able to design a simple little wall like that based on the knowledge they have received in university,” Yu said. “I have done third-, fourth- and fifth-year university (courses) on geotechnical studies.”
Throughout his career, the mayor said he has inspected hundreds of these kinds of walls, including a retaining wall along Highway 16 on the stretch that connects downtown to the intersection with Highway 97.
If geotechnical engineers were needed to look at walls like that, Yu said, BC would probably need a couple of thousand more of them and would need to change the university curriculum for the profession.
As for the other allegations about record keeping, he said there were no related documents required for the project and if more information was required, they could have just asked him for it. He said the building inspector never asked him to provide any detailed information.
When Yu attends the hearing, he said, he will be bringing a lawyer with him.
“I will vigorously defend my honour,” he said.
According to the organization’s website, disciplinary hearings are open to the public. The website’s profile for Yu states that he has no previous disciplinary history.
BC’s Professional Governance Act states that if a disciplinary committee decides against a respondent, they must choose one of the following options: reprimand them, impose a penalty of not more than $100,000, impose other conditions under its rules, suspend their registration as a member, cancel their registration, require them to complete a remedial program or require them to appear before a committee to prove their competence in the practice.
