Former SNC-Lavalin CEO stripped of his licence, must pay $75K fine

The offices of SNC Lavalin are seen in Montreal on Monday, March 26, 2012. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

The disciplinary council of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec has imposed a $75,000 fine on former SNC-Lavalin president and CEO Jacques Lamarre.

The penalty was imposed after the disciplinary council found the businessman guilty of collusion and corruption in his role as head of the engineering firm between 2001 and 2009, in a decision handed down last August.

The disciplinary council indicated that the penalty was proportionate to the “very serious” acts of which he was accused.

For his part, Lamarre reacted to the decision with “deep disappointment” in a statement on Wednesday. However, he does not intend to appeal.

“At 82, I have decided to turn the page with serenity and devote this time to my loved ones and to what still gives meaning to my life,” the businessman said.

Among other things, Lamarre was found guilty of using dishonest and questionable practices and of tolerating or implementing a system of corruption and collusion.

The decision mentioned that the corruption system was used, in particular, to pay millions of Canadian dollars to Saadi Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Lamarre was also found guilty of making payments to obtain contracts, including approximately $2 million to the Gaddafi family, notably by paying for Saadi Gaddafi’s expenses during a stay in Canada in 2008.

The former head of the company, now known as AtkinsRéalis, was also found guilty of failing to implement a system to prevent the reimbursement of political contributions to employees.

He was accused of failing to put in place the necessary measures to prevent such acts from occurring within the company.

In August, Lamarre called the decision “unfair and unreasonable,” describing the process as “deeply inequitable.”

When imposing a sanction, the disciplinary council states that its objective is to “protect the public by deterring the professional from reoffending and serving as an example to other members of the profession.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 7, 2026.