A construction crew was pouring concrete on the 26th floor of a London apartment building when the composite floor system beneath them collapsed. Workers fell to the level below. Four people were injured.
What makes this case particularly sobering is that the same company had experienced the exact same failure at a different site six months earlier — and changed nothing.
What Happened
EllisDon Forming Ltd. was installing CANAM Hambro D500 composite floor systems on two separate high-rise residential projects in London, Ontario. Both times, the company allowed concrete to be poured without a professional engineer having reviewed and approved the plans. Both times, the bracing was incomplete. Both times, the system failed.
The first collapse happened on July 22, 2022, at 3080 Bostwick Road. Supervisor Corey Jones was overseeing penthouse rooftop work. Required cross-bracing hadn't been installed — the company's explanation was that the design drawings were unclear. While workers poured concrete, the composite floor system shifted and collapsed. No one was hurt. The company had every reason to pause, review, and implement a proper engineering approval process before continuing on any similar project.
They didn't. Six months later, on January 5, 2023, at 131 King Street, supervisor Matthew Thompson oversaw a concrete pour on the 26th floor. Again, the bracing was incomplete. Again, there was no professional engineer's approval. The floor collapsed. Four workers fell. All four were injured.
What the Law Says
Section 89(2) of Ontario Regulation 213/91 is direct: "No employer shall cause or permit a worker to apply a load to a form or shoring system unless a professional engineer has reviewed the plans and determined that the system is capable of supporting the load."
Basically, what this means is simple: before any concrete is poured, a licensed professional engineer must review the plans and confirm in writing that the system can handle the load. Not after. Not in general. Before — every time, on every project.
The court convicted EllisDon Forming Ltd., Corey Jones, and Matthew Thompson. The combined fine was $130,000 plus a 25% victim fine surcharge.
Three Things This Case Teaches Ontario Contractors
- Engineering approval is a legal requirement, not a recommendation. Section 89(2) applies every time a load is placed on a composite floor system. Unclear drawings are not a reason to proceed — they are a reason to stop and get written engineering clarification.
- A pre-pour inspection is not sufficient unless it verifies every bracing element against engineer-approved plans. Walking the floor doesn't count if you don't have an approved plan to check against.
- One structural collapse without injury is a warning. Experiencing a second collapse after the first is evidence of systematic failure. Courts take this pattern seriously — and so should contractors.
If you're managing composite floor or high-rise concrete work in Ontario, this case is worth reviewing with your supervisors before your next pour. The full analysis — including supervisor and employer checklists — is available in the WorkSafe Sounds article linked above.