TORONTO – The Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) has announced it has recently issued more than $170,000 in administrative penalties to two unlicensed builders and sellers in Guelph and Tillsonburg.
The penalties stem from investigations into illegal building and selling.
Administrative penalties are imposed for violations of the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017 and the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act. According to the HCRA, in these two cases, violations included selling a new home without a licence, failing to enrol a new home in the province’s warranty plan, and acting as a builder while unlicensed.
The largest penalty of over $165,000 was issued to Jacob Hiebert for selling a new home in Tillsonburg without being licensed and without enrolling the home in the warranty plan.
A penalty of $5,978 was also issued to Destination Estates Ltd. in Guelph for acting as a builder while unlicensed. The HCRA alleges the company actively promoted new home construction services online.
“These penalties send a clear message: those who operate outside the law will face serious consequences,” said Wendy Moir, the HCRA’s Chief Executive Officer and registrar, in a statement. “The HCRA will not tolerate violations that put consumers at risk or undermine fair competition in the marketplace. We urge all homebuyers to verify that their builder or seller is licensed using the Ontario Builder Directory.”
