Ontario’s Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) has charged Ideal BC Developments Inc. with 10 counts under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act and one count under the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017. This is the first such action by the HCRA, which began operations in February of this year.
Ideal BC Developments is not licensed to sell new homes in Ontario, and the HCRA investigated after receiving complaints that the company had illegally entered into sales agreements.
“Selling new homes without a licence is a serious offence,” says Wendy Moir Acheson, the HCRA’s Chief Executive Officer and Registrar. “Illegal activities can represent high risks – obviously hurting consumers, and also creating an unfair marketplace.”
Ideal BC Developments is charged with 10 counts of alleged illegal vending – entering into an agreement of purchase and sale without a licence and without being registered with Tarion Warranty Corporation. The 11th count is for allegedly failing to produce evidence during a search warrant. The charges relate to freehold properties on Bostwick Crescent in Richmond Hill.
“The HCRA is determined to protect Ontario consumers from illegal and unethical conduct,” Moir Acheson explains. “At the same time, our message to new home buyers is: make sure your builder is licensed with the HCRA before you sign an agreement of purchase and sale.”
To support continuous enhancement of consumer protection and home buyer confidence, the HCRA discloses any charges laid by the registrar. This is an improvement from previous versions of the Ontario Builder Directory, which only displayed convictions. Furthermore, all regulatory activities and enforcement are disclosed on HCRA’s website.
“The Ontario Builder Directory – hosted by the HCRA – is a vital resource for confirming that a builder or vendor is operating legally, as well as providing other background detail to help people make these important decisions”, says Moir Acheson. “We strongly believe that transparency regarding charges is important and helpful for consumers when evaluating and researching a builder.”
