A Toronto homebuilder is facing a staggering penalty exceeding one million dollars for a brazen disregard of construction regulations. Albion Building Consultant Inc. stands accused of constructing and selling 39 homes without the necessary licenses or registrations, leaving homeowners potentially vulnerable.
The Home Construction Regulatory Authority levied 124 charges against Albion in September, revealing a pattern of illegal activity. Building and selling homes without a valid license and failing to enroll them in the province’s mandatory warranty plan are serious offenses, designed to protect consumers.
The financial repercussions are substantial: Albion has been ordered to pay $1,018,750 in fines. These funds will be directed to the municipality where the violations took place, offering some redress to the affected community.
This isn’t an isolated incident. The regulator emphasized Albion’s history of non-compliance, citing previous convictions and fines for similar offenses. This repeated behavior underscores a deliberate flouting of the rules meant to safeguard homebuyers.
The case serves as a stark warning to prospective homeowners: thorough due diligence is paramount. Verifying a builder’s license *before* signing any contract is crucial, and the province’s builder directory offers a readily available resource for checking registration status.
Meanwhile, the Canadian real estate market appears to be entering a period of uncertainty. November home sales experienced a significant decline, dropping nearly 11% compared to the same period last year, signaling a potential ‘holding pattern’ for the industry.
This slowdown comes amidst growing public frustration with the state of housing affordability. There’s a clear demand for decisive action to address the challenges facing Canadians seeking to enter the housing market, a sentiment that is rapidly intensifying.
