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Tarion – Important Changes are Underway

On October 5, 2017, Ontario’s Minister of Government and Consumer Services (the Honourable Tracy McCharles) introduced the Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017.

If passed, this new legislation would bring dramatic changes to the new home warranty process in Ontario, following on the heels of Justice Douglas Cunningham’s comprehensive review of Tarion (the non-profit corporation that currently oversees new home warranties in Ontario).

The notice from the Ministry includes the following:

“The legislation (the Strengthening Protection for Ontario Consumers Act, 2017), if passed, would help strengthen consumer confidence in Ontario’s new home warranty program, promote properly built residential construction, and further enhance consumer protection. Proposed changes would: 

• Provide for two administrative authorities – one to administer the new home warranty program and one to regulate new home builders and vendors;

• Make the dispute resolution process easier for homeowners if they discover a problem in the construction of their new home;

• Strengthen the regulation of new home builders and vendors;

• Give government power to make rules and set standards; and

• Introduce modern oversight measures to improve accountability and transparency.

Should the bill pass, the ministry plans to consult with the public and other stakeholders during the regulation development phase on proposed regulations that would give effect to these legislative changes.”

We wholeheartedly support these proposed changes, which should greatly improve the warranty process for new home owners in Ontario. See our previous blogs respecting Justice Cunningham’s Review. And stay tuned for our further blogs on this topic, as we receive the draft new Regulations.