Strengthening Consumer Protection for New Home Buyers and Owners
Our PC government is taking steps to strengthen consumer protection by creating the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA), now designated under the New Home Construction Licensing Act., 2017.
As of February 1, 2021, the HCRA will ensure that new home builders and vendors are held to professional standards and that all buyers and owners of new homes are well-informed and feel confident that their homes have been built properly.
As the regulator of new home builders and vendors, the HCRA is responsible for:
- licensing new home builders and vendors,
- expanding the existing Ontario Builder Directory to provide regulatory compliance and warranty information about thousands of builders and vendors across the province, and
- implementing a formal complaints process for the conduct of new home builders and vendors.
These measures will strengthen consumer protection for new home buyers and owners and provide more effective regulation of new home builders and vendors. The creation of the HCRA as a separate authority from Tarion also addresses consumer concerns about potential conflicts of interest within Tarion, Ontario’s new home warranty and protection program administrator.