Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) says it has received a judgement against Ideal (BC) Developments Inc for illegally selling and failing to provide evidence.
The Ontario Court of Justice ordered the company to pay fines of $15,625 and $18,750 for the two charges respectively, as well as a restitution order of $150,000 to be distributed among the people who put deposits down on homes that were never built.
According to the HCRA, Ideal (BC) never had a licence to build or sell homes in Ontario and took “hundreds of thousands” in deposits from unsuspecting customers in Richmond Hill.
The HCRA also said that it has refused to renew any licences for Ideal (BC) or any of its related companies.
“This outcome reinforces our message that anyone building and selling new homes must have a valid licence from the HCRA. It’s the law,” says Wendy Moir, the HCRA’s Chief Executive Officer and Registrar. “While this restitution does not compensate purchasers for their lost deposits, we hope it helps alleviate some of their financial loss.”
The HCRA reminds anyone looking to buy a new home to make sure the builder is properly licensed by visiting the HCRA’s website.