Regulator charges results in multiple fines
TORONTO, December 5, 2023 – Caruk-Hall Construction Inc. has been found guilty and fined for building a new home without authorization from the regulator.
On October 13, 2023, the Ontario Court of Justice sentenced Caruk-Hall Construction Inc. to a fine of $18,750. The corporation’s Principals – James Caruk and Daniel Hall – were also each sentenced to a fine of $12,500 for illegal building and failing to enrol the home with Ontario’s new home warranty program.
“Building a home without authorization is illegal,” says Wendy Moir, the Home Construction Regulatory Authority’s (HCRA) Chief Executive Officer and Registrar. “Anyone in the business of building new homes must follow the rules. This is not an option, it’s the law.”
In their contract with the homebuyers, Caruk-Hall Construction Inc. identified themselves as Construction Managers. Despite this declaration, the Court determined Caruk-Hall were operating as builders by undertaking the labour and supplying the materials necessary for construction.
“The HCRA won’t be fooled by the titles and alternate names rogues use to try to avoid the law, and instead go right to the substance of what they are doing,” says Moir. “The HCRA is dedicated to rigorous industry oversight – anyone attempting to bypass their legal obligations will be identified and held accountable.”
About the HCRA
The Home Construction Regulatory Authority is responsible for regulating and licensing the people and companies who build and sell new homes in Ontario. The HCRA enforces high professional standards for competence and conduct in the homebuilding industry, giving new home buyers confidence in one of the biggest purchases of their lives. The HCRA also maintains consistency across the sector, curtailing unethical and illegal builders.
In addition to licensing, the HCRA provides educational information for consumers on their home buying journey and hosts the Ontario Builder Directory (OBD) – the authoritative source of background information about each of Ontario’s more than 6,500 new home builders and vendors.
Contact: Tess Lin
media@hcraontario.ca