Home builders welcome ideas to improve consumer protection in Ontario

VAUGHAN, ON, March 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Home builders welcome the release of the "Cunningham Report" which provides many new ideas to improve accountability and consumer protection for buyers of newly built homes, including condominiums.

This report – part of the Ontario government's independent review of the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act and the Tarion Warranty Corp. – will change the landscape for consumer protection, said RESCON president Richard Lyall. He made the comments after the report was released at an event organized for Hon. Tracy MacCharles, Minister of Government and Consumer Services.

RESCON is particularly pleased to see that the report calls for dismantling Tarion's monopoly over new-home warranty service and moving to a multi-provider insurance system. "Competition will give new-home buyers more options," Lyall said. "Justice Cunningham's report encourages the Ontario government to enable new private-sector warranty-surety providers to enter the marketplace, just like British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta. This recommendation aligns home builders with consumer advocates."

RESCON members support the restructuring of Tarion so that separate organizational entities take on the roles of regulator, adjudicator and warranty-surety provider. Separating the three roles will foster great accountability, transparency and public trust, Lyall said.

RESCON looks forward to working with the government and other stakeholders to strengthen the residential building sector.

SOURCE Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON)

Aonghus Kealy, Director of Communications, RESCON, [email protected], Tel: [phone], x. 111, Cell: 647-530-4855; Anthony N. Fernando, Director of Public Affairs, RESCON, [email protected], Tel: [phone], x. 112, Cell: 416-559-1269