Property developer Christopher Lamb and his company at the time, 1970175 Ontario Inc. have been charged
Licence Renewal Applications to be Refused
UPDATED: JAN 5th, 2022
TORONTO January 5, 2022 – Ontario’s Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) has charged property developer Christopher Lamb and his company at the time, 1970175 Ontario Inc., with 52 charges in violation of the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.
1970175 Ontario Inc., advertised as Novel Condominiums, is charged with 26 counts of illegally acting as a vendor of a new home. Mr. Lamb is charged with 26 counts in his capacity, at the time, as an Officer/Director of an illegal vendor of new homes. The charges stem from an HCRA investigation into home sales in the Niagara Falls area.
The HCRA has also issued a Notice of Proposal (NOP) to refuse licence renewal for 1970175 Ontario Inc., and for Growth Social House Inc. Mr. Lamb is an Officer, Director and Interested Person, and holds a 100% share interest in Growth Social House Inc. As part of the licensing application process, the HCRA considers past conduct of licensees and applicants to evaluate the potential level risk and harm to consumers. Refusing to grant or renew a licence is a regulatory tool for the HCRA to curtail illegal or unethical behaviour. Details of the NOP are available on our website.
“The HCRA is determined to identify and take action against builders or vendors who try and operate outside or below provincial standards,” says Wendy Moir, the HCRA’s Chief Executive Officer and Registrar. “This is a minority of builders and vendors, but it can result in significant hardships for home buyers and can damage public confidence and trust in the entire industry.”
This is the second set of charges laid by the HCRA, which began operations in February of this year, following charges against Ideal (BC) Developments in August.
“Most of Ontario’s licensed builders and vendors have a strong record of competency and good conduct. They can be undermined, however, by illegal or unethical competition,” Moir explains. “Those who knowingly choose to avoid their legal obligations can expect the HCRA to use a broad range of regulatory tools – including, when necessary, charges – to curtail this unacceptable behaviour.”
The charges have been posted to the Ontario Builder Directory (OBD) and the HCRA’s website, as the HCRA is committed to disclosing any charges laid by the Registrar, to enhance consumer protection and home buyer confidence.
“The OBD is a searchable database, complete with warnings if a builder is known to be operating illegally. We strongly encourage prospective home buyers to search the OBD to ensure the builder they are considering working with is licensed to build homes in Ontario,” Moir says.
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 official source of background information about each of Ontario’s more than 6,500 new home builders and vendors.
Contact: Tess Lin
media@hcraontario.ca