Buyers Beware of Bad Toronto Home Builder

An Ontario regulator has laid 124 new charges against a Toronto home builder for illegally building and selling homes.

The Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) has accused Albion Building Consultant Inc. and its five business associates of constructing 40 new homes without a licence.

Albion’s licence was revoked earlier this year because the company “would not operate lawfully or with honesty and integrity.”

The new charges stem from a search warrant executed at Albion’s offices where hundreds of thousands of business records were seized. The charges include illegal building and selling; failure to enrol homes with Tarion, the administer of the province’s new home warranty program; failure to comply with conditions; and being a party to an offence.

The HCRA simultaneously issued a freeze order, prohibiting Albion from withdrawing purchasers’ funds and requiring Albion to hold those funds in trust.

The Ontario regulator is also seeking a restraining order to prevent Albion from further violating the law and endangering consumers.

Albion has multiple prior convictions for illegal building and failing to enrol new homes. In 2022, it was ordered to pay more than $200,000 in fines.