Ontario regulator lays 124 charges against Toronto’s Albion

Ontario’s home construction regulator laid 124 charges against Albion Building Consultant Inc. for illegally building and selling homes without a licence.

The regulator is seeking a restraining order to prevent Albion from operating further, calling it the largest investigation in the Home Construction Regulatory Authority’s (HCRA) history.

“Albion has repeatedly disregarded the law governing new home construction,” read a statement from Wendy Moir, the HCRA’s chief executive officer and registrar.

“The HCRA will continue to increase penalties on this former licensee until it stops putting the public at risk. Thousands of other builders across Ontario operate ethically and in accordance with the law.”

The charges include illegal building and selling, failure to enrol homes, failure to comply with conditions, and being a party to an offence.

Albion business associates facing charges

In a press release, the home regulator said Albion has several past convictions for illegal building and failing to enrol new homes with Tarion, the province’s home warranty program administrator.

In Feb. 2024, the HCRA executed a search warrant at Albion’s East York office, seizing thousands of business records.

In 2022, Albion was fined $200,000 for illegal building. In 2024, the HCRA revoked Albion’s licence to build and sell homes in Ontario because it would not operate lawfully or with honesty and integrity.

Allegations surfaced that Albion continued to build houses without a licence, leading to the more than 100 charges against Albion and five business associates related to the construction of 40 new homes.

“Evidence uncovered through the search warrant has revealed extensive violations, leading to these new charges,” added Moir.

“Albion’s ongoing misconduct poses a serious risk to the public. We advise all consumers to be on the lookout and extremely cautious of Albion falsely presenting itself as a licensed builder, which it is not. They are not qualified or authorized to build or sell homes.”