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Ontario

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Some of the Ontario laws that may apply when homeowners build, renovate or repair a home are listed below. Note that this listing is illustrative only and not intended as legal advice. If you are concerned about legal issues related to your home construction project, seek qualified legal advice.

Arbitration Act: Deals with arbitration of commercial matters and provides the procedure under which the arbitration takes place.

Building Code Act: Sets the standard that must be complied with in the course of construction of both commercial and residential building projects.

Business Practices Act: Establishes remedies available to consumers who are the subject of consumer representations that are negligent and/or unconscionable.

Construction Lien Act: Sets out rules and regulations regarding protection of trades people in the event of non-payment and the ability to place liens on the property that was subject of the unpaid work.

Consumer Protection Act: Sets rules and regulations regarding the protection of consumers in relation to the provision of goods and services to customers.

Creditor's Relief Act: Establishes rules related to priorities in the event of fraud or improper payments and the impact of bankruptcy and insolvency in these situations.

Employment Standards Act: Sets out minimum standards that must be met both in the course of employment and in the termination of employment.

Environmental Protection Act: Deals with environmental laws, including a homeowners obligations to protect the environment and the consequences and impact of failing to comply with the rules and regulations.

Fire Protection and Prevention Act: Sets out fire code rules and regulations and consequences of failure to comply.

Insurance Act: Sets out rules and regulations regarding the insurance aspect of a contract that a homeowner may enter into with a contactor or a trades person, including the obligations regarding reporting of claims and the effect of failure to comply with those rules and regulations.

Municipal Act: Establishes rules and regulations regarding the requirements for building permits and inspections.

Negligence Act: Deals with situations where a homeowner may be considered negligent through the actions of a third party contractor or trades person, and the consequences of being found contributorily negligent.

Occupational Health and Safety Act: Sets up rules related to workplace safety, including an owner's responsibility to ensure a safe work environment and the consequences of failure to do so.

Occupiers' Liability Act: Sets out homeowner's obligation of care and responsibility to ensure safe environment for people entering their home and consequences of failure to do so.

Ontario New Home Warranties Act: Sets out rules determining who qualifies as a builder, the obligations regarding making an application for builder number, and the applicable warranties if a new home falls under the Act.

Personal Property Security Act: Sets up rules regarding the taking of security to ensure payments and priorities of payment among various classes of secured and unsecured creditors.

Retail Sale Tax Act: Establishes requirement to collect and remit sales tax in connection with the purchase of goods and services.

Sale of Goods Act: Sets out common law representations and warranties required to be provide to consumers by manufacturers of goods.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act 1997: Sets out rules related to workplace safety, including the owner's responsibility to ensure a safe work environment and the consequences of failure to do so. Additionally, provides the framework for obtaining compensation in such cases.