Category
Permits & Legal
Calgary contractor faces charges
by Rob BlackstienPaid hundreds of thousands, contractor allegedly did not complete work
Another cautionary tale for contractors
by Rob BlackstienContractors need to provide a safe workplace
What does “adequate” training in construction really mean?
by Alec CaldwellYou have to be “adequately” trained on Fall Protection, no matter what type of construction jobsite you are working on. If you can’t prove you are trained in this area, you risk fines, prosecution and job site closure.
Hamilton, Ont. reno salesmen convicted under Consumer Protection Act
by Steve PayneIn total, the salesmen, Steven Sardinha and David Packer, will be making $50,000 in restitution to their clients.
Danger: Guardrails built ‘for appearances’ can kill or cripple
by Alec CaldwellDon’t mess around building half-assed guardrails, unless you are prepared to go to jail. Look up the regulations for their construction, and follow them.
‘Fast tracking’ building permits in Surrey, B.C.
by Steve PayneNormally, the City of Surrey takes 4-6 weeks to process a permit. But if contractors join their Registered Builder program, permits can be issued within 10 days.
It’s here! NEW Working at Heights standard in Ontario is now in effect
by Alec CaldwellNo April Fool’s joke here: the new Working at Heights standard took effect in Ontario on April 1st.
Villain or hero? Claimant becomes a thorn in the side of the Ontario WSIB
by Alec CaldwellFrank Brunato, a manager at WSIB, sought a peace bond against a disgruntled claimant who had been denied benefits. Brunato said that Mike Spencer, a champion of claimant’s rights, was ridiculing him on Facebook.
Just… wow. Check out this incredibly misleading video from the Ontario College of Trades
by Steve PayneThe Ontario College of Trades’ (OCOT) latest video makes some extremely dubious claims about how this new bureaucracy is helping to “protect” the public from tradespeople without OCOT credentials. Maybe someone should call in famed consumer advocate Peter Silverman to investigate. Oh, wait a minute, he’s already on the case… for the College.
The cash economy Part 2
by Robert KociThe battle against the cash economy starts with getting rid of the WSIB
Let’s talk cash economy
by Robert KociI recently hired a contractor to do some work that I couldn’t get to. His price was fair, but leaves me reeling at what the legitimate costs of a reno has become.
Workplace Safety Comes to Mississauga, Ontario
by Robert KociJanuary 28, 2015 – Canada’s largest and longest-running health and safety conference and trade show, Partners in Prevention 2015, returns April 28 and 29, 2015 to The International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. Partners in Prevention 2015 includes two days of…
Ontario WSIB’s $400,000-a-year CEO David Marshall gets another two years at the trough
by Steve PayneMarshall acknowledges that he won’t win any popularity contests. Certainly not among the estimated 80,000 owner-operator contractors who were previously exempt from WSIB, but who got roped into paying into it as part of a plan that earned Marshall a $400,000 bonus.
The sorry tale of yet another legitimate WSIB claimant denied benefits
by Alec CaldwellWith David Marshall being re-appointed to another two years as CEO of Ontario’s WSIB, various public servant heavyweights have chimed in with praise for the man’s work in whittling down the agency’s unfunded liability. At $14.2 billion in 2012, it’s…
Ontario MPP introduces bill to enforce 'prompt payment' by developers to contractors
by Steve PayneBill 69, the Prompt Payment Act, is a private members’ bill intended to get developers in Ontario to pay their contractors on time. The withholding of holdbacks would be curtailed, if the legislation were to be given teeth. But right now, it’s nowhere near becoming law.
Accessible renovations and construction become law in Vancouver
by Brynna Leslie**Photo: Infiniti Renovations, Ottawa** Vancouver City Council has passed a bylaw that will ensure all new housing construction is adaptable for seniors and people with disabilities. Houses that undergo major renovations in Vancouver will also have to meet the accessibility…
Seven design principles when renovating for the elderly
by Brynna Leslie“With the aging population, we need to be incorporating universal design principles into everything we do,” says Ottawa design-builder Moneca Kaiser.
Greek Lesson
by Robert KociI find it strange. When it comes to the finances of your reno business and your personal life, everyone expects you will use a well thought out budget as the core of a sustainable plan. It will include debt and/or…