YOUR VOICE: Topic: Does Canada over-regulate, under-regulate or well-regulate the building industry?

YOUR VOICE is a new feature of Canadiancontractor.ca where we ask you to weigh in on a topic relevant to our industry.

TOPIC: Regulation in the residential homebuilding and renovating industry

STORY: Regulation is a fact of life in a mixed economy. During election season, the regulation of various industries—the construction industry included—can become a topic for debate and a reason to vote for one party over another. The federal election will take place in the fall.

POV 1: There is too much regulation! The private sector is the engine that drives the economy and if we are to remain prosperous, it must constantly push back against the public sector’s tenancy to over-regulate. Regulation makes housing expensive and drives the less fortunate out of home ownership. Let’s process building permits faster, allow less oversight in development, take power away from special interest groups that stifle change and let’s give the poor a chance to finally enjoy home ownership.

POV 2: There is too little regulation! Builders, developers and renovators will do anything to make a buck, including cut corners and build structures that are unsafe and bad for the environment. The only thing standing between unsafe, energy inefficient, badly built homes and the public is the regulation that stops the industry from thinking too much about making a profit and not enough about their customers.

POV 3: There is just about the right amount of regulation. The Canadian approach is well balanced: There is just enough regulation to manage the building industry properly and little enough to allow proper, sustained industry growth and a reasonable cost for home ownership.

What do you think? Have your say below.