Repeat Offences Lead to $31,900 Fine for Guelph, ON HVAC Contractor

June 30, 2016

Halls Heat and Cool Inc., a furnace and air conditioning contractor operating in the Guelph, ON area, has been convicted and fined $25,000 on charges relating to conducting electrical work without an electrical contractor’s licence and failing to take out the proper electrical permit.

This is the second time in eight months the company has been convicted for violations of this kind. The company was previously convicted and fined $6,900 last year for violations associated with not having an electrical contractor licence and failing to apply for an electrical permit and inspection.

“Halls Heat and Cool has repeatedly flouted the law and potentially put the safety of their customers and the public at risk,” says Normand Breton, ESA’s Registrar and Director of Contractor Licensing. “ESA has followed up on the sites where the electrical work was done to ensure inspections have taken place and that the installations are in compliance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.”

All fines include a 25% fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

In Ontario, heating and air conditioning contractors can perform limited electrical work according to their trade qualifications, such as connecting an air conditioning unit to an electrical panel or a furnace to an existing electrical circuit. For this work, they are required to take out electrical permits with the Electrical Safety Authority. Any electrical work beyond their scope must be done by a licensed electrical contractor.

Image courtesy of Jan Pietruszka at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.