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WARRANTY CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE It was 1976 and the Toronto housing market was in one of its typical boom/bust periods. Rent Controls had recently been introduced (as a temporary measure) bringing new rental construction to a stand still. The Condominium Act of 1967 was now maturing and entry-level product, primarily new townhomes, and apartments were being built with reckless abandon. The baby boomer was buying their first home and the banking community was financing inventory. There was no such thing as the “pre-sale”, the product was built and then sold. In 1976 there were over 26,000 standing units of new home inventory. New homebuyer’s protection from defects, delivery or default was non-existent – it was a “caveat emptor” environment. Only a few of the major builder/developers of the day had any form of warranty – Monarch, Costain and Cadillac Fairview provided a very sophisticated and consumer oriented warranty for the first five years. It was individuals like Mr. Keith Morley, then President of Costain (now Brookfield Properties) and Mr. Ernest Assally (first Warranty Chairman) of Ottawa who had the leadership and broader vision to create a universal warranty for all new homes. The Ontario New Home Warranty Program (ONHWP) was established in 1976 as an independent, private, non-profit corporation with the mandate to insure the warranty that all builders must provide to new homebuyers in Ontario. The corporation is also empowered by the Government of Ontario to license and regulate the new home building industry and to provide consumer and builder information and education. In 2001 ONHWP will place its one-millionth warranty on a new Ontario home. Over 25 years the items covered under warranty have expanded dramatically and so too have the challenges. The inherent conflicts are obvious. This self-regulating creature of government legislation, founded and controlled by the building industry attempts to regulate that same industry and at the same time, protect the consumer. Today’s Warranty Program has set a remarkable record of balancing the interests of its primary stakeholders – government, the building industry and the consumer. Under the guidance and solid leadership of Mr. Aubrey Leblanc, President/Registrar and Mr. Al Libfeld, the current Chair, the Warranty Program enters the millennium with a new commitment to service. Project Simplify is a new initiative specifically targeting improved service to its stakeholders. As Leblanc says, “We’re trying to put our words into action – creating consumer confidence through our commitment to consumer protection and builder excellence.” The Warranty Program is not perfect.
It has its share of critics. But as that one millionth purchaser
moves into their new home sometime
this year they can be assured of a degree of protection that
is the best in Canada and arguably one of the best programs offered
anywhere in the world. Keep Positive!
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