Ontario to introduce bill that would regulate home inspectors

Home inspectors in Ontario could soon be regulatedunder legislation the provincial Liberal government says it intends tointroduce this fall.

Consumer Services Minister Marie-France Lalonde is announcing Wednesdaythat the bill would require home inspectors to be licensed andset minimum standards for contracts and home inspection reports.

It would also establish a body to administer and enforce thelicensing and regulations.

• Lack of home inspector regulations leaves buyers on the hook

Lalonde says the legislation would protect consumers by ensuringthey benefit from quality advice and are aware of safety issuesbefore buying a home.

The government estimates that in Ontario there are 1,500 homeinspectors one of the only professionals involved in a real-estatetransaction to not be provincially regulated.

Ontario assembled a panel of industry experts in 2013 to draft areport on the issue and the panel recommended that inspectors berequired to pass a written exam and a field test in order to becomelicensed.