Hansards: November 14th:
Quote of the minister “in addition to setting minimum qualifications for home inspectors, the proposed legislation, if passed, will allow for the creation of a new administrative authority to oversee and enforce the new rules. This authority will be able to establish additional licensing requirements, a code of ethics for licensees, and set a technical standard for home inspections.”
Hansards: November 16th:
Quote of the minister “(in English) various home inspection associations set different qualifications, resulting in various levels of competency across the home inspection field…(translated from French)The proposed changes, if passed, would allow for the creation of a new administrative authority to administer and enforce the bill and its related regulations…(again in English)…It would be an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded by licensing fees collected from individuals and businesses in the regulated sector. If and when it is set up, the new body would be responsible for overseeing complaints from consumers…the government plans to consult with stakeholders and the industry to develop the proposed regulations…(again, from French) *We want to strike the right balance between consumer protection and acceptable costs for the home inspection sector. . * (continued in English)The proposed requirements for home inspectors, including mandatory licensing, were developed based on recommendations from a panel of 16 experts representing both industry and consumers which was established by my ministry in 2013…there are many home inspectors in this province who do their jobs well and understand what to look for in a home. These home inspectors are often held in high regard in their communities and are an essential resource to anyone buying a home. However, it is important to note that currently anybody in Ontario can practise as a home inspector.”
**From the stakeholders paper that the Minister talks about… **
"The panel proposed the following principles to help guide the transition process.
- The transition should be seamless. There should be no disruption to the access to the services being provided to consumers.
- Home inspectors who are, or who recently have been, providing quality services in a competent and ethical manner should be allowed to continue to provide services.
- The transition process should be straightforward, clear, and understandable.
- Current home inspectors should have enough time to become licensed and to meet any new requirements, such as mandatory insurance and criminal checks.
- Individuals who are in the process of attaining the education, experience, or exam requirements that are roughly equivalent to the requirements to become licensed by the new regulator should be permitted to complete that process and become licensed.
Using these principles, the panel recommended this approach to transition over a period of 18 months.
- Home inspectors with designations that reflect the licensing requirements of the new regulatory body and are approved by the regulatory body should become licensed without further review.
- The new regulatory body should assess the education and experience of home inspectors whose designations are not approved by the regulatory body or do not meet its licensing requirements. The regulatory body can then decide if additional training, experience, examination, or testing is required before a licence is issued."
These panel discussions ended up as a full recommendation for “Transferring In” which reads:
"35. The government should establish transition provision for persons currently practicing as home inspectors.
a) There should be an 18 month notice period before licensing requirements come into effect.
b) Home inspectors with designations from existing organizations that reflect the licensing requirements of the DAA and are approved by the DAA may become licensed without further review.
c) A process should be put in place for submissions from organizations to demonstrate how their designations reflect the licensing requirements of the DAA.
d) Home inspectors without an approved designation should undergo an individual assessment of their education and experience by the home inspector regulatory body who would determine if additional training, experience, examination, or test inspection is required before a license is issued. "
It is our belief that the Minister will continue to adopt the recommendations of the Stakeholders as she has shown to do so far in her reading.
No amount of horn-blowing or lobbying from any one Association is likely to give them any special powers over the decisions of the Minister.
OAHI, like the NHICC, ASHI, InterNACHI, PHPIC, CanNACHI and OntarioACHI are all going to have to prove their Certified Inspectors have obtained education and skills that meet or exceed the requirements. This will probably mean, as it did in the other provinces, that anyone who is not a member of one of these association, or has not already proved their education by taking proctored examinations, will have to do so, among other requirements they will need to meet.
Otherwise, they will have 18 months to get their ship in order.
