A Not so Green Bill 150

Government Energy Audits on homes for sale

Canadian News, Opinion | March 26, 2009

Very soon, the Liberal Government of Ontario will pass Bill 150. If this bill is passed in its current form, and you plan to sell or lease your house or an apartment in the future, you will have to get “an energy audit” of your property done by one of about 450 licensed energy auditors active in Ontario. The cost is about $300-$400 for this. Then, there will be more expenses waiting for you, the owner of the property, in the form of fixing the “deficiencies” found during the “energy audit”. That can add up to a substantial sum of money depending on the condition and age of your property. This unintended consequence will cause an untold hardship to those in our society who can afford it the least - senior citizens and low income families. Some of them may be unable to sell their homes as a result of this legislation.

Part IV of Bill 150 deals with Inspections, Enforcement and Penalties.

Some highlights:

The Deputy Minister may appoint anyone to be an inspector. (This could include convicted rapists, thieves, etc.).
An appointed inspector may enter any place where he/she has reasonable grounds to believe that there are documents or things relating to the offer to sell or to lease (and do what?).
Upon application made without notice by an inspector, a justice of the peace may issue a warrant, if he or she is satisfied on information under oath that there is a reasonable ground for believing that ………….;
An entry or access under a warrant issued under this section shall be made between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless the warrant specifies otherwise (why not all 24 hours?).
No person shall hinder, obstruct or interfere with or impede an inspector (Since no uniform is specified we must assume we will recognize his red and white sooty suit and large bag to hold his collected fees).
Every person who contravenes any provision of Part I, Part III or this Part or the regulations is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not more than $10,000 or, if the person is a body corporate, to a fine of not more than $25,000. With the average debt load carried by Canadians today, this onerous fine this size could result in a loss of the family home. Even convicted fraud artists get away with less.

Last, but not least, we believe that the information turned over to the government by these inspectors will be shared with MPAC, the assessment people. Imagine paying for the privilege of providing the property tax people with a detailed description of the interior of your home. Seeking to preserve our rural identities, traditions, security, prosperity and the fundamental principles of natural justice

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The Ontario Landowners Association shall defend and promote the principal of strong local governments, democracy, and natural justice and represent the interests of the rural community.

For Rural Ontario to survive, Property Rights and judicial reform must be enshrined into law at all three levels of Government, these being; Federal, Provincial, and Municipal.

Rural Ontario is under systematic attack by government bureaucracy and false environmentalism.

The Ontario Landowners have and will continue to expose and meet these threats with determination and resolve in the court of public opinion.