TORONTO — The McGuinty Government is planning to introduce legislation that will, if passed, protect consumers by enhancing electrical safety and strengthening enforcement powers for the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).

“The changes I am announcing today will help stop the sale of unsafe electrical products and remove them from store shelves.  If a product has already been sold, the new legislation will empower the ESA to require the manufacturer to notify consumers that the product is unsafe and order the manufacturer to repair the unsafe product, ” said Minister of Government Services Gerry Phillips. “The reforms I am proposing today to Ontario’s Electricity Act, will modernize safety standards in our province.”

Earlier this year, the McGuinty government passed a regulation that requires all electrical contractors to be licensed by the ESA in January 2007.   This will allow the ESA to go after unlicensed contractors doing potentially unsafe work in people’s homes or businesses.  The proposed changes in this bill will give the ESA stronger enforcement powers to actively pursue individuals and businesses that falsely hold themselves out to be electrical contractors.  For those that continue to endanger the public, they will face fines up to $50,000 and for corporations up to $1 million.

“By strengthening the ESA’s ability to go after unlicensed electrical contractors, we can help stop these people before they do unsafe work in our homes and businesses,” said Phillips. “These changes are good for the consumer and good for the industry.”

Proposed changes will give more access for inspectors to records and strengthen ESA’s enforcement capabilities by increasing the time limit to lay charges for an offence to two years from six months.

“This will provide ESA with strengthened authority to deal with unsafe electrical products and improve the state of safety in Ontario,” says Vice-President and General Counsel, ESA, Chris Jodhan.

This is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to make Ontario a safer place to live and do business, by updating electrical safety standards.

Introducing reforms to the Electricity Act is one way the McGuinty government is working to protect Ontario families and bolster public safety.  Other recent initiatives include:

• Proposed legislation that, if passed will ensure retail gift cards and certificates retain their full value
• New regulations that ban threatening language and limit the number of phone calls collection agencies can make
• Proposed legislation that, if passed, will enhance existing protection for Ontario homeowners from real estate fraud

Backgrounder: McGuinty government modernizing consumer protection

Contacts:
Paul de Zara
Minister’s Office
416-327-3072 - office
647-388-9671 – cell 

Ciaran Ganley
Ministry of Government Services
416-325-8659