A Marketplace investigation into the sudden closing of a high-profile home renovation company has uncovered unfinished projects, allegations of fraud and an ongoing police investigation. The company is Ontario-based AGM Renovations, and the search for answers took Marketplace journalists thousands of kilometres overseas to find the man behind the company.
The situation, said one politician, reveals the weaknesses of a system with too few viable options for consumers burned by company closures. Those options include pursuing the matter in court, going back to the company for a refund and contacting a provincial consumer protection authority for help. In the case of AGM’s closing, each option comes with its own challenges.
Drew Carmichael hired AGM Renovations to work on his Oshawa, Ont., home in August 2024. The company was supposed to convert his basement into a legal apartment. But by the end of September, his $150,000 loan was maxed out and there wasn’t much to show for it.
By the time AGM announced its closing on Feb. 14 of this year, he said the project was only 30 to 40 per cent complete. “There's all sorts of upgrades and materials that were like part of that build that were just neve
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