A developer that had been facing the potential of more than $30 million in fines from Ontario’s Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) has had all counts against it dropped.
In the biggest case ever brought before the HCRA’s discipline committee, Briarwood Development Group was accused of violating the province’s code of ethics for home builders by coercing 142 buyers into paying more for pre-construction homes, for which t hey had already paid deposits and signed agreements, ultimately extracting more than $18 million.
The counts against Briarwood were all dismissed or withdrawn last month, after the HCRA failed to prove its case and bring forward substantial evidence.
Briarwood’s lawyers are celebrating the result, and insi st the developer acted ethically and transparently with buyers.
Many buyers and advocates, however, say the outcome shows the HCRA is failing to regulate the in dustry and are calling on the province to step in. Some buyers who refused Briarwood’s price increase say they remain in limbo years later, still without their homes.
“This is a horrible precedent for future b uyers," said Toronto real estate lawyer Bob Aaron, who has represented c
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