Commercial

What brokers need to tell homeowners hiring renovators

Brokers placing home insurance should be advising clients on how to vet renovation contractors, a spokesperson for a bidding website advises. Some contractors could be working on homes without having workers compensation insurance, and while they may have insurance certificates and skilled trades licenses, such documents can easily be faked, said Nicole Silver, public relations […]

By Greg Meckbach | January 9, 2018

2 min read

Commercial

New legal risks of retaining contractors instead of employees

Companies subject to Ontario labour laws could face an additional risk of fines, penalties and orders to pay severance to terminated contractors if labour enforcement staff conclude that independent contractors are actually employees, a lawyer warned Wednesday. With Bill 148, Ontario’s ruling Liberals are “taking steps to make sure that workers are properly classified and […]

By Jason Contant | November 22, 2017

2 min read

Commercial

How small code changes can reduce big water claims

With severe weather expected to get worse in the years ahead, introducing small changes into building codes is critical, the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction’s (ICLR) managing director told Canadian Underwriter on Wednesday. “We are not talking about totally revamping codes or making huge, expensive, wholesale changes,” Glenn McGillivray said. “Often times, changes can be […]

By Canadian Underwriter | November 15, 2017

2 min read

Commercial

Broker urges more study on ‘broadest tax reform in decades’

A federal government proposal to change the income tax system affecting passive income generated within a company is raising some unanswered questions, a member of parliament suggested to brokers this week. One commercial brokerage president is calling for further study before changes are made. “As it stands, the broadest tax reform in decades, as tabled, […]

By Canadian Underwriter | November 15, 2017

2 min read

Supreme Court of Canada hears surety bond dispute

A construction subcontractor that was not fully paid and whose claim on a surety bond was denied had its case heard Tuesday before the Supreme Court of Canada. In 2009, Langford Electric Ltd. subcontracted directional drilling work to Valard Construction Ltd. on a Suncor Energy oil sands project near Fort McMurray, Alta. Langford was a […]

4 min read

Ontario government pledges ‘further study’ on insurance-type products covering new home warranties

The Ontario government proposes to separate the administrator of the new home warranty program from the regulator of new home builders and vendors, but the ruling Liberals want to further study a recommendation to implement a multi-provider insurance system for new home warranties. The Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act currently stipulates that Tarion Warranty […]

4 min read

ICLR researching wind damage on partially-built wood framed structures

The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction is “seeking to better understand” why partially-built wood frame structures fail with high winds, ICLR said in a document it provided Monday to Canadian Underwriter. “Every year, several partially built single family homes, duplexes and other small wood framed structures in Canada collapse as a result of severe wind,” […]

2 min read

Federal government orders railway company to complete repairs and resume service to Churchill, Man.

The federal government has ordered rail company OmniTRAX Inc. to complete railway repairs and resume rail service within 30 days to Churchill, Man., several months after the only ground transportation to town was flooded. Natural Resources Canada said in a statement on Friday that since the rail service disruption in late May, the Government of […]

3 min read

Late payments a ‘threat to the viability’ of small construction business: MPP

Small businesses in the construction industry face “undue risk” of not being paid in a timely manner, a member of the opposition Progressive Conservative party suggested to the Ontario legislature Tuesday. With late payments to construction contractors, “the issue is around the impediment to business and a threat to the viability of small businesses,” said […]

4 min read

Ontario to introduce new offence for careless driving causing death or bodily harm

Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has released further details on its planned road safety legislation this fall, including the creation of a new offence for careless driving causing death or bodily harm. The province’s Minister of Transportation, Steven Del Duca, and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Eleanor McMahon, were in Toronto on Wednesday to […]

3 min read