OTTAWA — An unqualified electrician has been convicted in Ottawa court of several counts of operating an electrical contracting business without a valid electrical contractor licence and other offences, ordered to pay $25,000 in fines and placed on probation.
Oscar Lewis was also convicted of failing to file notifications of work (permits) with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), stated an Oct. 10 release.
Based on the ESA’s investigations, Lewis was first hired in February 2020 for a complete renovation of a commercial property. Lewis’s work included installing pot lights, outlets, smoke detectors, fire alarms and electrical signs and replacing the electrical panel.
In June and July of 2021 at a second site, Lewis removed fluorescent lights over a restaurant bar and replaced them with new LED lights.
At a third site, another restaurant, in July of 2021, Lewis wired an outside walk-in fridge.
The convictions were reached on May 29, 2023. Lewis was placed on probation until May 2025.
Lewis is a repeat offender, having been convicted in 2013 for working without a permit and working without a licence across four different locations. He was investigated in 2018 and 2019 for similar offences.
“A contractor may seem qualified or offer a low rate, but that doesn’t mean you can rely on them to provide safe electrical work,” stated Emily Larose, vice-president of regulatory and general counsel with the ESA. “Poor electrical work can have serious consequences to property and people alike, so it’s crucial to hire a licensed electrical contractor who obtains a permit from the Electrical Safety Authority.”
The ESA has launched an educational campaign about the dangers of hiring anyone but a licensed electrical contractor who gets an ESA permit. Homeowners and businesses considering hiring an electrician should ask to see the electrician’s licence number, look them up on the ESA’s Find a Contractor page and ask to see an ESA permit.
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