MISSISSAUGA, ONT. — Serge Yasmine and his company, BMX Renovations Inc., pleaded guilty to several offences under the Electricity Act and as a result have been ordered to pay a total fine of $32,500, plus a victim surcharge of $8,125.
The offences included three counts of operating an electrical contracting business without a licence.
An Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) investigation uncovered Yasmine and BMX Renovations Inc. were conducting unlicensed and unpermitted electrical work associated with inground pool installations at three different properties.
The company failed to properly ground electrical swimming pool equipment, leaving electrical hazards at all three homes, said the ESA in a statement. The homeowners in all instances contacted ESA to verify if permits had been taken out for the electrical work, confirming no permits had been obtained for the electrical work completed which resulted in an inspection by ESA of all three sites.
By law, only Licensed Electrical Contractors (LECs) can be hired to do electrical work in homes in Ontario. LECs get permits from the ESA to ensure the work complies with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
If a contractor asks to file the ESA permit in your name, offers a discount for getting paid in cash or not providing a receipt, it may indicate the contractor is unlicensed.
Report unlicensed electrical contractors through ESA’s anonymous reporting tool at esasafe.com/reportacontractor.
ESA offers the following three steps to make sure electrical work is done properly:
- Verify or find a Licensed Electrical Contractor at ca.
- Make sure they get a permit from the ESA. Without this, the ESA cannot ensure work done in your home isn’t a hazard.
- Ask for a Certificate of Acceptance once the work is complete; this is an important document for insurance and resale purposes.
“Unlicensed electrical work is risky, costly and just not smart,” said Emily Larose, vice-president of regulatory and general counsel with the ESA, in a statement. “At ESA, we’re serious about electrical safety, and that means investigating those like BMX Renovations, who put the public at risk. By hiring a Licensed Electrical Contractor and making sure they get an ESA permit, we can help verify the work is done properly, safely and legally.”
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