On Wednesday, Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee announced that homebuilders who plan to offer their services to the northern wildfire-ravaged areas of the province must register a “builder declaration” before applying for a building permit. Additionally, resumes of building companies operating in the region will be posted online by the provincial government for the public to view.
The measures are intended to prevent Alberta residents from hiring dishonest builders and reinforce the New Home Buyer Protection Act and the Safety Codes Act.
Over 80,000 people were forced to evacuate from their homes on May 3 as the conflagration spread, said
blackburnnews.com. According to the government, more than 1,900 residential units were razed by the fires.
Canadian Home Builder’s Association CEO of the Alberta branch Jim Rivait remarked that the new stipulations will be simple for existing homebuilders to adopt but stringent enough to protect consumer from shady builders.
“This is especially important when opportunists are likely to make unrealistic claims about how quickly they can build a home in Fort McMurray,” Rivait said. Rebuilding the community will be a long process that will require patience and co-ordination. It will also require skilled professionals who stand behind the homes they build instead of skipping town if problems come up.”
“All of the steps they’re taking, actually are very, very positive and common sense based,” commented Fort McMurray Construction Association president Charles Iggulden.
“The biggest fear or worry is warranty after the houses are built. Some companies may just fold up after and go. Homeowners won’t be able to get warranty over a long term.”
Iggulden also noted that while cleanup is still ongoing—preventing any rebuilding efforts in the meantime—insurers are working with policyholders to identify potential builders and schedule work.
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