Niagara company and Hamilton man fined for unlicensed electrical work

Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) has fined a Niagara-on-the-Lake company and a Hamilton man for separate incidents involving unlicensed electrical work.

ESA says Warren Mechanical Plumbing and Heating renovated a basement of a home on Tulip Tree Road between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2022. The company installed pot lights, wiring for an electric fireplace, heated flooring in a bathroom and some switches.

ESA says after the work was done it received an anonymous complaint the work was done by an unlicensed electrical contractor.

That’s when the authority learned the company didn’t have a license, didn’t file a notification of work and “concealed the electrical work after completion without having been inspected.”

Warren Mechanical then hired a licensed electrical contractor to do the work and repair mistakes.

George Warren, the company’s director, was charged $3,000 and convicted under the Electricity Act.

The company was fined $6,000 and received a suspended sentence, which means the authority “has taken into consideration certain factors that allow the punishment to be passed later if the person re-offends.”

CBC Hamilton contacted Warren Mechanical for comment.

Man fined after fire in Hamilton

The Hamilton incident stems from work done between Nov. 1, 2021 and Feb. 28, 2022.

The authority said in a media release Jason Tabunot installed new switches, pot lights and outlets at a home.

It led to a fire that caused $9,147 in damages.

The investigation into the fire showed Tabunot removed the backing of the pot lights, covered junction boxes with drywall, and used out-of-code materials. More investigation uncovered he had no electrical contractor’s licence and didn’t apply for an electrical permit for the work he was doing.

The authority says Tabunot pleaded guilty and was convicted under the Electricity Act.

He was ordered to pay a $7,500 fine, plus a victim surcharge of $1,875.

How to spot an unlicensed electrical contractor

From April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, the ESA has issued $203,100 in fines, launched 91 investigations and issued 77 convictions to unlicensed contractors, according to its summer newsletter.

When it comes to licensed contractors, there have been 1,341 licenses suspended, seven licenses with conditions and one conviction.

ESA has tips to help people spot unlicensed contractors.

• There’s no ESA licence number on their work vehicle or estimate.
• The contractor won’t show you their electrical contractor licence number when you ask for it;.
• They do more than just electrical work, like drywall, flooring, plumbing, snow removal, or other home improvements.
• They are not listed on the Electrical Safety Authority’s Contractor Look-Up tool.
• They ask the homeowner to get the ESA permit, or say you don’t need one.
• They offer a discount if you pay cash, they accept only cash, and/or won’t provide a receipt.
• And they say, “If anyone asks, tell them you did the work yourself.”