Ottawa contractor fined for Electricity Act violations
An Ottawa contractor has been fined $32,500 for several violations of the Electricity Act, including three counts of operating an electrical contracting business without a licence.
Serge Yasmine and his business, BMX Renovations Inc. pleaded guilty to the charges on May 30. In addition to the fine, they will pay a victim surcharge of $8,125 and were placed on a two-year probation.
An investigation by Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) uncovered that Yasmine and BMX Renovations Inc. were conducting unlicensed and unpermitted electrical work associated with inground pool installations at three different properties. They failed to properly ground electrical swimming pool equipment, leaving electrical hazards at all three homes.
The homeowners in all instances contacted ESA to verify if permits had been taken out for the electrical work, confirming that no permits had been obtained for the electrical work completed. This resulted in an inspection by ESA of all three sites and the charges against Yasmine and BMX Renovations Inc.
“Unlicensed electrical work is risky, costly and just not smart,” said Emily Larose, ESA’s Vice President of Regulatory and General Counsel. “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.”
By law, only licensed electrical contractors can be hired to do electrical work in homes in Ontario.