Deborah and Dan have been looking for a home for some time now in British Columbia’s interior. They have considered neighbourhoods both established and new, prices, commute times, amenities and more. It’s a big decision! They have never spent so much money on anything before and the down payment on their home represents all of the cash they have been able to gather by saving for several years. They both work and have been living on Dan’s salary while saving Deborah’s. The condo they bought several years ago with help from their parents is too small for the family they want to have. They feel they have done their homework and should make a decision. It has come down to two newly built communities. While there is a commute to work in both cases, transit service is good and they feel they will get more of what they need in a home there than closer to work. They have spoken with the sales representatives at length and have taken advice from a real estate agent. Since they live in BC, there are a number of new home warranty providers. Each of the builders they are looking at have chosen a different warranty provider from among those approved by the province. They have learned that the warranties must meet certain minimum levels of coverage set by the province, but that these companies can offer warranties that exceed the minimum. So the quality of the warranty is part of their decision in which house to buy. In the end, Deborah and Dan choose a home that meets their needs and has a warranty that exceeds the minimum coverage to some degree. They feel that the warranty company’s willingness to provide this coverage is an indication that they have confidence that the builder will construct the home properly and meet building code requirements. This is in addition to other research the couple has done about the builder’s record, including visiting other communities the builder has completed and talking to home owners there. There is no monopoly on new home warranties in BC. Builders negotiate with provincially-approved warranty providers to find the best arrangement for them and in consideration of what their customers want. The competition among warranty providers and builders for the trust of consumers to purchase their homes encourages high quality and low warranty claim rates, while keeping warranty prices in check. British Columbia’s monopoly-free warranty program has been called the gold standard. Builders are regulated by the Homeowner Protection Office (http://www.bchousing.org/aboutus/HPO, a branch of BC Housing, not by the warranty provider. The HPO licenses builders, monitors the performance of approved warranty providers, does research and education to benefit builders and consumers, and administers owner/builder authorizations. Does this mean there will never be another problem with a newly built home in BC – or with a warranty provider in that province? NO! But it does mean that the competition among warranty companies and builders encourages high quality and service to customers, unlike in a monopoly system. It also means the building industry is regulated by an unbiased, publicly run office, not by builders. Ontario’s new home buyers deserve no less! It’s time to #EndTarionMonopolyNOW !