Another day, another fiasco for Ontario consumers related to the mandatory monopoly Tarion - this time reported in the Toronto Star* about Tarion's mediation process.
CPBH has been raising questions/issues re Tarion's "independent" mediation for quite a while. For example, see our appendix here in this report: https://canadiansforproperlybuilthomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2023-LAT-Report-Final-April-7-2024.pdf .
Today’s Toronto Star article says that Tarion’s mediation program is “under review”. That is very good news for Ontario’s purchasers of newly built homes, but based on what we heard today, an "internal review" is not going to be acceptable to consumers.
Tarion’s 2024 Business Plan says that Tarion aims to be “trustworthy” – being a trusted resource is a strategic objective in that Business Plan. Today’s Toronto Star provides another example that Tarion is far from trustworthy. Further, it appears that Tarion is only considering changes to the mediation program because mainstream media reported on this.
CPBH has now written to the Tarion board chair, Mr. Andy Kenins, and asked him for his response to issues we have previously raised, as well as these questions:
Was there consideration of a review of this mediation program before a mainstream journalist starting probing?
Will Tarion’s mediation program be put on hold until these issues are properly resolved?
Now that Tarion has publicly acknowledged issues with its mediation program, what will be done to address all of the previous mediations conducted as part of this program, some of which may have been tainted?
Given a recent social media post by the current Minister, Todd McCarthy, that was complimentary of Tarion, as well as his Ministry's dismal track record of "overseeing" Tarion, we haven't found much faith in the Minister/Ministry to do anything meaningful for consumers related to this situation, either.
So now what? Over to you Auditor General of Ontario to investigate?
#EndTarionMonopolyNOW
* The Toronto Star's article is behind a paywall, and we've been told that many can't access it. But if you do subscribe to the paper, you can just search for the headline above.