esa

An organization responsible for promoting electrical safety in Ontario is highlighting an alarming new trend.

According to a new Leger survey commissioned by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), nearly 40 percent of Ontario homeowners have not confirmed if the proper permits were obtained before electrical upgrades were completed in their home.

According to the ESA, the oversight is particularly concerning.

“If you’re not checking for permits, there’s a good chance that a permit hasn’t been taken out,” says Emily Larose, the organization’s vice president of regulatory and general counsel. “You may not be using a licensed electrical contractor, which is a really risky thing for you to do.”

According to the ESA, taking short cuts on licensed electrical contractors with the proper permits often leads to shocks, fires or even fatalities and can result in costly repairs.

The organization says unlicensed electrical work is also four times more likely to have safety issues than work done by a licensed electrical contractor.

“If you’re contemplating a project or in the midst of a project then ask your contractor to give you proof that they’ve taken out a permit,” says Larose, adding the survey showed 11 per cent didn’t even know how to go about checking permits. “And when the work is completed, ask for the certificate of acceptance.”

She adds that if work had already been completed on a home, people can contact ESA and request details on previous permits to see if work was licensed or not.

One of the reasons for the high number of homeowners doing renovations (with or without proper permits) is the cost of housing prices and the uneven real estate market.

In fact, the Leger survey noted that 27 per cent of Ontario homeowners intend to renovate their current home, suggesting nearly a quarter of respondents are choosing to renovate over moving into new homes

“I’ve done a big renovation on my home (and) I know there’s a paralysis of decision-making and that it’s really expensive,” says Larose. “It’s really important in all of those decisions you’re making sure that you hire the right people.”

The ESA is a not-for-profit organization in Ontario responsible for promoting and enforcing electrical safety regulations to protect the public.