Niagara developer and his company fined $150K after selling new homes illegally: HCRA
Ontario's homebuilders and vendors regulator has fined a Niagara man and his development company $150,286 after they were found guilty of selling new homes illegally.
The Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) previously provided documents to CBC outlining the 26 charges against Christopher Lamb and Novel Condominiums.
The documents state Novel Condominiums entered into 26 agreements of purchase and sale for homes at 6591 Montrose Rd. before becoming registered as a vendor under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act (ONHWPA).
Lamb, who was listed as a registered salesperson, also falsely answered a question on the application form about whether he had any charges pending of an offence under any law, the documents say.
The fines he and Novel Condominiums face went through provincial offences court. Novel's licence has been cancelled.
At the time, Novel Condominiums said it was "dismayed" to hear of the provincial offence charges and was co-operating fully with the investigation.
The charges have been posted to the HCRA website and the Ontario Builder Directory, a searchable database complete with warnings of builders known to be operating illegally.
Lamb previously pleaded guilty to exporting cannabis, careless storage of a firearm and two counts of possession with the purpose of selling cannabis in late September.
He was sentenced to 12 months of house arrest and almost 12 months of curfew with conditions as well as a $175,000 fine and forfeiture of items seized during the investigation, including money, the documents state.
CBC Hamilton contacted Lamb but didn't immediately receive a response.
