July 11, 2016 – Halls Heat and Cool Inc.—a furnace and air-conditioning contractor operating in the Guelph, Ont. area—was convicted in a Guelph court April 27, 2016, and fined $25,000 on charges relating to doing electrical work without an electrical contractor’s licence plus failing to take out the proper electrical permit.

According to Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority, this is the second time in eight months the company has been convicted for violations of this nature. The company was previously convicted and fined $6900 on November 2, 2015, for violations associated with not having an electrical contractor licence and failing to apply for an electrical permit and inspection.

“Halls Heat and Cool has repeatedly flouted the law and potentially put the safety of their customers and the public at risk,” said Normand Breton, ESA’s registrar and director of contractor licensing. “ESA has followed up on the sites where the electrical work was done to ensure inspections have taken place, and that the installations are in compliance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.”

All fines include a 25% victim fine surcharge.

ESA explains heating and air-conditioning contractors in Ontario may perform limited electrical work according to their trade qualifications, such as connecting an A/C unit to an electrical panel or a furnace to an existing electrical circuit. For this work, they are required to take out electrical permits. Any electrical work beyond their scope must be done by a Licensed Electrical Contractor.