|
Need for Federal Government to work with other levels of government to ensure Building Codes are enforced.
The Issue:
While there are many good builders in Canada , unfortunately, there are serious problems in the new home construction industry, i.e., many new homes do not even meet the minimum standards of the current Building Codes. Building Codes are the absolute minimum level of acceptable construction, and Code violations are serious, e.g., potentially a threat to health and safety, waste valuable energy, and may be expensive to repair.
In Canada , anyone can call themselves a builder, so the importance of adequate Building Codes and their proper interpretation and enforcement is extremely important in protecting Canadians.
Canadians for Properly Built Homes' Position:
Canadians for Properly Built Homes is calling on the Federal Government to play a larger role, and w ork with all levels of government to ensure that the minimum standards of the Building Codes are enforced.
While it is recognized that the responsibilities of enforcing the Building Codes currently rest primarily with the provincial/territorial and municipal governments, given that a home is the largest investment that most Canadians make, energy consumption is a problem, and that improperly built homes can make you sick and/or be a source of injury, the Federal Government must play a greater role in resolving this serious issue of Building Codes violations.
In its 2005 Plan for Moving Forward on Climate Change , the Federal Government included a Partnership Fund to encourage more environmentally responsible policy on the part of all levels of government. This is an example of the Federal Government incenting the other levels of government. This is a good start but it should not stop here – the Federal Government must assess the effectiveness of these types of incentives, and if the required results are not achieved, it must take stronger measures to achieve them.
All levels of government, including the Federal Government, must work together to ensure that Building Codes are met. This is not only a financial matter; it relates to meeting our Climate Change/Kyoto objectives, as well as the health and safety of Canadians.
What can concerned citizens do?
- Write or telephone your Federal Member of Parliament and request that he/she ensures that the Federal Government is part of the solution to ensure that all new homes meet the applicable Building Codes.
- Write or telephone the Federal Minister responsible for CMHC and remind her of the Conservative Party of Canada's commitment to work with the provinces to ensure homes are properly built: The Honourable Diane Finley, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6, E-Mail: Finley.D@parl.gc.ca, Telephone: (613) 996-4974..
|
