Why You Should Not Hire Unlicensed Electricians In Toronto

By Virginia King


The worst ice storm that has ever struck Toronto occurred in 2013, leaving 250,000 homes that use hydro-electricity without power. It was reported that unlicensed electricians took the advantage of the catastrophe to rip off the affected homeowners of their hard-earned money in order to have their power restored. This is something common in the Canada's largest city, but you can save yourself from such rip-offs by hiring licensed electricians in Toronto certified by Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).

Almost a half of homeowners in the Canada's largest city either hire unlicensed contractors to do electrical wiring or fix electrical problems themselves. This explains why twenty percent of all fires happening in Canada annually are due to unstable wiring systems and improper connections. The amount of work done by unlicensed contractors can be reduced by hiring electrical professionals do the work.

As a way of reducing the amount of work done by unqualified handymen, the Canadian government mandated Electrical Safety Authority to control the licensing of master electricians and electrical contractors. Prior to that, municipalities used to give licenses to contractors, a practice which meant that standards were quite uneven. It also meant that an electrician who worked some few miles from the Canada's largest city would need a separate permit to take up a job there.

Under the new licensing system, electrical contractors are still required to pass exams administered by colleges, universities and the Ministry of Training. A master electrician must pass an ESA exam that covers the construction lien requirements, Consumer Protection Act, permits, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) issues, and business practices. A master electrical contractor must also be well-versed in the approvals and safety of the electrical products on the market.

In Toronto, the Electrical Act requires homeowners to hire certified electrical contractors only. You can be charged in accordance with these new regulations for hiring a contractor who is not licensed. With homeowners being able to check the status of their contractor in the ESA website, it makes no sense to hire an unlicensed electrician. You can also use the website to find a licensed contractor located near your home.

The main goal of the new regulations is to boost safety measures when undertaking electrical work. The Act can work even better if the DIY homeowners are made aware of the fact that the law requires their work be inspected. This means DIY'ers will incur inspection cost.

The inspection fee is waived if you hired licensed electricians to replace an existing electrical system. If, on the other hand, a homeowner hires an unlicensed contractor, the inspection fee will apply. Hiring unlicensed contractors come with other demerits including the fact that you will have no redress to bring the tradesman back if something needs to be fixed.

While the initial cost of hiring an unlicensed contractor is low, the overall cost is quite a huge chunk of money. Cheap is expensive. It is, therefore, advisable to always hire contractors who are insured, bonded and licensed.




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