Calgary charges construction company for Safety Codes Act violations

The City of Calgary has laid 49 charges against Dhaliwal Homes Ltd., including its director and two agents for violating the Safety Codes Act of Alberta.

Two more charges were laid for failing to comply with the city’s Land Use Bylaw (1P2007) under the Municipal Government Act.

The charges come after a three-month investigation by Calgary Building Services which found Safety Codes Act violations in the construction of two semi-detached homes.

The violations include building without a municipal building permit for both homes and the detached garages, building without the necessary safety code inspections, and knowingly submitting false and misleading information in relation to permits, inspections, and permission to occupy.

“Building safety violations pose a serious risk to homeowners and the community at large,” said the manager of Building Safety Cliff de Jong. “The seriousness and magnitude of these violations and the impact to unsuspecting potential buyers in this red-hot real estate market led The City of Calgary to conduct an investigation and lay charges.”

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The City says Dhaliwal Homes Ltd. can be fined up to $100,000 per charge and/or six months of jail time if found guilty in relation to the safety codes offences. The company can also face a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or a year of jail for the two charges relating to the Municipal Government Act.

The Provincial Court of Alberta in Calgary will be hearing the case.

“The City of Calgary’s position is to ensure compliance, to protect the public, and mitigate building safety issues,” said de Jong. “The City of Calgary has zero-tolerance for this type of building safety violation and will pursue charges when developers do not comply with the safety requirements outlined in the Safety Codes Act.”

The city also encourages Calgarians who are looking to buy a home to hire a professional real estate lawyer, ask sellers to produce copies of their inspection report and building and trade permits, and verify any business licenses and builders’ licenses of their developer before submitting any deposits or intent to purchase agreements.

Homeowners can verify the zoning and pulled permits for a prospective purchase by searching for their home address on the city’s website.