Ontario Realtors support repeal of mandatory home energy audits

A decision to put the brakes on mandatory home energy audits has been welcomed by Ontario Realtors.

The government’s decision to repeal the Green Energy Act 2009 is good news for home sellers who would have been required to include results from the audits on their listings.

David Reid, president of Ontario Real Estate Association says that mandatory energy audits would be an unnecessary burden on sellers.

“These energy audits can take weeks to schedule and perform, often adding an unnecessary layer of red tape and making it more difficult for Ontarians to sell a home. This is especially true in Northern and rural communities, where many homes heated using wood, gas and oil-based furnaces would fail a home energy audit,” he said.

He added that those who were forced to sell due to changes in their circumstances would incur delays in their sale with additional mortgage payments and bill payments as a result.

“And this scheme would punish seniors and low-income families the most, who don’t have the money to fund expensive green retrofits recommended by a government mandated home energy auditor,” Reid said. “This is why we, as Realtors support Bill 34 and it’s protections from costly red tape and unnecessary runaround for Ontario homeowners.”