Mayor Andrew Knack is taking a firm stance against what he calls 'bad builders' who are tarnishing the reputation of Edmonton's construction industry, particularly in infill development. During a recent urban planning committee meeting, city councillors voted to experiment with new penalties for builders who repeatedly violate construction standards.
New Enforcement Measures for Noncompliance
The city's Construction Accountability program will trial enhanced enforcement tools over the next year. These include designating repeat violators as 'high oversight,' requiring mandatory training for employees, submission of detailed safety plans before obtaining new permits, and increased permitting fees. Additionally, officials will conduct more surprise inspections at critical construction stages.
'What Edmontonians expect is clear accountability for the small percentage of builders who have clearly not been following the rules,' Knack told reporters. 'City administration is always going to be risk-averse, but we wanted to give them the power to actually go forward and really hold those bad builders accountable.'
Provincial Limitations and City's Response
Provincial legislation restricts the city's ability to enforce building practices—for instance, the city cannot simply refuse a building permit to repeat offenders. However, Knack emphasized the need to push harder in areas where enforcement is allowed. 'If they're not following the rules, we need to throw everything at them to ensure that they are. Residents of mature neighbourhoods deserve to know we are going to stand with them,' he said.
Challenges and Potential Fines
Administration warned that companies could challenge restrictions in court, even if they are noncompliant. Knack responded, 'I'm not worried about those folks challenging us in the court system. We've been more than reasonable with some of the worst of the worst. This is our chance to use a much larger stick to hold those bad builders accountable, while continuing to reward the good builders who are doing great work, day in and day out.'
Knack also raised the possibility of fines as high as $100,000 and requiring habitual violators to pay for regular oversight. 'We don't have the ability to revoke the building licence, but can we move into fines as high as $100,000? Sure. Should we look at a builder that's regularly violating the rules being required to pay for regular oversight and a presence on site to ensure they're following the rules? Why not?'
Community Concerns and Evidence
Finding problem companies should not be difficult, as council frequently hears grievances from homeowners about new construction. Jan Hardstaff of the Residential Infill Working Group (RIWG) presented photos of improper excavation, damage to neighbouring buildings, and yards, highlighting the impact of negligent builders.
The committee's decision marks a significant step toward addressing infill-related issues in Edmonton's mature neighbourhoods, aiming to restore trust and ensure quality construction standards.
