On Thursday February 24 on Breakfast Television City TV, Mr. Aubrey LeBlanc COO OAHI was interviewed regarding home inspections.
He clearly stated: “OAHI is licenced in Ontario to qualitfy inspectors.”
OAHI is not licenced to qualify anyone, and is misleading for the Chief Operating Officer of OAHI to be stating otherwise. There is no licencing of inspectors in Ontario.
The preamble of the act Pr 158 which grants OAHI its self regulating status states:
The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors has applied for special legislation to become incorporated for the purpose of carrying out its objects, to enable it to govern and discipline its members and to grant to its members the right to the exclusive use of the designations “Registered Home Inspector” and “R.H.I.“. The applicant represents that it is an unincorporated association that is a division of The Canadian Association of Home Inspectors.
Further the Act states:
13. This Act does not affect or interfere with the right of any person who is not a member of the Association to practice as a home inspector in the Province of Ontario.
No where in the Act is licencing mentioned nor intended! Nor has the Ontario government introduced nor passed legislation.
Checked the video and sure enough he said it! Oahi is licenced in Ontario to qualify inspectors, 30 minutes into the segment.
They also are not allowed to call themselves Certified Home Inspectors as this is a conflict of their registered position RHI.
OAHI has tried to make it difficult for InterNachi by getting CMHC involved with the Certified Inspectors list.
What a joke, there are now 1000 InterNachi inspectors in [Canada] about
half of those are in Ontario and we still don’t have the same complaints or problems associated with OAHI.:nachi:](*,)
As for CHI anyone in Ontario can use it, OAHI tried that stunt on me, and I proved them wrong.
I was reported to ASTTBC by OAHI for using CHI. I refused to discontinue use. ASTTBC wrote back stating they have no jurisdiction outside of BC, and therefore would not persue misuse of CHI in other provinces.
The OAHI subsequently wrote a letter apologizing for overstepping their role.
I would caution anyone dealing with OAHI to be very cautious. Mr. LeBlanc is very aware of discriminatory practices within OAHI given he has been COO for several years now.
Of course this is the same chap who was formerly chair of TARION so I would also state that he would have a higher degree of responsibility in making correct statements.
Needless to say we shouldn’t hold our collective breaths waiting for Mr. LeBlanc to address his oversite nor his handlers to collectively issue a correction for the misstatement.
Unfortunately it is this kind of blatant misrepresentation that misleads the Canadian home buying public into believing that by selecting an OAHI inspector, ‘approved’ by a ‘licensed’ association, they are somehow protecting themselves. It is this kind of thing that, despite all claims to the contrary by the association in question and others that they stand to protect the interests of Canadian consumers, accomplishes exactly the opposite. False claims of licensing, which imply some kind of government participation and approval do not benefit the Canadian public and are an indication of desperation on the part of those making them.
Clearly it is more important to the old guard to support their ‘certifications’ and milk their members for education dollars than it is to be honest with the Canadian public.