Exciting Legislative Victory for Ontario’s Construction Industry! 🚨

As of November 6th, significant amendments to the Construction Act have officially become law through Bill 216, the Building Ontario For You Act (Budget Measures), 2024. This marks a major legislative victory for our industry, with key changes that will improve transparency, efficiency, and fairness in construction projects across Ontario. 🏗️🔨
 
The amendments, detailed in Schedule 4, reflect ORBA’s key recommendations and will have a lasting impact on how we work.
 
Here are some of the highlights:
 
✅ Proper Invoice Requirements: Streamlined prompt payment provisions by deeming invoices “proper” unless deficiencies are provided in writing within a specified timeframe.
 
✅ Dispute Adjudication Enhancements: Improved adjudication processes with allowances for private adjudicators, broader adjudication rights, and new jurisdictional and correctional provisions.
 
✅ Holdback Payment Revisions: New rules require annual holdback payments and replace outdated non-payment provisions, improving cash flow on projects.
 
This legislative victory wouldn’t have been possible without the dedicated leadership of Attorney General Doug Downey and his team, who have been deeply committed to collaborating with industry stakeholders to bring these changes to life. Special thanks to Duncan Glaholt, who championed ORBA’s recommendations as the independent reviewer, and the ORBA Contracts and Documents Committee for their essential input in shaping these impactful changes. 🙌
 
We’re excited to see how these improvements will help streamline processes, reduce administrative burdens, and create a more fair and efficient construction environment across the province.