Condo builder Admirals Walk Residences Inc. has been charged with 80 counts of illegal vending because it did not enroll with Tarion Warranty Corporation. Tarion is a provincial regulator that administers Ontario’s new home warranty program.
The charges are in relation to the proposed two high-rise condo towers at 1100 King St. W. in Kingston, where a grain elevator once stood.
The builder told CKWS that Tarion’s guidelines do not permit building on pre-existing foundations like the pier.
“It was always our intention to have some kind of warranty. But because it couldn’t be Tarion, we were looking at other third-party insurers to insure the same kind of warranty that Tarion provides,” said Sandro Sordi, the director of Admirals Walk Residences Inc.
Adam Candon is one of the sales representatives on the project and said he isn’t worried.
“This isn’t that much of a bump in the road, really. We’re just looking to sell units. We’re happy to work with Tarion if they do end up insuring it,” said Candon.
About 50 per cent of the first building has already been sold. The price per unit ranges from the low $300,000s to up to $1.3 million.
But not all residents living in nearby Commodore’s Cove are sold on the development.
Gordon Marantz is a member of a peer review group made up of concerned residents.
The long-time resident said he’s seen a lot of builders come and go and isn’t convinced the current one is here to stay.
“We always wondered about them selling and taking money and not having the proper registration. This finally caught up with them,” said Marantz.
In the meantime, the issue is still under investigation by Tarion, which has a mandate to investigate and prosecute builders who violate the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act. In a news release, Tarion asks consumers who have signed an agreement to buy a home from Admirals Walk Residences Inc., Kingston Waterfront Developments Limited or Sordi to contact Tarion if they have any questions.
Both Sordi and Candon say the project will go on regardless.
“There’s always going to be negative comments and people trying to bring you down but that’s okay. We’re not going anywhere,” said Candon.
Candon says if all goes well, new residents could be moving in by 2020.
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