CSG Electric Planning on DIY Electrics – Is It Even Legal | Page 7

Quebec failed in court to suppress the sales to only registered
professional electricians and DIY home stores were allowed to continue
selling electrical wiring, switches, fuse-boxes and all other electrical
infrastructure goods directly over the counter to the homeowner. The
problem now was that because Quebec had no legal concept of
homeowner electrical DIY there were no permits or inspections. Just
like in Vancouver and Ontario sales of electrical DIY equipment
flourished but the homeowner was left with a predicament. If they went
down the DIY route they couldn’t get a legal certificate for the work
carried out. This was a big problem because it was primarily the
pressure applied by home insurance companies that had forced Quebec
regulators to take the heavy handed stance in the first place. This
effectively meant that any DIY electrical work – because it could not
get a permit or certificate – would invalidate the home insurance in the
case of a fire.