Brampton increases fines for businesses operating under the radar

Brampton is tightening the rules for businesses operating without proper licenses, introducing higher fines for repeat offenders as the city looks to improve compliance and help protect residents who hire local service providers. 

New amendments to Brampton’s Stationary Business Licensing and Administrative Penalties bylaws took effect in July, creating a graduated penalty system for businesses that repeatedly fail to follow licensing requirements. 

Under the updated rules, businesses that do not comply will face: 

• $500 for a first offence 

• $750 for a second offence 

• $1,000 for each subsequent offence 

The city says the changes are intended to improve consistency across its licensing system, reduce administrative barriers and encourage businesses to meet municipal requirements. 

A stationary business is a business that operates from a fixed location within Brampton and requires a municipal licence to operate. The city licences more than 30 types of stationary businesses, including contractors such as roofers and driveway paving companies, fixed food premises, lodging homes, pet grooming businesses and other regulated operations. 

For residents, the licensing system provides a way to check whether a business has met the city’s requirements before hiring them. 

This can be particularly important for homeowners looking to hire contractors for projects such as roofing, renovations or driveway paving. Brampton requires those contractors to be licensed, and the city maintains a list of licensed businesses to help residents verify that an operator has met municipal requirements. 

Depending on the type of business, licensing requirements may include zoning approval, proof of insurance, required training and approvals from other agencies. 

The city says licensing helps ensure businesses are operating in accordance with local rules while providing residents with more information when choosing service providers. 

Along with increasing fines for businesses that violate the bylaw, Brampton has also made changes to insurance requirements for licensed short-term rentals. 

Short-term rental operators must maintain general liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $2 million. The city has replaced the previous requirement for Commercial General Liability insurance with General Liability insurance while maintaining the same minimum coverage amount. 

Licensed short-term rental operators and residential rental licensees will now have 15 days, instead of 10 days, to notify the city about changes to their required insurance coverage. 

Brampton says it will continue monitoring licensed businesses and rental operators to ensure compliance with municipal bylaws. 

Businesses that fail to meet licensing requirements could face a range of enforcement measures, including administrative penalties, provincial offence charges, orders to comply, or suspension or revocation of their license. 

The city says the updated rules are designed to create a more consistent licensing system while ensuring businesses operating in Brampton meet the standards required to serve the community.