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Download the TSSA Media Release - Here

QuoteToronto, ON, December 5, 2025 — Glen Robinson and Sons Plumbing and Heating (Glen Robinson & Sons) has been fined $10,000, plus a 25% victim surcharge, for safety violations related to a furnace installation under Ontario Regulation 212/01: Gaseous Fuels of the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000.

In 2021, Glen Robinson & Sons installed a furnace at a property in Metcalfe, Ontario, but failed to affix the required pressure test tag upon completion. Without this tag, the homeowner could not change propane suppliers. Despite requests, the company refused to return to install the tag.

Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) also found that Glen Robinson & Sons did not hold a valid TSSA contractor registration at the time of the furnace installation. In Ontario, all contractors working on fuel-burning equipment must be registered with TSSA and renew their registrations annually to continue operating legally. The company's fuels contractor registration had expired for over 10 years and was only reinstated in October 2025.

"Contractors must ensure their TSSA registration is current before carrying out any work on fuel-burning equipment," said Owen Kennedy, Director of Fuels Safety, TSSA. "In Ontario, only contractors with active registration are legally authorized to operate. This registration serves as an essential credential, validating that a business meets the qualifications and safety standards required to perform technical work on fuel equipment."

TSSA's licensees are responsible for renewing their licences or registrations with TSSA to operate legally in Ontario. Devices, facilities, contractors, and businesses regulated by TSSA that operate without a valid licence or registration may pose a risk to public safety. If a regulated party fails to renew or reinstate their authorization, TSSA will take regulatory actions, which may include shutting down equipment or pursuing court proceedings for offences.

TSSA's Lapsed Authorization Policy outlines the scope of lapsed authorizations, licensee responsibilities, and the process for reinstatement. For more information, please visit: TSSA's website.

Download the TSSA Media Release - Here

QuoteToronto, ON, November 10, 2025 — Oasis Pool and Landscaping was found guilty of eight offences related to pipeline strikes under Ontario Regulation 210/01 (Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems) of the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000. The Ontario Court of Justice has imposed a fine of $80,000, plus a 25% victim surcharge.

The safety violations occurred in June and July 2024, when Oasis Pool and Landscaping damaged two gas pipelines in two separate incidents in North York, Ontario, causing a loss of gas service to over 50 households in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

An investigation by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) found that Oasis Pool and Landscaping failed to supervise its employee and did not follow safety procedures during excavation work. The company did not hand-dig within one metre of a gas pipeline as required and struck the line, in both incidents, with an excavator. Following each of the strikes, an employee of the contractor sealed the damaged gas line and continued working without reporting the incident—an unsafe and unlawful action that posed a serious risk to public safety.

In the July incident, the company conducted additional excavation without referencing the obtained locates, increasing the risk of a pipeline strike.

According to TSSA's latest Public Safety Report, pipeline strikes account for over 60% of reported fuel-related incidents in fiscal year 2025. These incidents can result in gas leaks, fires, explosions, property damage, injuries, or fatalities. Repairs often require gas shut-offs, leaving nearby homes and businesses without service.

"This prosecution marks the third conviction for gas pipeline damage in Ontario this year," said Owen Kennedy, Director of Fuels Safety at TSSA. "In this case, the company involved even failed to use the obtained locates in one of the incidents. Digging without knowing the location of buried utilities is irresponsible, as it significantly increases the risk of damaging gas pipelines and other underground infrastructure."

Mr. Kennedy added, "TSSA reminds all contractors to follow the rules when carrying out work that may contact gas pipelines. Every contractor has a duty to ensure locates are completed before excavation begins and to dig safely in accordance with safety codes."

Before starting any digging project, both homeowners and contractors must contact Ontario One Call to identify the location of underground utilities such as gas, hydro, cable, and telephone lines. Taking this step is critical to preventing damage to pipelines and other buried infrastructure.

To help protect underground utilities, contractors are also required to follow the safety standards as outlined in the Canadian Standards Association's Damage Prevention for the Protection of Underground Infrastructure safety code (CSA Z247-15).

If a gas line is damaged or a leak is suspected, it must be reported immediately to TSSA at 1-877-682-8772.

Thanks for the advice. I'm open to any kind of work to get started.

I've already walked to all the HVAC places I could find on Google Maps and dropped off over 20 resumes, but today I only managed to leave one, four of the others weren't even at the listed addresses.

Small companies are really hard to find: many don't have websites, some are registered to home addresses, and a lot of Google Maps info is unreliable. I've also given my resume to my instructors, but there's still no news, and the listings on Indeed aren't updated either.

Everyone says walk-ins help, but honestly, I feel pretty defeated.

You just connect one wire to the R terminal and slide the jumper up as shown in the attached diagram.

I meant R and Rc

I am replacing an aprilaire 8444 with a Honeywell RTH20B.  The Aprilaire had a small blue jumper wire from A to Ab. The Red wire went into red and the jumper was also in red and jumped to Rb.


The Honeywell has slots for A and Ab but the slots will only take one wire.  Do I need to add a jumper to Ab?  If so, how do I do it?  Can I use a two wire pig tail from the red into the Ab?  Please advise. 

The fact you measured 24V at the gas valve while the ignitor was energized would seem to indicate a bad gas valve.

I would test the pressure switch to make sure it's not opening intermittently.

Well my HVAC repair story goes like this; I will start from the end:


If the issue was intermittent prior, but now is simply all the time.   What should I be looking at and what am I going to screw up.  If I have to get another HVAC tech in I will have the urge to take the first guy to small claims because his wife is a total piece of work and I don't want that hassle.  I promise I am not touching gas, I like my house in one piece and I am good with electronic repair and some mechanics but that is all.

13) The install manual says: Locate and correct gas
interruption.
• Check front cover pressure switch operation (hose, wiring, contact operation) Correct if necessary.
• Replace or realign igniter.
• Check flame sense signal. Sand sensor if coated and/or oxidized. <I ran some (extra?) fine wool over it.
• Check flue piping for blockage, proper length, elbows, and termination. <looked good.
• Verify proper induced draft blower performance. < the tech did strip some wires to tests this ?!)



12) So, the unit goes/went so far as sending 24V to the gas valve BUT there is no smell of gas at all and no ignition (rod gets bright yellow etc).


11) Yes, I likely have to take them to small claims court but need to fix the furnace before I do that; if I do it no cost or an inexpensive part I don't have to worry about that.  They can live with the review.

10) The problem turns out to be that the HVAC tech that took my 20" channel locks with them and wouldn't acknowledge I took them or even give me a call about them for 2 days with his wife running interference has bailed either because I embarassed him or because he is whooped by his wife this seems to want to go beyond the scope of handling the office stuff and co-ordination.

9) After I posted a review on google that got my 20" channel locks back.  I didn't say they stole them but I did give a clear and accurate description of events and his wife that answers the phone (woooo weeeee!!!).

 they won't finish the work that I paid for because they are upset with me.  If posted that they stole the tool I might understand but I didn't; I did skewer the HVAC techs wife that answers the phone and how she conducts business (it was bad).


From the start.


1) Intermittently my Goodman GME95 (10yrs) would not fire up.  It would fail after 3 times (one flash)

2)  Did a diagnosis and got as far as the gas valve getting 24V but not opening;  two of the times I gave it a tap over the next week it started up fine but did not go further.

3) Local HVAC Goodman company raised a couple of redflags but I was too tied down on time.  They have at least 20 techs in 8 locations; did the original install and have good google reviews.  Still red flags from the phone attitude and something odd they said too.

4) I was not able to get a quote for a gas valve because they MUST do the diagnosis, that I get but not even a quote on a type of repair for a part they have?

5) Regardless, they came over.  Took my word on what I did and I was able to get a quote.

6) They did a couple of other checks on repair day and replaced the gas valve.

7) The furnace was working at the time; but intermittent and they proceeded. 

8) They unit worked for a couple of days then nadda, nothing not even intermittent.  One flash.

It is tough to first get that foot in the door with a company willing to start someone who is new. You need to show plenty of enthusiasm to want to learn and do the work. Try and avoid any of the small companies or working for a single contractor. They usually have the worst pay, no benefits, no this, no that. But if that's what it takes to get started, then you may need to do that to get the experience others already want you to have.

Hi Admin - is there a resource you can point me to, that describes the pros and cons of controlling HRV thru Ecobee?