When the builder delays: closing dates and compensation

Delays are normal in new construction, and Ontario's statutory framework anticipates them. Builders must give notice of new dates within set timelines, and where a delay is not properly handled, buyers may be entitled to delayed closing or delayed occupancy compensation, subject to statutory daily amounts and an overall maximum.

Compensation generally covers documented living and storage expenses, so keep receipts for rent, hotels, storage and moving from the original date onward.

Read the critical dates and notice provisions in your agreement carefully, note them in a calendar, and if a delay notice arrives, check whether it complied with the required notice period before accepting it as final.