Mike Holmes posts statement following CBC investigation into reno company he endorsed

CBC Learns AGM Renovations Under Investigation for Electrical Safety Violations

Popular renovation show host Mike Holmes has issued a statement on Facebook about the importance of electrical safety and the need to scrutinize contractors. The move comes a day after a CBC investigative report found that AGM Renovations, a company Holmes supports, was facing allegations of shoddy construction and unsafe electrical work.

“Electrical safety is essential and a red line that cannot be crossed by my team and my communities,” Holmes wrote in the statement.

According to CBC Marketplace, Holmes has endorsed AGM in numerous advertisements over the years, using phrases like “Don’t take chances with your contractor, trust AGM.”

But after CBC learned that AGM was under investigation by the Ontario Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) for electrical safety violations, the AGM page on Holmes’ official website was removed. AGM video ads featuring Holmes have also been removed from the internet.

Holmes responds to CBC investigation
The Holmes Group of Companies did not respond to repeated requests by the CBC for comment on AGM's misconduct and the ESA investigation. But Holmes' recent Facebook comments appear to indicate that he has ended his relationship with AGM.

"Whenever our partners fail to comply with the rules, we have a protocol in place that includes immediately suspending our work until the investigation and assessment are complete," he said.

"We understand that actions such as suspending our work can be used negatively against us, but we remain committed to taking immediate action," he added.

Holmes also supported the ESA's investigation into potential power outages.

Customers sue AGM
Two families interviewed by the CBC say Mike Holmes' support for AGM helped them choose the company to renovate their home, but they now regret the decision.

They complain about the poor quality of AGM’s work, especially the electrical problems. In both cases, AGM performed electrical work without obtaining the necessary permits. In one of the cases, the Cartier family in Barrie, Ont., told the CBC that AGM used an unlicensed electrician to perform the electrical work.

After an investigation, a licensed electrician who redid the work wrote in his report: “The illegal electrical installations that were identified are a fire hazard.”

“We are very angry and upset,” said Eric Cartier, a member of the family. “This is our home, where our children sleep. We trusted AGM to do the job right and to build us a safe home.”

AGM’s response
AGM has denied any wrongdoing and said it had no knowledge of the ESA investigation. The company also did not respond to CBC’s questions about the use of unlicensed electricians.

When CBC asked AGM about the status of its partnership with Mike Holmes, the company's CEO, Ivaldi Bala, said the relationship was "in transition" and that AGM was undergoing a "brand rebranding."

In closing his statement, Mike Holmes said, "I am the same person I have always been and I will continue to do my best to help others."

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