Appeal adjourned in illegal builder case

The appeal of an illegal North Bay builder sentenced to prison time has been put over to April.

Roland Boissonneault was sentenced last July to six months in jail for illegally building new houses and failing to provide his customers with coverage under the Ontario home warranty program.

He’s also responsible for about $20,000 in fines and surcharges slapped against his former company, 840441 Ontario Inc.

Boissonneault is out on bail pending his appeal, which was scheduled for today, with Madame Justice Louisette Duchesneau-McLachlan presiding.

But Boissonneault’s lawyer, Geoff Laplante, asked for the matter to be adjourned until a future date.

Laplante told the judge that Boissonneault had only appointed him counsel last week, and that he needed time to receive the respondent’s documents and prepare for the appeal.

The matter will be heard April 27 at 1:30 p.m.

Boissonneault was charged by the home warranty program, now known as Tarion Warranty Corporation in relation to his work on two homes in Callander as well as homes in Field, Sundridge, St. Charles, and Seguin Township.

Some of his victims had come to court expecting the appeal to proceed.

“I’d like to see justice prevail because he’s swindled people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Bev Bessette, who, with her husband Bernie, lost $30,000 to Boissonneault.

“And then he robs Peter to pay Paul.”

Boissonneault faces a new set of Tarion charges in court Tuesday morning, but it's expected proceedings will be put off until his appeal has been heard and a decision delivered.