Renovator’s trial on Fair Trading Act charges bumped by virus pandemic

The long-awaited trial of Calgary home renovator Bruce Hopkins on industry regulatory charges is on hold once more.

Hopkins was scheduled to face a two-week trial beginning Monday on 22 allegations under the provincial Fair Trading Act.

But Crown prosecutor Tony Bell said because of COVID -19 restrictions on court trials, the hearing before a provincial court judge has once again been adjourned.

Hopkins was supposed to stand trial last year, but the failure to book an out-of-town judge to hear the case forced its postponement.

Hopkins originally pleaded guilty to the 22 charges, but had a change of heart and applied to withdraw his admissions.

In May 2018, Calgary provincial court Judge Mark Tyndale, who heard the guilty pleas, allowed Hopkins to rescind the pleas because of a potential apprehension of bias if the matter continued before the local judge.

In striking the guilty pleas, Tyndale noted Hopkins, through one of his companies, may have done work at another Calgary judge’s home.

As a result, Tyndale said, it would be better to have an out-of-town judge hear the case, meaning Hopkins’ guilty pleas before him were no longer valid.

Bell said the case has been adjourned six weeks, but he hopes in the interim he and Hopkins’ lawyer can arrange a trial date.

“We can try and book a date sooner than that (next appearance) … (but) at this stage we don’t know when the courts are going to reopen to the normal use,” he said.

“Until we get word from provincial court that they’re booking two-week trials, we can’t really do it.”

Hopkins pleaded guilty May 23, 2017, to charges involving allegations he unlawfully entered into contracts by failing to comply with the requirements set out in the prepaid contracting business licensing regulation.

According to the agreed statement of facts provided by Bell and then-defence lawyer Joel Chevrefils, Hopkins, through his company The Remodelers Ltd., entered into nearly two dozen renovation contracts without providing sufficient details of services, as required.

Hopkins could face up to two years in jail or a significant financial penalty on the charges, which aren’t criminal offences.