A major structural defect is defined in the The Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act  as:

• Any defect in work or materials that results in the failure of a load-bearing part of the home’s
  structure or materially and adversely affects its load-bearing function; or
• Any defect in work or materials that materially and adversely affects the use of the building
  as a home.

The seven year MSD warranty includes significant damage due to soil movement*, major cracks in
basement walls, collapse or serious distortion of joints or roof structure and chemical failure
of materials.

In addition to the general exclusions, the seven year MSD warranty specifically
excludes: dampness not arising from failure of a load-bearing portion of the building; damage to
drains or services; and damage to finishes.

Homeowners and builders who are in doubt as to whether an item is covered by the Seven Year Warranty should consult the Construction Performance Guidelines which describe many of the most commonly reported warranty service requests and indicate which are covered.

* Soil movement means subsidence, expansion or lateral movement of the soil not caused by flood,
earthquake, “acts of God” or any other cause beyond the reasonable control of the builder.