Two Barrie, Ontario men accused of defrauding customers through their pool and landscaping business are scheduled to stand trial next fall. The alleged fraud, involving 16 homeowners and losses exceeding $500,000, dates back to the height of the pandemic.
Two men from Barrie, Ontario — Jamie Galipeau, 49, and Matthew Tayler, 48 — are facing trial next October after being accused of defrauding 16 customers out of approximately $500,000 through their company, Sommerland Pools and Landscapes.
The case will proceed before a judge alone in the Superior Court of Justice in Barrie, with a five-week trial scheduled. The charges stem from allegations that during the pandemic, customers paid large deposits for pool and landscaping projects that were either never completed or never started.
The accused were charged in May 2024 following an Ontario Provincial Police investigation, which began after several customers came forward to CTV News in August 2023. The men face 14 counts of fraud over $5,000 and 14 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.
Homeowners described losing tens of thousands of dollars and being left with unfinished or destroyed backyards. One victim, Daniel Pecarski, said, “We were duped. Unfortunately, the first feeling you have is embarrassment; this should not have happened to me.”
Another customer, Dipesh Mistry, recounted that his backyard was left “a bomb site” after work suddenly stopped. He said Tayler blamed his partner, telling him the business was in dispute and that the project could not be completed.
Both Galipeau and Tayler have made multiple court appearances throughout the summer. The Ministry of the Attorney General later granted the Crown a direct indictment, moving the case directly to the Superior Court.
The accused have not provided further comment since being charged. The allegations have not yet been tested in court.
