Williams Montara HP003
is Illegal and Non-Compliant
Innova’s Million Dollar Challenge
Failure to be listed in the NRCan Searchable Product List
In Canada, all air-conditioning and heat-pump systems must be listed in the NRCan database. In fact, it is illegal to import or sell a unit that is not listed. At the time of this publication, March 16, 2026, the Williams Montara HP003 is not listed in the NRCan Searchable Product List.
Failure to meet NRCan Minimum Efficiency Requirements
Williams Montara HP003 has a claimed nominal cooling capacity of 8,000 BTU.
Under federal law, any 8,000 BTU heat pump in this class must meet:
13.4 SEER2 or 9.3 CEER minimum to be legally sold, installed, or used in Canada.
Williams lies when it publishes a 13.9 SEER2 rating, making it seem as if it complies; however, that 13.9 SEER2 rating is fake.
This alone renders the units illegal.
Fraudulent and Fake Numbers
The Williams Montara HP003 is manufactured by Zymbo (China), and Zymbo does not publish an SEER2 rating in any of its documentation. However, it is worth noting that the manufacturer, Zymbo, publishes very different numbers.
Zymbo claims the same unit, which they call Clima Puro, has a higher capacity of 8,831 BTU and a much higher efficiency of 10.6 EER. What’s even more fascinating is that Zymbo’s math doesn’t work.
Here’s what Zymbo publishes:
- Cooling Capacity: 8,831 BTU
- Power Input: 750 W
Using Zymbo’s own watt input:
- 8,831 ÷ 750 = EER 11.77
Yet Zymbo, the manufacturer, publishes an EER of 10.6. In heating, Zymbo still can’t do simple math. In heating, Zymbo still fails basic math.
- Heating Capacity: 8,800 BTU
- Power Input: 700 W
Using their own watt input:
- 8,800 ÷ 3.412 (BTU to W) ÷ 700 = 3.68 COP
Yet, Zymbo publishes 3.35 COP.
Zymbo is playing with the numbers. The numbers they published looked too good to be true, so they simply “dumbed down” the efficiency and presented reduced efficiency values.
When Williams went to publish their own numbers, the company did not rely on the fabricated data provided by Zymbo. This may be because Williams reviewed the figures and found them mathematically inconsistent, or because it questioned whether Zymbo, a Chinese company whose unit appears to be a copycat of Innova’s design, doubted that their unit could achieve higher capacity and better efficiency than Innova. As a result, it’s plausible that Williams further reduced the reported capacity and efficiency to present values that appeared more realistic.
Williams adjusted the 8,831 BTU to 8,000 BTU and dropped the EER from 10.6 to 8.89. In doing so, Williams did a much better job producing values that appear more consistent than the original figures, suggesting an attempt to produce numbers within a plausible range. However, the resulting data does not align with expected performance levels. The data Williams provides is unreliable and undeniably false.
When tested in a lab, Montara HP003 will not produce 8,000 BTU with a 13.9 SEER2 rating as claimed. The numbers they claim are fake.
Summary of Violations
Williams Montara HP003:
- Failure to list on the NRCan database
- Publishes fabricated numbers in cooling
- Publishes fabricated numbers in heating
- Uses illegal rating metrics, COP instead of HSPF2
- Violates NRCan labeling requirements
- Fails SEER2 minimums because efficiency numbers are falsified
- Fails HSPF2 minimums because numbers are fake
- Fails to use the correct testing methods
- Violate the Competition Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-34), which prohibits deceptive efficiency claims
Williams Montara HP003 cannot legally be sold, installed, or used in Canada, and we back that statement with a One Million Dollar Guarantee.
Illegal to Distribute, Install, and Use
Williams Montara HP003 is illegal to distribute, specify, install, or use because it is not listed in the NRCan database and does not meet NRCan’s heat pump energy-efficiency requirements. To meet the NRCan requirement, this unit would need to have an SEER2 rating of at least 13.4 or a CEER of 9.3 at 8,000 BTU and an HSPF2 rating of at least 5.4 at 8,000 BTU. This rating cannot simply be invented; it must be established through testing in a genuine lab.
How Everyone Gets Hurt
Sellers
Private labelers, Manufacturers,
Distributors, Dealers, Resellers
Selling a non-compliant HVAC product is a direct violation of the Energy Efficiency Act and NRCan regulations. Sellers are exposed to:
Federal Civil Penalties
NRCan may prosecute for non-compliance for every unit distributed in commerce. Penalties stack and can reach six-figure outcomes per model.
Product Seizure and Forced Recall
NRCan can seize inventory, block further distribution, and mandate recall or destruction of illegal equipment.
Competition Bureau enforcement… Competition Act Section 52
Publishing fabricated ratings constitutes a deceptive trade practice under the Competition Act. This exposes the seller to federal enforcement, mandatory corrective advertising, and civil penalties.
Breach of Contract and Indemnification Claims
Developers, contractors, and property owners can sue the seller for damages if the installed equipment fails inspection, fails commissioning, or causes code violations.
Class-Action Exposure
Tenants, condominium associations, and homeowners’ groups can sue for misrepresentation, damages, inflation in energy costs, or unsafe equipment.
Loss of Manufacturer and Distributor Licenses
OEM partnerships and distribution channels can be terminated for selling illegal equipment.
Selling these units is both legally and financially dangerous.
Installers
Contractors, HVAC technicians, MEP firms
Installing non-compliant equipment exposes the installer to direct professional and legal risk.
Violation of state and local mechanical codes
Most jurisdictions require installed equipment to be listed, certified, and compliant with NRCan minimums. Installing unlisted units violates the code.
Loss of contractor license
Boards can suspend or revoke licenses for installing non-certified or illegally rated equipment.
Civil liability for damage
If the unit fails, performs below specifications, overdrafts electrical circuits, leaks refrigerant, or causes mold or structural damage, the installer can be sued.
Professional negligence claims
Installing non-certified equipment is a breach of standard practice.
Insurance denial
Work performed with illegal equipment can void contractor liability insurance coverage.
Installers who choose these units are assuming direct legal and financial responsibility.
Loss of Contractor License
Boards can suspend or revoke licenses for installing non-certified or illegally rated equipment.
Civil Liability for Damage
If the unit fails, performs below specifications, overdrafts electrical circuits, leaks refrigerant, or causes mold or structural damage, the installer can be sued.
Professional Negligence Claims
Installing non-certified equipment is a breach of standard practice.
Insurance Denial
Work performed with illegal equipment can void contractor liability insurance coverage.
Installers who choose these units are assuming direct legal and financial responsibility.
Engineers
MEP engineers, Specifiers, Consultants
Engineers face a high risk of exposure if they specify or approve the use of illegal equipment.
Professional malpractice exposure
Specifying equipment that does not meet SEER2 or CEER requirements, or does not appear in AHRI/NRCan Searchable Product Lists with accurate data, is a breach of engineering duty.
Loss of PE license
Stamping drawings with illegal or misclassified equipment creates a direct disciplinary risk.
Design liability
If the equipment fails to meet code, fails load calculations, causes tenant complaints, or drives excessive energy use, the engineer is liable for damages.
Insurance exposure
Errors & Omissions insurers reject claims involving knowingly illegal equipment.
Any engineer who signs off on these units is accepting personal liability.
Building Owners
Developers, Property managers, REITs, Condo associations
Owning a building with illegal HVAC equipment exposes the owner to substantial financial and legal risks.
Code violations and failed inspections
Buildings containing non-certified equipment can fail Local Authority inspections.
Forced removal and replacement
Authorities can mandate the removal of every installed unit, at the owner’s expense.
Insurance cancellation or claim denial
If the equipment is not legal or not NRCan-compliant, insurers may deny coverage or void property insurance policies.
Reduced property value
Buildings with illegal equipment face valuation reductions, impaired financing, and lender objections.
Tenant lawsuits and warranty claims
Tenants can sue for non-performance, high heating/cooling costs.
Fines and enforcement actions
Owners can be fined for every illegal unit installed or operated within the building.
Owning or operating these units exposes the property to material legal and financial damage.
End-Users
Residents, Tenants, Homeowners
Even the resident or end-user is exposed to risk when using non-compliant equipment.
High energy bills and poor performance
Because the published performance data is fake, real-world operating costs are substantially higher than the claimed ratings suggest.
End-users bear financial burdens due to equipment that consumes more power and has limits.
The Million Dollar Challenge
Innova guarantees that the performance numbers published by “Williams” are fake.
Innova will pay one million CAD to any manufacturer, distributor, engineer, or entity that can produce a certified, independent laboratory test report corroborating the claimed capacity and efficiency when tested in accordance with DOE regulations.