Important Bulletin for Businesses regarding Regulations under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 and the Travel Industry Act, 2002
Regulations have been filed under the
Consumer Protection Act,
2002, to come into force on July 30, 2005. Regulations under the
Travel Industry Act,
2002, take effect on July 1, 2005.
Businesses should review the new regulations, available online at www.e-laws.gov.on.ca under the heading "regulations as filed".
By filing the regulations now, the Ontario government offers businesses approximately five months to comply with the new regulations. The new standards support a strong economy and give businesses a level playing field on which to compete. Compliance with the new standards will help businesses to increase consumer satisfaction and remain competitive.
Some of the changes include:
 New rules around
disclosure in consumer agreements.
These will be of special interest to:
- Businesses currently regulated under Ontario consumer protection laws, such as:
- Motor vehicle repairers, and
- Personal development services, such as fitness clubs and services
provided for modeling and talent.
- Businesses that offer future-performance agreements, such as:
- Internet contracts, and
- Timeshare or vacation club contracts.
- Businesses that offer credit and engage in long-term leasing, such as:
- Pay-day lenders, and
- Businesses that offer rent-to-own contracts.
New rules about consumer remedies, to include
cooling-off periods.
Businesses that are now subject to cooling-off periods should review their contracts as well as business practices to ensure they are ready to comply.
New rules about
amendments, renewal or extensions to consumer agreements and contracts.
Businesses should see the list of the types of agreements and contracts covered appearing in the regulations.
For information about the Travel Industry Council of Ontario, visit the web site at
www.tico.on.ca.
To review the regulations, visit the Government of Ontario e-Laws website.
Information for consumers will be provided by the Ministry of Government Services prior to July 1, 2005 and July 30, 2005 as the regulations come into force.
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