Consumer Protection:

Question: Ontario consumer protection laws protect me if a business changes my contract after I sign, so what should I do first?

Answer: If a business in Ontario changes your contract after you sign, Lynxs Paralegal can help you review the agreement, identify unfair or misleading terms, and explain your options under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 30, Schedule A and related common law implied protections.  Start by saving proof of the original contract, all amendments, receipts, and emails, then write to the business in plain language stating you do not agree to the changes and requesting any promised remedy in writing.  If they refuse, a paralegal can help you assess next steps for dispute resolution or a claim, including practical demands for refunds, cancellations, or compensation where the law applies.  Call (647) 249-6676 to get guidance for consumer transaction issues across Ontario.

In the world of commerce, and in particular matters of consumer transactions, the individual person as a purchasing consumer is often at significant disadvantage in business dealings, especially when such business dealings involve large corporations.  To help balance the playing field, so to help ensure that individual consumers receive fairness during business dealings, consumer protection laws were put into place.

Without the protection of consumer protection statutes, consumers would be subjected to the common law and the age old adage of buyer beware or caveat emptor as such is known in Latin) and often referred to within historical legal precedents.

The Law

The law contains many statutes that contain provisions providing protection to consumers including, among various others:

• The Consumer Protection Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, Chapter 30, Schedule A;
• The Competition Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-34; and
• The Sale of Goods Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.1.

In addition to the statute laws as above, and despite buyer beware principles, the common law as ruled by judges also contains protections for consumers such as implied warranties requiring that sellers to supply products appropriate for the intended purpose or for the performance of good work.

Common Issues Include: