Consumer Protection:

Question: What consumer protection rights can I use in Ontario if a business changed the contract or misled me about pricing before I signed?

Answer: If you’re in Ontario and a business gave you misleading pricing or made unfair contract changes, Lynxs Paralegal (Legal Services) can help you understand your rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 30, Schedule A and other consumer law rules, plus what steps to take to try to resolve the dispute.   A paralegal at Lynxs Paralegal can review your purchase details and contract terms, assess whether the conduct may be an unfair practice, help you gather evidence, and advise on practical options such as requesting corrections, refunds, or other remedies within Ontario. For a quick next step, call (647) 249-6676 to book a consultation.

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: