Canada Better Protecting Tender

The one-of-a-kind Consumer Bill of Rights follows four years of work to strengthen consumer protection rules in Alberta. The simple two-page document is the first of its kind in Canada. It summarizes the main protections in the Consumer Protection Act into an easy-to-digest format that will help people understand their rights be protected from potential financial losses and know where to turn if theyre treated unfairly.We know that educated consumers are confident consumers. The Consumer Bill of Rights will help educate people making purchases in Alberta. Its another example of how our government is standing up for everyday Albertans. From cracking down on payday lending to banning door-to-door energy sales and ticket bots weve spent four years beefing up consumer protection in Alberta. This new Consumer Bill of Rights is a step forward that ties together much of our recent work on this file.Brian Malkinson Minister of Service AlbertaAlbertans often turn to payday loans pawn loans and rent-to-own schemes to deal with emergency expenses or to bridge a gap when their income isnt enough to cover the rising costs of living. Many of our program participants struggle with high-cost debt. When we reviewed their pawn loan and rent-to-own contracts we were shocked to see them being charged annual interest rates well over 100 per cent. Alberta consumers are better protected thanks to the steps taken by the Government of Alberta to lower the interest rates on payday loans and to license and regulate all high-cost lenders.Jeff Loomis executive director MomentumIve run a general contracting firm for several years and Ive seen first-hand how important it is for both consumers and contractors to know their rights and responsibilities. There are shady operators in this field and as someone working hard to run a legitimate business the more educated my potential customers are the better it is for both them and me.Scott Stolee owner Northstar Design ConstructionAs a new business owner I think this new bill of rights is a great initiative. It seems so simple but it will help both consumers and businesses. People coming into my store deserve to know their rights and feel confident when deciding to make a purchase. And as a consumer myself this helps me protect my new business. Its a win across the board.Harrison Clark owner Murphys Mid-CenturyThe Consumer Bill of Rights can be viewed online and businesses are encouraged to print the document and share it with consumers.The governments consumer protection record includesConsumer protection laws Strengthened protections in areas consumers said were the highest priority includingBanning the use of ticket-buying bots and improved consumer access to refunds from resellers.Introducing industry-wide standards for vehicle sales and repairs to improve accountability in the sector and better protect consumers from unexpected or unauthorized charges.Introducing a licensing framework for high-cost lenders to ensure responsible operations and help consumers better understand the nature of high-cost credit products.Payday lending Put an end to 600 per cent interest rates on payday loans to help prevent people from becoming trapped in a cycle of debt. Today payday loan borrowers pay lower fees have more time to pay off their loans and are paying them off in smaller installments.Door-to-door sales Put an end to misleading aggressive sales tactics by banning door-to-door sale of energy products and services. The ban includes furnaces hot water tanks air conditioners windows energy audits and electricity and natural gas contracts.Electricity price cap Introduced a price cap to make life more affordable and ensure electricity bills are fair and reasonable.New home buyer protection Introduced a builder licensing framework to protect consumers as well as the reputation of good builders.Condominium livingIntroduced condo regulations to improve buying and living in a condo.Utilities Consumer Advocate Expanded the advocates free mediation services to water bills and improved the advocates ability to report on the performance of gas and electricity companies to help consumers make well-informed choices.