Consumer Protection:

Question: Who can help me if a business in Ontario misled me or sold me something that didn’t meet what was promised under consumer protection laws?

Answer: If you’re dealing with misleading sales, unfair practices, or a product that does not perform as expected in Ontario, Paralegals and Lawyers’ Office Benchmark Legal Offices can help you understand your rights under Consumer Protection Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 30, Sch. A, and explain practical next steps such as whether you can request a remedy, dispute charges, or seek a resolution based on Ontario rules for consumer transactions.  Call (289) 389-8840 to discuss your situation and how Benchmark Legal Offices can help you seek fairness, reduce stress, and move your claim forward with clear guidance 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: