New Ontario bill would ban specific door-to-door sales, regulate home inspectors
The bill would also change debt collection rules and increase abilities of the registrar of payday loans.

TheStar.com
Nov. 3, 2016

Ontario is introducing legislation on Thursday that would regulate home inspectors, ban certain door-to-door sales and strengthen payday loan rules.

The changes would all fall under the Putting Consumers First Act, which the government says is aimed at protecting people in transactions with common household and financial services.

The bill would ban unsolicited door-to-door sales of water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners and water filters, to protect against what the government calls “aggressive” and “high-pressure” sales tactics.

Home inspectors would have to be licensed if the bill passes, and it would create an administrative body to oversee them, with complaint and enforcement processes, including discipline and appeal committees.

The bill would also give the registrar of payday loans the ability to restrict high-frequency borrowing, create standards that lenders must consider when determining a borrower’s ability to repay and give repeat borrowers an extended payment plan option.

Debt collection rules would also be changed under the bill, making firms that purchase debt for the purpose of collecting it subject to the same rules as collection agencies.