Markham, Mississauga councillors push ban on door-to-door scams

Yorkregion.com
April 19, 2016
By Amanda Persico

A Markham councillor is joining the StopTheKnocks campaign and wants the city to take stronger action against door-to-door scams.

During yesterday’s general committee meeting, Colin Campbell pushed forward a motion calling for a provincewide band on door-to-door sales in the home services sector, such as water heaters, water filtration systems and furnaces.

“These people are forcing their way into homes with fake IDs,” he said. “We need protection for seniors and newcomers. Let’s show some action for once.”

Campbell argued that while the province introduced new legislation in the past year, it has not gone far enough.

“The province only half addressed the issue,” he said.

Some of the new rules included significant restrictions on how door-to-door sellers are to approach the door, present ID, and close sales at a person’s home.

But some companies continue to mislead the public using fake IDs, fear tactics and contracts with severe cancellation fees, he said.

The StopTheKnocks campaign and online petition were started by Vaughan residents Isaac Rudik and Stacie Sommer, who dealt with a door-to-door solicitor claiming to be from Enbridge only days after moving earlier this spring.

“Everyone of those so-called protection measures the province introduced a year ago were broken by the fraudster that came to our door,” Rudik said.

The petition calls on the province to take immediate action to ban door-to-door sales this spring.

Mississauga Councillor Karen Ras is also pushing the motion.

But imposing a ban might not be that simple, since many legitimate companies do door-to-door canvassing, Markham Regional Councillor Jim Jones said.

He noted there was no warning or official notice of Campbell's motion provided to councillors and the public.

“That’s the way many businesses market themselves,” Jones said. “Taking away their livelihood deserves a discussion.”

Rather than an outright ban of door-to-door solicitors, it might be more effective to work on an awareness and education campaign, Jones said.

“We should be highlighting these scams and educating the public,” said Jones, who noted he was on the receiving end of a Canada Revenue Agency phone call scam.

“We should ban everything,” he said tongue in cheek. “Ban calls on your door, ban calls on the phone.”

Mayor Frank Scarpitti agreed, adding a municipal bylaw is not the appropriate action.

“You can’t stop people knocking on doors,” he said.

“We should have a bylaw stopping people from opening their doors,” he said. “Opening the door is what makes you vulnerable.”

More education on how to protect yourself at the door would be more beneficial, he added.

“If you didn’t call them, don’t let them in,” Scarpitti said. “Usually if there is something wrong with your furnace, you call them and you know they are coming.”

Council wants to hear more from York Regional Police on some of the safety concerns as well as how homeowners can better protect themselves.

The motion in Markham was deferred to the next general committee meeting in the coming weeks.