Bill 178 - Memorandum fromOption consommateurs

Option consommateurs is delighted with the new rules proposed by Bill 178, which aims to fill certain gaps, notably those in the Consumer Protection Act and the Pre-arranged Funeral and Burial Services Act. The amendments suggested in the bill are of great importance, since the two amended acts, which were passed in 1978 and 1987 respectively, are outdated in many respects and no longer adequately protect consumers. In fact, new practices and services are now being offered to consumers without the appropriate legal framework. This bill is a small step in the right direction.

We are particularly pleased with the following measures:

• Better protection for consumers purchasing funeral and burial services after death;
• Establishment of a regulatory authority to create a register of pre-arranged funeral service contracts and pre-purchased burial contracts;
• Better protection for consumers entering into timeshare contracts;
• Merchants prohibited from making in-person solicitations in certain educational institutions to encourage credit card purchases.

Please note that the absence of comments on certain elements of the bill should not be interpreted as tacit assent to them or as an expression of disagreement. We do believe, however, that there are certain provisions in the bill that merit improvement.