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BILL
NUMBER		 TITLE CHAPTER
NUMBER
2 BUSINESS PRACTICES AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT c. 2

Commencement:
238   This Act comes into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Royal Assent – March 31, 2004
  • B.C. Reg. 274/2004 – Act in force July 4, 2004 [excluding Part 5, sections 142(part), 143 (part), 196, 207, 216, 218 to 229]
  • B.C. Reg. 274/2004 – Part 5, sections 196, 207, 216, 218 to 229 (in force Jan. 1, 2005)
  • B.C. Reg. 83/2005 – section 142 (part) and 143(d) (in force Oct. 1, 2005)


BILL 2 – 2004
BUSINESS PRACTICES AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

Contents

  Section  
 
Part 1 -- Definitions and Application
  1  Definitions
  2  Application of this Act
  3  Waiver or release void except as permitted
 
Part 2 -- Unfair Practices
 
Division 1 -- Deceptive Acts or Practices
  4  Deceptive acts or practices
  5  Prohibition and burden of proof
  6  Advertising
 
Division 2 -- Unconscionable Acts or Practices
  7  Application of this Division
  8  Unconscionable acts or practices
  9  Prohibition and burden of proof
  10  Remedy for an unconscionable act or practice
 
Division 3 -- Unsolicited Goods or Services
  11  Definition and interpretation
  12  Unsolicited goods or services
  13  Material change resulting in unsolicited goods or services
  14  Consumer's remedy if unsolicited goods or services
 
Part 3 -- Rights of Assignees and Guarantors Respecting Consumer Credit
  15  Assignee's obligations
  16  Guarantor has same rights as consumer
 
Part 4 -- Consumer Contracts
 
Division 1 -- Definitions and Application
  17  Definitions
  18  Application
 
Division 2 -- Direct Sales, Future Performance and Time Share Contracts
  19  Required contents
  20  Direct sales contracts
  21  Direct sales contracts -- cancellation
  22  Credit agreement respecting direct sales contract
  23  Future performance contract
  24  Continuing services contract -- terms
  25  Continuing services contract -- cancellation
  26  Time share contract
  27  Refunds by supplier on cancellation
  28  Return of goods by consumer on cancellation
 
Division 3 -- Preneed Cemetery or Funeral Services, Funeral and Interment Right Contracts
  29  Definition
  30  Prohibition on solicitation
  31  Requirement for schedule of rates
  32  Requirement to give accurate information
  33  Prohibited charges respecting containers
  34  Funeral contract
  35  Preneed cemetery or funeral services contract -- initial disclosure statement
  36  Preneed cemetery or funeral services contract
  37  Special provisions for right of interment
  38  Preneed cemetery or funeral services contracts -- refunds on cancellation
  39  Preneed cemetery or funeral services contract -- failure to provide services
  40  Money received under contract to be held in trust
  41  Funds exempt from seizure
  42  Restrictions on representations respecting right of interment
  43  Interment right contract
  44  Rights not held by interment right holder
  45  Refunds by supplier on cancellation
 
Division 4 -- Distance Sales Contracts
  46  Disclosure of information
  47  Distance sales contract in electronic form
  48  Copy of distance sales contract
  49  Cancellation of distance sales contract
  50  Refunds by supplier on cancellation
  51  Return of goods by consumer on cancellation
  52  Consumer's recourse regarding credit card charges
 
Division 5 -- General
  53  When goods and services supplied
  54  How to give notice of cancellation
  55  Recovery of refund
  56  Cancellation of preauthorized payments
 
Part 5 -- Disclosure of the Cost of Consumer Credit
 
Division 1 -- Definitions and Application
  57  Definitions
  58  Application of this Part
 
Division 2 -- Advertising
  59  Disclosure in advertisements
  60  Advertising requirements applicable to fixed credit
  61  Advertising requirements applicable to open credit
  62  Advertising interest-free periods
  63  Advertising requirements applicable to leases
  64  Advertising a representative transaction
 
Division 3 -- Disclosure Requirements Applicable to All Credit Agreements
  65  Definitions
  66  Disclosure statements must be given
  67  Form of disclosure statements and statements of account
  68  Giving of documents if multiple borrowers
  69  Estimates and assumptions
  70  Inconsistency between disclosure statement and credit agreement
 
Division 4 -- Rights and Obligations of Borrowers and Credit Grantors
  71  Borrowers may choose insurer
  72  Borrowers entitled to mortgage discharge
  73  Borrowers may cancel optional services
  74  Prepayment of credit
  75  Default charges
  76  Invitation to defer payment
  77  Acceleration clauses
 
Division 5 -- Credit Arranged by Loan Brokers
  78  Definition
  79  Non-business credit grantors
  80  Business credit grantors
 
Division 6 -- Disclosure Required in Relation to Fixed Credit
  81  Definition
  82  Application of this Division
  83  Credit sales
  84  Initial disclosure statements for fixed credit
  85  Disclosure regarding changes in interest rate
  86  Disclosure regarding increases in outstanding principal
  87  Disclosure regarding amendments
  88  Disclosure regarding renewals
  89  Disclosure regarding mortgage loan renewals
 
Division 7 -- Disclosure Required in Relation to Open Credit
  90  Application of this Division
  91  Initial disclosure statements for open credit
  92  Statements of account
  93  Description of transactions, charges, payments or credits
 
Division 8 -- Credit Cards
  94  Definitions
  95  Application of this Division
  96  Credit cards may be issued only on application
  97  Applications for credit cards
  98  Additional disclosure for credit cards
  99  Limitation of cardholder's liability
 
Division 9 -- Leases of Goods
  100  Definitions
  101  Disclosure required in relation to leases
  102  Maximum liability under residual obligation leases
 
Division 10 -- General
  103  Definitions
  104  Refund of overpayment
  105  Credit grantor must compensate borrower for contravention
 
Part 6 -- Credit Reporting
  106  Definitions
  107  Consent for report
  108  To whom reports may be given
  109  Contents of reports
  110  Notice of denial of benefit or increase of cost of benefit
  111  Explanation
  112  False or misleading information
 
Part 7 -- Debt Collection
 
Division 1 -- Prohibited Debt Collection Practices
  113  Definition
  114  Harassment
  115  Disclosure to debtor
  116  Communication with debtor
  117  Communication with persons other than debtor
  118  Time of communication
  119  Cost of communication
  120  Collection from person not liable for debt or in excess of amount of debt
  121  Legal proceedings
  122  Removal, seizure, repossession and distress
  123  False or misleading information and misrepresentations
  124  Additional prohibited practices
 
Division 2 -- Collection Agents and Debt Poolers
  125  Definitions
  126  Accounting for and payment of money collected
  127  Debt pooling
  128  Collection agent and bailiff fees and disbursements
 
Part 8 -- Compensation Funds and Consumer Advancement Fund
 
Division 1 -- Compensation Funds
  129  Definition
  130  Establishment and continuation of compensation funds
  131  Payments to compensation fund
  132  Claims against compensation fund
  133  Payments from compensation fund
  134  Assignment of rights
  135  Claimant must repay compensation fund for money received from another source
  136  Contributor must repay compensation fund for claims caused by contributor
  137  Power and duties of director
  138  If administrative authority is director
 
Division 2 -- Consumer Advancement Fund
  139  Establishment of Consumer Advancement Fund
  140  Payments from Consumer Advancement Fund
  141  If administrative authority is director
 
Part 9 -- Licences
  142  Definitions
  143  Licence required
  144  Application for licence
  145  Licences
  146  Actions by director respecting licence
  147  Opportunity to be heard and reconsideration
  148  Trust account required by licensee
 
Part 10 -- Inspections and Enforcement
 
Division 1 -- Inspections
  149  Inspections
  150  Inspection powers
  151  Inspection powers -- additional powers of director
  152  Inspection under warrant
  153  Records or things retained
 
Division 2 -- Undertakings, Compliance Orders and Direct Sales Prohibition Orders
  154  Undertakings
  155  Compliance orders
  156  Direct sales prohibition orders
  157  Filing undertakings or orders in Supreme Court
 
Division 3 -- Appointment of Receivers and Property Freezing Orders
  158  Receivers and trustees
  159  Order to freeze property
  160  Payment into court
  161  Notice filed in land title office
  162  Application to court respecting property freezing order or filed notice
  163  Application to court for disposition of property frozen
 
Division 4 -- Administrative Penalties
  164  Administrative penalties
  165  Amount of penalty
  166  Notice of penalty
  167  Due date of penalty
  168  Enforcement of administrative penalty
  169  Revenue from administrative penalties
  170  Limitation period
 
Division 5 -- Court Proceedings
  171  Damages recoverable
  172  Court actions respecting consumer transactions
  173  Notice to director
 
Part 11 -- Administration
  174  Definition
  175  Director
  176  Inspector
  177  Administrative agreement with administrative authority required
  178  Designation does not make administrative authority an agent of the government
  179  Power of administrative authority to set fees
 
Part 12 -- General
 
Division 1 -- Reconsiderations
  180  Definition
  181  Reconsideration by director
  182  Powers of director on reconsideration
 
Division 2 -- How to Give or Serve Documents
  183  How to give or serve documents generally
  184  When documents are considered to have been received
 
Division 3 -- Disclosure of Information and Evidence in Proceedings
  185  Confidentiality
  186  Publication by director
  187  Admissibility of parole evidence
  188  Certificate as proof of ministerial consent or appointment
 
Part 13 -- Offences and Penalties
  189  Offences
  190  Penalty
  191  Additional penalty -- Consumer Advancement Fund
  192  Compensation to consumer
  193  Limitation period
 
Part 14 -- Regulations
  194  General power to make regulations
  195  Preneed cemetery or funeral services, funeral and interment right contracts
  196  Disclosure of the cost of consumer credit
  197  Credit reporting
  198  Compensation funds
  199  Licences
  200  Administrative penalties
  201  Authority in relation to regulations
 
Part 15 -- Transitional Provisions, Repeals and Consequential Amendments
  202  Definitions
  203  Transitional -- contracts
  204  Transitional -- exemption from section 40 for Gardens of Gethsemani
  205  Transitional -- trust accounts
  206  Transitional -- claims under the Travel Assurance Fund
  207  Transitional for Part 5 -- Disclosure of the cost of consumer credit
  208  Transitional -- licences issued under the former Acts
  209  Transitional -- enforcement
  210  Transitional -- persons acting under former Acts
  211  Transitional -- regulations
  212  Repeals
  213-237  Consequential Amendments
  238  Commencement

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