Hot News - October 1998

Marketing Standards

Effective October 1, 1998, OMVIC's new Marketing Standards are in effect. These standards replace the Advertising Guidelines that were developed by the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations in 1991.

Radical changes have affected the marketplace in recent years. For that reason, OMVIC's 1997 Business Plan included, as one of our main initiatives, the development and promotion of new guidelines requiring more complete disclosure of facts in dealers' advertisements. While these new guidelines were on the works, OMVIC re-issued the original Advertising Guidelines in November of last year - see our Registrar's report from November 21, 1997.

The new Marketing Standards - built upon the principles delineated in our Code of Ethics- were put together by our Advertising Committee in consultation with industry associations and government agencies such as Advertising Standards Canada. They are intended to increase consumers' confidence in the motor vehicle dealers industry by providing clear and enforceable rules against unethical and misleading advertising. At the same time, the standards are intended to reinforce a level playing-field for registered dealers, who don't want to see others gain a competitive advantage at the expense of consumers in Ontario.

OMVIC will monitor compliance to the new standards with the assistance of two industry associations: the Used Card Dealers Association (UCDA) and the Ontario and Toronto Automobile Dealers Association (OA/TADA). Infractions to the new Marketing Standards will not be tolerated, and violators will be subject to disciplinary actions.