Opinions Wanted: An Invitation to Ontario's Consumers

Toronto, December 04, 2002 - Next to a home, buying a car is the second largest purchase people will make. And let’s face it, the process can be daunting. The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC) wants to help consumers make these decisions. We want to know what kinds of questions they have about their motor vehicle purchase and then we’re going to make sure we give them the answers.

Consumers are asked to send us their thoughts and opinions by visiting OMVIC’s website, www.omvic.on.ca, to take part in the on-line consumer survey posted on our homepage. No personal information will be collected or released, and in return for respondents’ time, we guarantee we’ll act on their suggestions and deliver relevant messages to the dealerships in their communities -- whether those messages are positive or negative.

How can we do that? Established in 1997 as the self-management organization for Ontario’s registered dealers, OMVIC is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. Our inspectors and investigators are on the road ensuring dealers comply with industry regulations and our complaints team provides mediation services. OMVIC also introduced a mandatory certification course on automotive law and ethics for motor vehicle dealers and salespersons--the first of its kind in Canada. We work hard to maintain a fair environment for consumers and dealers and now it’s time to focus on consumer education and outreach.

While visiting our website, consumers are welcome to check out the resources we’ve already made available. They can learn about curbsiders (people who sell vehicles illegally by posing as private individuals), search our list of registered dealers and salespeople, find out about the industry-funded compensation plan, read through our frequently asked questions and find out how to reach us if they have questions or need assistance.



Editors: survey can be accessed directly by visiting: http://www.hostedsurvey.com/takesurvey.asp?c=omviccons1