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Toronto, November 28, 2003
- The
provincial regulator for car
dealers in Ontario has charged
an Ottawa area resident for curbsiding. Curbsiders are
individuals or companies that
sell vehicles without being
registered under the Motor
Vehicle Dealers Act.
Eric Philip Stiles, 1481147
Ontario Inc. and 3908429 Canada
Inc. are currently facing 21
charges under the Motor Vehicle
Dealers Act for allegedly acting
as an unregistered dealer.
Stiles faces an additional 20
charges under the Business Names
Act for allegedly carrying on
business under names that
weren’t registered. Stiles is
accused of operating under names
such as University Housing,
Enkas Security, Access Car and
Truck Rental, Shur-Clean
Maintenance, Napanee Plumbing
and Heating, Discreet Escorts,
Families, Canadian Historical
Consultants and Jackson and
Triggs Investments. Stiles also
maintains a web site,
www.autostiles.net.
In Ontario, all motor vehicle
dealers and salespersons must be
registered with the Ontario
Motor Vehicle Industry Council
(OMVIC) which administers the
Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, a
consumer protection statute.
Applicants applying for
registration can be refused if
it is determined by OMVIC they
will not operate in accordance
with the law, with financial
responsibility or with honesty
and integrity. Stiles had
previously applied for
registration, but the
registration was refused by
OMVIC. Despite OMVIC’s refusal,
Mr. Stiles allegedly set up a
number of false companies for
the purpose of conducting motor
vehicle purchases and sales.
“Consumers are at risk when
buying vehicles from curbsiders,”
says Mary Jane South, OMVIC’s
Deputy Registrar. “Many
curbsiders sell vehicles that
are stolen, damaged, rebuilt,
odometer-tampered or have liens
against them.” To verify the
registration of a dealer or
salesperson, consumers should
contact OMVIC at 1-800-943-6002
or visit its web site,
www.omvic.on.ca.
South also adds that Stiles
should be registered even if he
only claims to be operating as a
broker by connecting buyers and
sellers. “Anyone who is in the
business of negotiating the
purchase, sale or lease of motor
vehicles must be registered and
that includes people referring
to themselves as 'brokers'.”
Consumers who do buy from a
registered dealer are protected
by the Motor Vehicle Dealers
Compensation Fund – a fund that
exists to protect consumers
should their transaction with a
registered dealer go awry. OMVIC
also provides a free complaint
resolution service for consumers
should a dispute arise with a
dealer. These provisions are not
available to consumers who opt
to purchase privately.
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