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Special Curbsider Edition Dear
OMVIC Registrant:
This special edition of the
Registrar's Report is dedicated
to updating you on our curbsider
project. Over the last several
months OMVIC has launched a
comprehensive effort to attack
the curbsiding problem. Our
campaign has a number of key
components: improving the level
of cooperation from interested
parties, better consumer
awareness, and increased,
focused enforcement.
COOPERATION:
We are seeking to gain the full
cooperation for our campaign
from our allies in both the
wider motor vehicle and
regulatory sectors.
The publishers of Auto Trader
and Simcoe Shopper have
expressed their willingness to
cooperate and have been very
helpful to date. And we have
been approaching similar
publications elsewhere in the
province to solicit their
cooperation as well.
Officials from both the
provincial and federal tax
departments have expressed
interest in receiving curbsider
information on a regular basis
(and have assured us that they
will take action where
warranted). The media have been
supportive of our campaign and
press coverage has been very
positive. Local and provincial
police as well as the RCMP have
assisted us by providing
information and access to local
facilities.
In addition to the above, we
need your cooperation. Our
investigations confirm what many
of you have told us in the past:
registered dealers themselves
are one of the leading sources
of inventory for curbsiders. If
we're to be successful in our
campaign, we need you to stop
the flow of vehicles into the
hands of curbsiders.
How do you know if you're
dealing with a curbsider? Watch
for the most obvious sign — a
repeat purchaser, unless he's a
registered dealer, is a
curbsider. There are two steps
you must take:
Stop selling vehicles to
curbsiders; and let us know who
they are.
Underpinning these goals will be
our development of a Code of
Practice to foster high ethical
standards and professionalism.
As well, ensure that you and
your staff keep proper records
in order to identify repeat
purchasers and to be able to
trace them. Ensure that your
staff understand that you will
not tolerate them dealing with
curbsiders.
Another helpful step that you
can take is to ensure that
vehicles you sell are properly
registered to the purchaser.
This makes it easier for OMVIC
to prosecute the curbsider.
Remember: Without your
cooperation, all of our other
efforts will have limited effect
and curbsiding will continue
largely unabated.
CONSUMER AWARENESS:
Perhaps the most effective arena
in which to fight curbsiders is
in the marketplace itself.
Curbsiders are able to flourish
because too many consumers
believe that they're safer
dealing privately. Or else they
think that they're much more
likely to get a better deal
through the classifieds. The
risks of buying cars privately
are not well understood, and the
term "curbsider" is not widely
known.
We need to increase consumer
awareness of the risks of
dealing privately and we need to
help consumers to recognize
curbsiders for the villains they
really are.
To that end, we are launching a
consumer awareness campaign
involving posters, envelope
stuffers to be included in
Ministry of Transportation
mailings, advertisements,
consumer awareness columns and
articles for newspapers, and an
internet website currently under
development.
Our message will be clear: if
you're going to buy a car
privately, be aware of the risks
and take the necessary steps to
avoid becoming a curbsider's
victim.
ENFORCEMENT:
To date over 100 charges have
been laid, numerous convictions
have been registered, countless
warning letters have been sent
and many cautionary interviews
held. In addition, OMVIC
investigators are continuing to
pursue scores of other reported
curbsiders. In the very near
future we'll be installing a
curbsider hot line in order to
make it easier for people to
report suspected curbsiders. Our
intention is to respond
appropriately to all cases
reported to us.
If you have any questions or
suggestions, or to identify a
curbsider, please contact us at
the numbers shown below (Any
tips will remain confidential).
As usual, your comments are
welcome and I look forward to
staying in touch.
Best regards,
Carl Compton,
Registrar,
Motor Vehicle Dealers Act
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