|
The Safety and Consumer
Statutes Administration Act
(Bill 54) was proclaimed on July
22, 1996. This Act, as provided
for in Bill 54, creates
"administrative authorities"
– non-profit corporations
independent of both industry
associations and
government – which will deliver
services and programs for four
different industries regulated
by MCCR's Business Division
(motor vehicle dealers and
salespeople, real estate agents
and brokers, travel agencies and
tour operators and cemetery
operators). Motor vehicle
dealers and salespeople,
governed by the Motor Vehicle
Dealers Act, are the first of
the four industries to have an
administrative authority in
place, along with a signed
administrative agreement, thus
becoming the first among them to
move to self-management. As a
part of Phase I, the
administrative agreement and the
transition agreement were signed
on January 6,1997, opening the
way to a seamless transfer
process to be completed by next
fall: OMVIC's first annual
report is due to be published
with the third phase, scheduled
for the summer of 1998.
Responsibilities
Under self-management, the
Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry
Council has the
authority and the responsibility
for the administration and
delivery of functions such as:
- registration of industry
members;
- refusal, revocation or
suspension of registrants;
- inspection,
investigation and
prosecution of violations of
legislation and regulations;
and
- handling of consumer and
business complaints.
Relationship with Government
The Ontario Government,
through MCCR, will continue to
be responsible for any changes
to the Motor Vehicle Dealers
Act, setting marketplace
standards and for overseeing
consumer protection policy. The
delivery of delegated services
and programs will be the
responsibility of OMVIC. The
government will be able to focus
more on achieving results,
rather than providing services
and programs that can be more
effectively delivered by the
private sector.
MCCR will monitor the
performance of OMVIC to ensure
that marketplace standards are
maintained through
accountability mechanisms such
as business plans, annual
reports and third-party audits.
Structure
OMVIC is a not-for-profit,
self-funded corporation,
independent of government and
industry associations. OMVIC has
its own Board of Directors and
Chief Executive Officer and will
conduct and manage its own
financial and operational
affairs.
The board is composed of
representatives from industry,
government and consumers – so
that business and public
interests will be represented.
The Council will be fully
financed by the fees collected
from industry members: any
surplus revenues will be
required to be reinvested in
continuous business improvement
and program development such as
increased inspections, stepped-up enforcement, education and
training programs and new
technologies.
|
