Manitoba has passed new automotive advertising laws requiring, among other things, the disclosure of an all-in price in motor vehicle advertisements. On December 3rd, 2013, the Manitoba Legislature passed Bill 17, The Consumer Protection Amendment and Business Practices Amendment Act (Motor Vehicle Advertising and Information Disclosure and Other Amendments (the "Amendment Act"), which modifies Manitoba's Consumer Protection Act and the Business Practices Act.
The amendments to the Consumer Protection Act are the most significant, adding a new Part to the Consumer Protection Act regarding motor vehicle advertising. These additions prohibit false and misleading advertising by vehicle dealers and their employees, and ensure that used vehicle advertisements for the current and previous model years indicate that the vehicle is used. Importantly, the new laws require all-inclusive pricing for automotive advertisements, which price must include all applicable taxes, fees and charges, but may exclude federal and provincial sales taxes if this exclusion is disclosed in the advertisement.
While no such regulations have yet been passed, the Amendment Act also allows the Lieutenant Governor in Council to enact regulations concerning a broad spectrum of automotive marketing issues, including requiring the disclosure of certain information by dealers to consumers.
Most of the Amendment's provisions, including all of the automotive advertising provisions, will come into force on a day to be fixed by proclamation. The new automotive laws are part of a larger five-year consumer protection initiative in Manitoba that may soon address cell phone contracts, mandatory warranties on new homes, car repairs, payday loans, and debt settlement regulations.
The Amendment Act is available in its entirety at: http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/40-2/b017e.php
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