Alberta
Government introduces new auto industry rules to protect consumers

New auto industry rules better protect consumers
October 25, 2018
New rules for vehicle sales and repairs introduce industry-wide standards to protect Albertans and improve business accountability.

Minister Malkinson, centre, with AMVIC board chair Bill Burnett, right, and business owner Ted Zylstra discussing new consumer protection rules.
Improvements to the Automotive Business Regulation will create consistent standards to help consumers make more informed decisions and ensure businesses can compete fairly in a trusted automotive marketplace. The new, industry-wide standards come into effect on Oct. 31, 2018.
“Buying or repairing a car shouldn’t be intimidating. These new rules can give Albertans confidence that they won’t be hit with unexpected costs because they will know exactly what they’re paying for. More transparency is good for consumers and it’s good for Alberta’s many trustworthy auto businesses, too.”
During the 2017 consultation on consumer protection laws, Albertans identified the need for better protections when buying a car and more transparency when it comes to auto repairs as top priorities.
These changes respond directly to Albertans’ feedback to help consumers avoid unexpected and unauthorized costs. The new rules will ensure auto businesses:
- Inform buyers of the history and condition of a vehicle such as the vehicle’s previous use, ownership or details of any damages.
- Provide a comprehensive bill of sale document at the time of the car sale.
- Provide written estimates upon request and get consumer’s consent before starting any work.
- Remove any outstanding liens on a vehicle within seven days of the sale.
- Remove any advertising about a sold vehicle within 14 days of the sale to ensure consumers are not enticed by low prices that won’t be honoured.
“A vehicle is a lifeline for so many Albertans, and they deserve to feel confident when repairing or selling one. We welcome today’s announcement, as it prioritizes consumer protection – a mandate that’s been shared by AMA’s Approved Auto Repair Service since 1977.”
“Increased transparency in automotive transactions means consumers can feel even more confident in their decisions on how to spend their hard-earned money. AMVIC’s mandate is consumer protection through education and industry regulation, and AMVIC has been working closely with industry to ensure they are ready to comply with the new legislation. These new laws benefit all Albertans by creating a fair marketplace for consumers and businesses alike.”
“I think the government’s new legislation is great. It will help protect the consumer while also compelling automotive businesses to be more transparent. At Braeside Automotive, we already provide written quotes and can take pictures of components that we can attach to the quote for our customer. I think these rules will help encourage other businesses to be more innovative, which at the end of the day is good for consumers.”
The new rules also support the government’s work to build stronger public oversight of the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council (AMVIC), by transitioning AMVIC to a public agency. This will ensure Alberta has a strong and trusted regulator that is well-positioned to protect consumers and build integrity in the industry.
Background
- In December 2017, the government passed A Better Deal for Consumers and Businesses Act. Among the many changes introduced through this act was an increased authority to strengthen oversight of the automotive industry to better protect the interests of consumers and ensure integrity in the industry.
- AMVIC is responsible for providing consumer protection in the motor vehicle industry. In addition to licensing businesses and salespeople and ensuring there’s a fair marketplace for consumers and businesses, AMVIC is responsible for investigating violations of consumer protection laws.
- AMVIC will transition to a public agency on Oct. 31. Once in place, AMVIC will be subject to the requirements under the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act to ensure consumers and industry can have confidence there is strong public oversight of the organization.
Alberta
COWBOY UP! Pierre Poilievre Promises to Fight for Oil and Gas, a Stronger Military and the Interests of Western Canada

Fr0m Energy Now
As Calgarians take a break from the incessant news of tariff threat deadlines and global economic challenges to celebrate the annual Stampede, Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre gave them even more to celebrate.
Poilievre returned to Calgary, his hometown, to outline his plan to amplify the legitimate demands of Western Canada and not only fight for oil and gas, but also fight for the interests of farmers, for low taxes, for decentralization, a stronger military and a smaller federal government.
Speaking at the annual Conservative party BBQ at Heritage Park in Calgary (a place Poilievre often visited on school trips growing up), he was reminded of the challenges his family experienced during the years when Trudeau senior was Prime Minister and the disastrous effect of his economic policies.
“I was born in ’79,” Poilievre said. “and only a few years later, Pierre Elliott Trudeau would attack our province with the National Energy Program. There are still a few that remember it. At the same time, he hammered the entire country with money printing deficits that gave us the worst inflation and interest rates in our history. Our family actually lost our home, and we had to scrimp and save and get help from extended family in order to get our little place in Shaughnessy, which my mother still lives in.”
This very personal story resonated with many in the crowd who are now experiencing an affordability crisis that leaves families struggling and young adults unable to afford their first house or condo. Poilievre said that the experience was a powerful motivator for his entry into politics. He wasted no time in proposing a solution – build alliances with other provinces with mutual interests, and he emphasized the importance of advocating for provincial needs.
“Let’s build an alliance with British Columbians who want to ship liquefied natural gas out of the Pacific Coast to Asia, and with Saskatchewanians, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who want to develop their oil and gas and aren’t interested in having anyone in Ottawa cap how much they can produce. Let’s build alliances with Manitobans who want to ship oil in the port of Churchill… with Quebec and other provinces that want to decentralize our country and get Ottawa out of our business so that provinces and people can make their own decisions.”
Poilievre heavily criticized the federal government’s spending and policies of the last decade, including the increase in government costs, and he highlighted the negative impact of those policies on economic stability and warned of the dangers of high inflation and debt. He advocated strongly for a free-market economy, advocating for less government intervention, where businesses compete to impress customers rather than impress politicians. He also addressed the decade-long practice of blocking and then subsidizing certain industries. Poilievre referred to a famous quote from Ronald Reagan as the modus operandi of the current federal regime.
“The Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases. If anything moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
The practice of blocking and then subsidizing is merely a ploy to grab power, according to Poilievre, making industry far too reliant on government control.
“By blocking you from doing something and then making you ask the government to help you do it, it makes you reliant. It puts them at the center of all power, and that is their mission…a full government takeover of our economy. There’s a core difference between an economy controlled by the government and one controlled by the free market. Businesses have to clamour to please politicians and bureaucrats. In a free market (which we favour), businesses clamour to impress customers. The idea is to put people in charge of their economic lives by letting them have free exchange of work for wages, product for payment and investment for interest.”
Poilievre also said he plans to oppose any ban on gas-powered vehicles, saying, “You should be in the driver’s seat and have the freedom to decide.” This is in reference to the Trudeau-era plan to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, which the Carney government has said they have no intention to change, even though automakers are indicating that the targets cannot be met. He also intends to oppose the Industrial Carbon tax, Bill C-69 the Impact Assessment Act, Bill C-48 the Oil tanker ban, the proposed emissions cap which will cap energy production, as well as the single-use plastics ban and Bill C-11, also known as the Online Streaming Act and the proposed “Online Harms Act,” also known as Bill C-63. Poilievre closed with rallying thoughts that had a distinctive Western flavour.
“Fighting for these values is never easy. Change, as we’ve seen, is not easy. Nothing worth doing is easy… Making Alberta was hard. Making Canada, the country we love, was even harder. But we don’t back down, and we don’t run away. When things get hard, we dust ourselves off, we get back in the saddle, and we gallop forward to the fight.”
Cowboy up, Mr. Poilievre.
Maureen McCall is an energy professional who writes on issues affecting the energy industry.
Alberta
Alberta and Ontario sign agreements to drive oil and gas pipelines, energy corridors, and repeal investment blocking federal policies

Alberta-Ontario MOUs fuel more pipelines and trade
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have signed two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) during Premier Ford’s visit to the Calgary Stampede, outlining their commitment to strengthen interprovincial trade, drive major infrastructure development, and grow Canada’s global competitiveness by building new pipelines, rail lines and other energy and trade infrastructure.
The two provinces agree on the need for the federal government to address the underlying conditions that have harmed the energy industry in Canada. This includes significantly amending or repealing the Impact Assessment Act, as well as repealing the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, Clean Electricity Regulations, the Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap, and all other federal initiatives that discriminately impact the energy sector, as well as sectors such as mining and manufacturing. Taking action will ensure Alberta and Ontario can attract the investment and project partners needed to get shovels in the ground, grow industries and create jobs.
The first MOU focuses on developing strategic trade corridors and energy infrastructure to connect Alberta and Ontario’s oil, gas and critical minerals to global markets. This includes support for new oil and gas pipeline projects, enhanced rail and port infrastructure at sites in James Bay and southern Ontario, as well as end-to-end supply chain development for refining and processing of Alberta’s energy exports. The two provinces will also collaborate on nuclear energy development to help meet growing electricity demands while ensuring reliable and affordable power.
The second MOU outlines Alberta’s commitment to explore prioritizing made-in-Canada vehicle purchases for its government fleet. It also includes a joint commitment to reduce barriers and improve the interprovincial trade of liquor products.
“Alberta and Ontario are joining forces to get shovels in the ground and resources to market. These MOUs are about building pipelines and boosting trade that connects Canadian energy and products to the world, while advocating for the right conditions to get it done. Government must get out of the way, partner with industry and support the projects this country needs to grow. I look forward to working with Premier Doug Ford to unleash the full potential of our economy and build the future that people across Alberta and across the country have been waiting far too long for.”
“In the face of President Trump’s tariffs and ongoing economic uncertainty, Canadians need to work together to build the infrastructure that will diversify our trading partners and end our dependence on the United States. By building pipelines, rail lines and the energy and trade infrastructure that connects our country, we will build a more competitive, more resilient and more self-reliant economy and country. Together, we are building the infrastructure we need to protect Canada, our workers, businesses and communities. Let’s build Canada.”
These agreements build on Alberta and Ontario’s shared commitment to free enterprise, economic growth and nation-building. The provinces will continue engaging with Indigenous partners, industry and other governments to move key projects forward.
“Never before has it been more important for Canada to unite on developing energy infrastructure. Alberta’s oil, natural gas, and know-how will allow Canada to be an energy superpower and that will make all Canadians more prosperous. To do so, we need to continue these important energy infrastructure discussions and have more agreements like this one with Ontario.”
“These MOUs with Ontario build on the work Alberta has already done with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and the Port of Prince Rupert. We’re proving that by working together, we can get pipelines built, open new rail and port routes, and break down the barriers that hold back opportunities in Canada.”
“Canada’s economy has an opportunity to become stronger thanks to leadership and steps taken by provincial governments like Alberta and Ontario. Removing interprovincial trade barriers, increasing labour mobility and attracting investment are absolutely crucial to Canada’s future economic prosperity.”
Together, Alberta and Ontario are demonstrating the shared benefits and opportunities that result from collaborative partnerships, and what it takes to keep Canada competitive in a changing world.
Quick facts
- Steering committees with Alberta and Ontario government officials will be struck to facilitate work and cooperation under the agreements.
- Alberta and Ontario will work collaboratively to launch a preliminary joint feasibility study in 2025 to help move private sector led investments in rail, pipeline(s) and port(s) projects forward.
- These latest agreements follow an earlier MOU Premiers Danielle Smith and Doug Ford signed on June 1, 2025, to open up trade between the provinces and advance shared priorities within the Canadian federation.
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