Alberta
Government introduces new auto industry rules to protect consumers
New auto industry rules better protect consumers
October 25, 2018 Media inquiries
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.
Competitive compensation for resident physicians
A new compensation agreement for resident physicians has been reached, which will help to retain and recruit more physicians throughout Alberta.
Alberta’s government, in partnership with Alberta Health Services (AHS), the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta has reached a four-year agreement that provides competitive and fair-market compensation for physicians in training.
The negotiated agreement provides wage increases of three per cent in each of the first two years, and two per cent in each of the last two years. It also includes market adjustments that put Alberta on par with other western Canadian medical schools.
Ensuring resident physicians receive competitive, fair-market compensation while they train and provide services across the province will help stabilize and strengthen acute health care today while bringing medical students and ultimately more physicians to the province to support the province’s future health needs.
“Alberta’s government is grateful for all the hard work resident physicians put in as they complete their training. We are pleased to see that a new agreement has been reached and look forward to more physicians calling Alberta home.”
“We are extremely grateful to all of our resident physicians, who play a vital role in caring for Albertans and supporting our front-line physicians and health care teams. This agreement will help us recruit medical students and encourage them to practise in this province.”
Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program
The agreement builds on actions Alberta’s government is taking to make the province a more attractive place for medical students and resident physicians to study and practise. On Oct. 3, Alberta’s government announced measures to improve health care in rural and remote communities through the new Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program. The bursary program is part of the province’s Rural Health Action Plan.
The pilot program will provide up to $8 million annually for the next two years to medical students in their final year of an undergraduate medical program when they are matched with a family medicine residency program at the University of Alberta or University of Calgary, or to residents currently completing a family medicine residency at either university regardless of their year of study. In return, bursary recipients will commit to delivering comprehensive patient care in eligible communities for three years after completing their residency.
“With this agreement, Alberta strengthens its position as an attractive destination for resident physicians across Canada. By enhancing compensation, training and working conditions, we ensure Alberta recruits and retains the brightest medical talent to serve our communities and shape the future of health care.”
“The University of Alberta is pleased collaborations with our partners have resulted in an agreement that reflects the critical impact resident physicians make in our health care system so all Albertans receive the care they need.”
“Remuneration, respect, retention and recruitment of rural generalists are key to elevating rural hospitals to becoming rural centres of excellence. With this agreement and bursary pilot program, the Alberta government is recognizing rural health as being different, requiring separate and unique solutions for our communities that are mutually beneficial in enhancing the health of rural Albertans.”
Quick facts
- Resident physicians have graduated medical school but are completing post-graduate training in a residency program to obtain their licence to practise. With residency programs requiring an additional two to seven years of post-graduate training, most resident physicians spend more than 10 years training to become fully licensed physicians and surgeons.
- The Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta represents more than 1,660 resident physicians in Alberta.
- The current agreement between AHS, the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and the association ended on June 30, 2024.
- The resident physician agreement is funded by Alberta Health through a grant to AHS and the universities.
Related information
Related news
- Improving health care in rural and remote Alberta (Oct. 3, 2024)
Alberta
“It’s Canada’s Time to Shine” – CNRL’s $6.5 Billion Chevron Deal Extends Oil Sands Buying Spree
From Energy Now
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.’s $6.5 billion acquisition from Chevron Corp. marks the latest in a string of deals that has helped make it the country’s largest oil producer and brought Alberta’s massive oil sands deposits almost entirely under local control.
CNRL has feasted on the oil sands assets of foreign energy producers over the past decade, snapping up stakes and operations from Devon Energy Corp. and Shell Plc as they shifted away from the higher-cost, higher-emissions oil sands business. Investors have applauded the strategy, which allows CNRL to boost output and make the operations more efficient.
That trend continued on Monday, with CNRL shares climbing more than 4% after the deal with Chevron raised its stake in a key oil sands mine and a connected upgrading facility, while also adding natural gas assets in the Duvernay formation.
“These assets build on the robustness of Canadian Natural’s assets,” said CNRL President Scott Stauth said on a conference call Monday. The deal boosts CNRL’s stake in the Athabasca oil sands project, which it first bought from Shell in 2017, to 90% from 70%.
The acquisition was largely expected and boosts CNRL’s oil and gas output by roughly 9%, adding the equivalent of 122,500 barrels of oil production per day.
“It’s just been a matter of time,” Eight Capital analyst Phil Skolnick said by phone, noting that CNRL had been seen as the logical buyer for Chevron’s oil sands business.
While CNRL also boosted its dividend by 7% on Monday, Desjardins analyst Chris MacCulloch cautioned the company’s additional debt to finance the acquisition “may disappoint some investors” given it plans to temporarily slow capital returns.
Still, MacCulloch said the deal is positive overall for CNRL as it further consolidates assets in the region. “There’s no place like home,” he wrote in a note.
Chevron, for its part, is the latest in a long line of US and international oil producers — such as BP Plc, TotalEnergies SE and Equinor ASA — that have shifted away from the oil sands after spending billions to build facilities in the heavy-oil formation. That has left the oil sands largely in the control of Canadian firms including CNRL, Suncor Energy Inc. and Cenovus Energy Inc.
“There’s no remaining, obvious assets available,” Ninepoint Partners partner and senior portfolio manager Eric Nuttall said after Monday’s deal. Ninepoint owns 3.1 million shares in CNRL, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Many of those oil sands deals have been struck at prices that favor the Canadian buyers, which have consolidated land, reduced costs and boosted returns in recent years.
“It’s Canada’s time to shine,” Nuttall said, adding that he expects foreign investors will return to the country’s oil producers in the future.
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