Ontario dealers will have more time to provide aftermarket warranty documents and payments to warranty sellers following amendments to the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA) by the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.
The change from seven days to 30 days was amended to go forward July 1. It was one of 14 proposals put forward to the Ministry by the Motor Vehicle Retailers of Ontario (MVRO) and the Auditor General. MVRO Director of Government Relations Frank Notte told Canadian auto dealer his association had been pushing for the change to 30 days to make it more in-line with other accounts payable items.
“From the dealer’s point of view, it just makes things easier,” said Notte. “You have a pile of submissions you can submit within 30 days rather than seven. There’s more time to make sure the paperwork is proper and submitted in a timely manner rather than being in a rush.”
Other amendments include:
- Motor vehicle dealers and salespersons are no longer required to return their registration certificates when they cease to be registered.
- Registrants are required to include contact information that the registrant chooses (rather than a business telephone number) in advertisements, provided that the same contact information is published on Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council’s public database of registrants.
- Cross-appointments between OMVIC’s Board of Directors and the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund (MVDCF) Board of Trustees are prohibited.
- Provisions that are related to the transition from the outdated MVDA have been removed from the general regulation.
As of Jan. 1, 2025, the required Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP) statements will be simplified and registrants will be required to include a general statement on CAMVAP in all contracts.
As of January 1, 2026, registrants will be required to complete continuing education requirements that the registrar specifies before renewing their registration.
The Ministry is evaluating the remaining proposals from its consultation and may propose further regulatory and legislative changes to enhance consumer protection.
Maureen Harquail, OMVIC CEO/Registrar, lauded the introduction of mandatory continuing professional development (CPD). “This addition to the regulations will support continued education for all registered dealers and salespersons in the industry, strengthen professionalism amongst registrants and better consumer protection.”
She added that ensuring all registered dealers and salespersons are actively participating in continuing education initiatives, “particularly as the industry is rapidly evolving,” will only benefit consumer protection and the professionalism of all registrants.
“This is a major milestone in modernizing the MVDA and (it) will ensure the people of Ontario are receiving the highest and most transparent service possible,” said Harquail.
