Consumer protection and fraud

The Time Share and Points-Based Contracts and Business Regulation under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) sets out the rules for businesses selling time share.

In Alberta, most companies that sell products door-to-door must be licensed under the Consumer Protection Act and the Direct Selling Business Licensing Regulation. Door-to-door sales people sell everything from encyclopedias and magazines to home improvements. If a contract is signed in person,negotiated or concluded away from the seller’s usual place of business, it is considered a direct sale. Note: Effective January 1, 2017, the Government of Alberta banned door-to-door sales of furnaces and related products and services including water heaters, air conditioners, windows, energy contracts and energy audits. See: https://www.servicealberta.ca/pdf/tipsheets/Door_to_Door_Energy_related_Sales.pdf for more information.

Misunderstandings, miscommunications, and mistakes happen: your BBB’s Dispute Settlement Centre is available to help consumers and businesses resolve marketplace quarrels  when they arise. Your BBB assists companies to resolve disputes by providing mediation and arbitration services.  Unique to this BBB is our ability to provide both in-house resolution services to companies and outsource the management of dispute resolution programs for  a select group of clients, such as acting as the Arbitration Administrator for the Jurisdictional Assignment Plan of the Alberta Construction Industry.

Gift cards purchased in Alberta are not subject to expiry dates and fees that lower their value over time. This tipsheet provides information on the Alberta Gift Card Regulation, which is part of the Consumer Protection Act,. It also includes information on other rules that help to improve consumer protections, use of the cards and disclosure of terms and conditions.