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What Is British Columbia Consumer Protection |
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![]() What is British Columbia Consumer Protection? The hard sell resorted to by many companies these days has raised the question of where to draw the line when considering what is ethical in business practices. To the seller, his hard sell may not be objectionable, but to a lot of people being accosted on the streets or receiving solicitation calls could very well be irritating and objectionable. So in British Columbia, Canada, the BCCPA (Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority) has set out some guidelines. The consumer is protected under the law and can call its Inquiry Centre at any time on Phone: 1-888-564-9963 or contact by email: at info@bpcpa.ca.
The BCCPA conducts consumer awareness programs regularly to educate the consumers on their rights and obligations. They regulate the market place by licensing authentic businesses and enforcing the guidelines set out by the British Columbia Consumer Protection Plan However the BCCPA can mediate only in cases of transactions between a business and an individual, it cannot regulate or mediate in cases of transactions between two businesses. The Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act lays down the rules and regulations for transactions occurring between the various industries and its customers. Some contentious industries include Tele-marketing services, Debt Collection agencies, the Travel agencies, etc. The British Columbia Consumer Protection Plan is devoted to delivering consumer protection services throughout the province of British Columbia, to promoting fair business practices and understanding in the marketplace and to enforcing the Act in the interests of the public. The BCCPA operates independent of the government and is responsible for the inspection, investigation, licensing and enforcement of its guidelines. It acts on behalf of the Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor General of the Canadian Government. Its normal functioning involves responding to inquiries and complaints from consumers, educating consumers about their rights and obligations, issuing license to specific industries, inspecting these licensed industries to ensure their adherence to the law, investigating alleged violations of the laws and enforcing the law and last but not least, recommending improvements to the consumer protection laws as and when needed. The BCCPA is responsible for the periodical audits that need to be carried out to ensure transparency and compliance with the business guidelines, which in turn ensures compliance with the British Columbia Consumer Protection Plan. The Corporate wing of the Authority is responsible for the development of frameworks and policies for financial and payroll services, HR services, IT related systems, and administrative services. The corporate services unit is also responsible for developing strategic partnerships and business plans and also for compliance with the guidelines. Some of the industries which need regular intervention are the Travel and Tourist industry where there is a lot of room for ambiguity followed by the Debt Collectors, then the Cosmetology consultants who can never deliver what they promise and their customers who are never happy with what they get and finally the Airlines who can never satisfy their customers. In all these cases, the only respite for the consumer is the BCCPA and its rules under the British Columbia Consumer Protection Plan. So citizens should be well informed about their rights and responsibilities so that they can act accordingly when there is a need. |
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