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NDP Fights Sticker Shock for Autos

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Bill outlaws false advertising by dealers

The NDP wants to make it crystal clear that the sticker price you see for a new car is the price you pay.

The government introduced legislation Monday that would mean a penalty for any new- or used-car dealer who uses false advertising when selling vehicles.

It would require dealers to include all fees, charges, levies and taxes in advertisements, unless the ad indicates PST and GST are not included.

"This legislation means the price you see is the price you pay," Premier Greg Selinger said at a news conference at a Nairn Avenue auto dealership.

The legislation would also require dealers to disclose the model year of the vehicle and whether it's used.

"That sounds elegantly simple, but it's something that has needed to be put in consumer-protection law for a long time," Selinger said.

Selinger said many car-buyers have been confused about what final price they would pay when they walked into an auto dealer.

"This legislation makes it easier for them to know what that price is before they make that decision," he said. "They don't have go through a bunch of additional calculations to know what the price is going to be before they write the cheque."

Beatrice Dyce, acting directing of the province's Consumer Protection Office, said under the new legislation, her office would have the authority to issue compliance orders against offenders and impose administrative penalties of up to $5,000. …