Banning door to door sales

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The city of Hamilton and four other municipalities in the province are calling on the Ontario government to ban door-to-door sales in the home services sector. Local businesses are affected by this type of sales tactic but the province won’t say if any changes will be made.

Councillors say companies engaging in deceitful practices have no fear of any prosecution but the people on the other side of the door, the homeowners, are left feeling uneasy. It’s not only a threat to the residents but to businesses who do not use those same tactics.

Wally Boonstra’s company, Excel Heating and Air Conditioning has never participated in door-to door sales. He believes the people who do are scam artists.

“One of our elderly customers from Waterdown, a retired pastor called me up and said he had two young men at his door and said there’s a Federal mandate that you have to change your furnace and I said that’s not true they are lying to you don’t fall for it.”

Any change will rest in the hands of the province. We received a statement from the Minister of Consumer services, David Orazietti who wouldn’t say if there would be an outright ban on door-to-door sales in the home sector. Instead he reiterated existing legislation that includes a 10 day cooling off period where consumers can cancel a contract for any reason during that time without paying any fees.

Councillors from Hamilton, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham and Thunder Bay want the province to do more and are asking them to act quickly before the spring session of the legislature concludes. Councillors from all 5 municipalities are encouraging residents to sign a petition on Change.org.