canada consumer-protection legal-research
How can tourists compare Consumer Protection and Law, across the glut of Canadian jurisdictions?
<h4>What up-to-date resources compare the profusion of consumer protection legislations, particularly across Canadian provinces and territories?  How can tourists pick the jurisdictions with the most consumer-friendly laws, in Canada?</h4>
<p>Many travelers do not know, or are stunned to find out when something goes awry,  the fact that each Canadian province, territory enact their own consumer protection. <a href="https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/office-consumer-affairs/en/complaint-roadmap/consumer-protection-legislation-canada" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Canadian consumer law  does not fall under federal jurisdiction</a>. Canada's federal <a href="https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00529.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Competition Act</em></a> is too limited, and was not intended, to fully protect consumers.</p>
<p>Even lawyers probably cannot know about, keep abreast of, or compare, the consumer laws for each Canadian jurisdiction that change constantly   — British Columbia's <a href="https://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/about-us/our-laws/" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act</em>, SBC 2004</a> vs. Alberta's <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/823s" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Consumer Protection Act</em>, RSA 2000</a> vs.  Ontario's <a href="https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?language=en&amp;postingId=35387" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Consumer Protection Act</em>, 2002</a> vs. Quebec's <a href="http://canlii.ca/t/xx6" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Consumer Protection Act</em>, CQLR c P-40.1</a>.</p>
<h3>Can anyone think up a better example from comparative law? This example feels unrealistic, as  most shopping tourists cannot afford to spend $100,000 AUD!</h3>
<p>Australia's <a href="https://hwlebsworth.com.au/a-key-change-to-the-definition-of-consumer-under-the-australian-consumer-law-will-lead-to-more-business-customers-being-able-to-rely-on-consumer-guarantees/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">&quot;<em>Treasury Laws Amendment (Acquisition as Consumer—Financial Thresholds) Regulations 2020</em> (Regulations) increased the monetary threshold for determining whether a person acquires goods or services as a “consumer” under section 3(1)(a) of the ACL from $40,000 to $100,000.&quot;</a> But <a href="https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1c2dfca4-1893-49e7-8590-35ff02499515" rel="nofollow noreferrer">England and Wales's Consumer Rights Act 2015</a> does not define &quot;consumer&quot; by purchase price. If a tourist can buy the same item between Australia and England, then she may choose England in opposition to Australia's more restrictive definition of &quot;consumer&quot;.</p>

<p>A starting point would be to visit a local law libary and see if they have a legal encyclopedia covering the topic.</p>
<p>One of these would be <a href="https://store.lexisnexis.ca/en/categories/shop-by-jurisdiction/federal-13/halsburys-laws-of-canada-commercial-law-ii-bills-of-exchange-2020-reissue-consumer-protection-2020-reissue-sale-of-goods-2020-reissue-skusku-cad-00878/details" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Halsbury's Laws of Canada – Commercial Law II: Bills of Exchange (2020 Reissue) / Consumer Protection (2020 Reissue) / Sale of Goods (2020 Reissue)</em></a>. It says that it provides a &quot;review of consumer protection by province, and by industry.&quot;</p>
<p>There are also annotated acts for each province (e.g. <a href="https://store.lexisnexis.ca/en/categories/shop-by-jurisdiction/ontario-10/the-annotated-ontario-consumer-protection-act-2023-edition-skusku-cad-6260/details" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>The Annotated Ontario Consumer Protection Act, 2023 Edition</em></a>).</p>
