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Protecting consumers with new rules this summer Regulations will promote contract fairness, strengthen consumer rights

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Victoria Monday, February 9, 2026 11:45 AM

Summary

  • New protections ensure consumers can more easily understand and exercise their contract rights
  • Amendments will come into effect Aug. 1, 2026, to ensure businesses have time to implement changes
  • New rules introduced against high-pressure, direct sales of costly household products

People in British Columbia will benefit from clearer contracts, better cancellation rights and new protections from high-pressure sales tactics with amendments to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, taking effect in summer 2026.

Amendments to the act to help people deal with unclear contract terms and predatory sales practices on everyday items and services received royal assent in 2025. Measures that promote contract fairness are in effect, such as restricting businesses’ ability to include terms that require costly private arbitration, limit participation in class actions and prevent consumers’ ability to post reviews online.

After extensive consultation with industry and consumer groups, the remaining amendments will come into effect Aug.1, 2026, giving businesses enough time to prepare for and implement the changes.

Strengthening consumer rights

These amendments will ensure consumers can more easily understand what they are agreeing to and make it easier to use their rights. They include:

  • ensuring all contracts, including online purchases, follow the same rules so people receive more consistent information, including business policies around refunds, returns/exchanges and cancellation
  • introducing rules against automatic renewal of contracts without advance notification, approval from the consumer, or ability to cancel, and providing consumers with protections against one-sided terms allowing businesses to unilaterally amend a contract
  • banning high-pressure direct-sales tactics for certain high-cost household products and services, such as air conditioners and furnaces
  • banning offering credit as part of a direct sale, reducing the risk of predatory sales tactics often used at the door

Protecting consumers

With the new rules, the most vulnerable consumers, including seniors, newcomers and people with lower incomes or disabilities, will be more aware of their rights and protected against harmful practices, including sales tactics. In addition, people will have more control over automatic renewals of services, such as gym memberships or streaming subscriptions.

The Province is working with Consumer Protection BC and businesses to ensure a smooth transition in implementing these changes.

These amendments reinforce government’s commitment to strengthening consumer rights.

Quick Facts:

  • Consumer protection amendments to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act through Bill 4 received royal assent on March 31, 2025.
  • Government introduced stronger tools to protect against credit-related fraud as part of Phase 2 of consumer protection amendments in October 2025, through Bill 28.

Learn More:

To learn more about the amendments to the act introduced in 2025, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AG0013-000139

For more information about consumer protections for people in British Columbia, visit: https://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/

To read the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, visit: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/04002_00

To learn more about tools against credit fraud, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AG0055-000969

This is on BC Govt website go to the link here 

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