New consumer protection rules took effect in British Columbia this month, aimed at curbing predatory and unfair practices in door-to-door sales and subscription services.
Amendments to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, passed in March 2025, create new rules for what businesses can include in sales contracts.
The rules prohibit automatic renewal of subscription service contracts without 30 to 60 days’ advance notice to customers, and require businesses to allow cancellation of a subscription renewal without penalty.
The changes also ban high-pressure door-to-door or direct sales tactics for certain expensive household products and services.
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said the new rules will protect seniors and other vulnerable consumers.
“Maybe they were told their furnace needs replacing immediately or that a special offer was only available if they signed up immediately. For a lot of people, those kinds of high-pressure tactics lead to rush purchases and come with unexpected costs. Those types of practices are no longer allowed in B.C.,” said Sharma.
She said a ban on offering or arranging credit as part of a direct sale will also help protect people from predatory loan-term tactics often used in door-to-door sales.
Tayt Winnitoy, acting CEO of Consumer Protection B.C., said the agency has received more than 1,200 complaints from B.C. residents over the past decade about door-to-door salespeople showing up at their homes.
“We’re hopeful these new laws will curb some of the practices, empower consumers to know their rights and give them more options to get out of unlawful contracts when they need to,” he said.
The consumer protection agency has the ability to impose fines of up to $50,000 on businesses and up to $5,000 on individuals for breaching the rules.
The legislation requires contracts to include a clear description of what customers will receive and other key details about delivery, return and cancellation policies, and subscription auto-renewals.
It also gives consumers the right to cancel a contract within a certain window if the supplier failed to properly disclose key terms of the contract.
Simone Lis, president of the Better Business Bureau for B.C. and Yukon, said in a statement the organization often hears from those who were surprised by an automatic subscription renewal or struggled to cancel a service.
“Clearer contracts and stronger rules around renewals and cancellations can help prevent that confusion before it becomes a complaint. These protections give consumers greater confidence, while helping responsible businesses strengthen customer relationships, uphold transparent business practices and compete on a more level playing field,” said Lis.
Another section of the legislation is scheduled to take effect in August 2027. It introduces new rules for credit monitoring and credit repair businesses.
The provincial government said people will be able to access their credit report and credit score once a month free of charge. They will also be able to place security alerts and credit freezes on their credit files at no cost.
