e-Commerce and Ontario’s New Consumer Protection Law

Ontario’s new Consumer Protection Act, 2002 (CPA) imposes new obligations on suppliers and gives new rights to consumers who conduct business on the Internet.¹ The new regime, which begins when the CPA comes into force on July 30, 2005, applies to consumer agreements entered into on the Internet (a) that involve a payment of more than $50; and (b) if either the supplier or the consumer is located in Ontario when the transaction takes place.

The following are the principal new obligations and rights under the CPA regarding Internet agreements:

• Specified Information.
Before a consumer makes a purchase, the supplier must provide specified information about the goods or services in a way that is clear, comprehensible and prominent and that enables the consumer to retain and print the information. These are some of the specified items of information: the supplier’s contact information; a fair and accurate description of the goods or services; an itemized list of all prices and