PIAC’s Research Finds Low Consumer Awareness about Payday Loan Rights and Help Resources; Need for a Fair, Impartial, and Transparent Redress System

New PIAC Report: Enhancing Protection for Payday Loan Users in Canada
OTTAWA – A new research report published by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) shows that many payday loan users remain unaware of their rights, and find it difficult to calculate payday loans’ high interest rates and costs. Repeat borrowing and continuous debt-cycles continue to prevail, with many users uninformed on how to deal with debt cycles, and better manage their finances.
The research indicates that the existing government resources on payday loans, i.e., provincial information websites and complaint filing processes may be underused, as many payday loan users do not know of their existence. “Payday loan users’ lack of awareness about their rights and existing redress systems is concerning, given the alarmingly high interest rates and costs of payday loans, it’s about time that prompt action is taken to address this information deficit,” said Tahira Dawood, Policy and Research Analyst at PIAC.
Other redress mechanisms for addressing payday loan issues, which the Report also studied, remain problematic. Actions such as filing a claim in small claims court is, relative to the amounts involved and the means of payday loan uses, costly, time-consuming and burdensome. Complaints made directly to payday lenders, while helpful to some borrowers, presently lack the transparency and accountability needed to adequately protect the vulnerable users of payday loans. At the time of research, no easily accessible public data was found concerning the number and nature of payday loan complaints made, their response times and outcomes.
“Payday loans are ‘expensive’ for customers because the repayment is due so soon, not just because the interest is high,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel, PIAC. “Payday loan customers make better financial choices when this obscure fact is made clear – and they can learn fast and start saving money right away,” he added.
The report’s key suggestions therefore are:

governments and regulators should adopt a more active role in developing consumer education and awareness initiatives on the risks involved in using payday loans, and their high interest rates and costs. One step towards achieving this could be provision of user-friendly guides to payday loan users at the time of purchase (a sample guide, prepared by PIAC, has been included in the report);
better publicize existing help resources to payday loan users, especially through organizations that liaise more directly and frequently with lower-income consumers;
require payday lenders to display more informative posters on payday loan costs and in particular, the extremely short repayment period for these loans;
standardize and simplify payday loan agreements, that is by requiring all contracts to be drafted in simple and plain language that clearly disclose all applicable costs, length of a loan, when it is due and what costs would arise in case of missed deadlines;
compile, and make publicly and easily available, databases on payday loan usage and complaints; and
consider widening the scope of complaints of the Ombudsman for Banking services and Investments (OBSI) to oversee payday loan complaints, violations and disputes.

To see the full report, please see the following link.
To see the sample user-friendly guide prepared by PIAC, please see the following link.
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre has received funding from the Law Foundation of Ontario, under its Access to Justice Fund (ATJF). While financially supported by The Law Foundation of Ontario, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre is solely responsible for all content.
For more information please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
Tel: 613-562-4002 x 25
jlawford@piac.ca

Tahira Dawood
Policy and Research Analyst
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
Tel: 613-562-4002 x 23
tdawood@piac.ca

Government’s proposed “Policy Direction” to CRTC means lower prices, more protection for consumers in Internet, Wireless

OTTAWA, February 27, 2019 – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), today hailed yesterday’s announcement by the Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) of a proposed new “Policy Direction” to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that should lead to lower prices, affordable access and more consumer protection for Canadians buying Internet and wireless services.
“The Government has signaled with this Policy Direction that it wants the CRTC to change course and put consumer interests first,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel of PIAC. “We applaud the Government’s acknowledgement that consumers need affordable access to the Internet, whether at home or on the go, and that consumer protection and increased competition are essential to achieve this goal” he added.
For more information, please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 562-4002 ×25 (work)
(613) 447-8125 (cell)
jlawford@piac.ca

CRTC Report on Telecom Sales Practices Vindicates Consumer Concerns

OTTAWA – The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today released its Telecom Sales Practices Report to the Federal Cabinet, vindicating the public’s concerns that too many Canadians have suffered misleading, aggressive and unsuitable telecom sales practices at the hands of major telecommunications providers and firmly stating that such practices are unacceptable and must change.
The Fair Communications Sales Coalition, whose members include the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), ACORN Canada (ACORN), National Pensioners Federation (NPF) and Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) today heralded the Report as a milestone for consumer protection in Internet, home phone, television and wireless sales that should improve Canadians interactions with companies
“Consumers told us that they were being misled, oversold and treated aggressively when they interacted with their telecom and TV service providers, whether at the door, on the phone, in a store or online,” said John Lawford, Co-Counsel to the FCSC. “We are extremely pleased that the CRTC believed those consumers and mapped out how to help,” he added.
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) had earlier requested for a public inquiry into reported inappropriate, aggressive and potentially misleading sales of telecommunications and related services. An inquiry was eventually conducted as a result of the intervention of the Federal Cabinet. The CRTC issued a “Notice of consultation – Report regarding the retail sales practices of Canada’s large telecommunications carriers” over the summer of 2018, asking for public’s input on their experiences with telecom sales. An online survey was also conducted, followed by a public hearing in October 2018.
Wanda Morris, Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer of CARP, already looks forward to the promise for seniors of improved interactions with telecommunications and TV providers: “It will take some work to implement the CRTC’s suggestions but we urge the Federal Government to endorse this report and to ask the CRTC to finish the job of restoring the public’s trust in how they are sold these essential services.”
For more information, please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 562-4002 ×25
jlawford@piac.ca
www.piac.ca

Wanda Morris
Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer of CARP
(416) 607-2470
wanda@carp.ca

PIAC Supports Keep Me Posted, a Campaign for Protecting the Consumers’ Right to Choose Paper or Digital Communications

UPDATE: PIAC has resigned from Keep Me Posted, effective 9 November 2020.
PIAC has joined a global advocacy campaign, Keep Me Posted (KMP), working for the right of every consumer to choose, free of charge, how they receive important information from their service providers – on paper or electronically.
PIAC has actively advocated for consumers’ right to receive bills and statements in paper format, free from any fees. In its 2014 report, “How to Pay the Piper: A Primer on Additional Charges to Consumers in Canada for Paper Billing,” PIAC called for the elimination of fees for paper statements and billing, finding that Canadians are paying between $495 and $734 million annually in fees for monthly bills and statements in paper formats to the banking and communications services industries (phone, TV, home internet and wireless).
More recently, PIAC, along with National Pensioners Federation (NPF), filed an application with the CRTC regarding Koodo Mobile’s discontinuing the provision of paper bills. PIAC and NPF raised concerns about the negative implications of electronic-only bills on vulnerable and low-income consumers, including persons with disabilities, senior citizens, consumers living paycheque to paycheque, and others who cannot avail themselves of e-billing services because of lack of resources. PIAC and NPF noted that if paper bills are eliminated, consumers will be forced to retrieve and pay their bills online or simply go without. The 2018 CRTC Communications Monitoring Report indicated that only 65.2 % of households in the lowest income quintile use home internet.
PIAC continues to advocate for consumers’ right to receive paper bills, without any fees; and extends its support to the KMP campaign, promoting consumer choice in this regard. Find out more about this campaign at KMP’s website.

Save PIAC – Update

*** UPDATE ***
As of 24 December 2018, thanks to your generous donations, PIAC will be open at least until mid-January. The fight is not over, however, to our supporters and those who gave so generously, THANK YOU, we will keep working to survive and thrive. Happy Holidays all! – JL

For over four decades, PIAC has been your consumer voice in Canada. We have consistently fought for fair treatment, fair pricing, and your fundamental rights as people, not just customers.
PIAC’s work has never been more important: major corporations are more powerful than ever in Canada. But PIAC itself has never been more threatened. We face an acute funding crunch and will be unable to keep going without your urgent help.

DONATE NOW TO KEEP PIAC’S WORK GOING

PIAC’s business model has always balanced on a knife-edge. PIAC staff and legal counsel do expert legal and advocacy work, and regulators like the CRTC reimburse these modest costs.
Over the last few years, our cost awards have been paid later and later, hurting our ability to operate. Now, after another unreasonable delay, PIAC needs your help now to keep our work going.
Will you donate today to keep us fighting for affordable internet, cheaper phone bills, airline passenger rights, and more?
I believe in the work we do, and our long record of consumer wins is a testament to the success we’ve had together. It’s crucial that this work continues. If you agree, please support us now.
For our consumer rights,
John Lawford
Executive Director
Public Interest Advocacy Centre

DONATE NOW

PIAC to Boycott CRTC "Internet Code" Proceeding

OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) today announced it will not participate in the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s “Internet Code” proceeding. PIAC reacted in part to the CRTC’s denial of its request for more time to develop a public interest position and consult the public and to the “draft code” proffered by the CRTC in its Notice of Consultation. Several other public interest and consumer groups had supported PIAC’s call for more time to consider a more robust Internet Code.
“The CRTC has issued a ‘straw man’ Internet Code to comment on but it’s terrible for consumers,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel at PIAC. “That railroading, along with the refusal to extend the deadlines, means that they have closed their minds. In that case, the only option is protest, so we will boycott this proceeding.”
For more information, please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
1204 – 1 Nicholas Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7
CANADA
Tel: 613-562-4002 x25
Cell: 613-447-8125
Fax: 613-562-0007
lawford@piac.ca | http://www.piac.ca

Media Alert: CRTC Telecom Sales Practices Hearing – TODAY, PIAC to Appear as Part of Fair Communications Sales Coalition

OTTAWA – Today, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) will appear today to present oral arguments before the CRTC hearing into the sales practices of major telecommunications service providers as part of the Fair Communications Sales Coalition (FCSC), a coalition of consumer, seniors and low-income public interest groups.
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), ACORN Canada (ACORN), National Pensioners Federation (NPF) and CARP (formerly the Canadian Association of Retired Persons) – will argue for stronger protections for consumers to protect from misleading, aggressive and unsuitable sales of Internet, telephone, cellphone and paid TV services to Canadians.
Members of the coalition will be available after the FCSC’s presentation for media interviews.
For more information, please contact:
John Lawford
Counsel to FCSC
613-447-8125
613-562-4002 ext. 25
jlawford@piac.ca

CRTC Refusal to Block Websites is Fair Result

CRTC concludes it has no jurisdiction to grant “FairPlay” coalition request to restrict access to “piracy” websites
OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) today welcomed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) decision to deny an application to require and authorize Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”) to block online access to websites engaged in alleged copyright infringement.
“The CRTC correctly concluded that it is not the appropriate body to decide matters of copyright policy”, said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel at PIAC. “Consumers now can trust that the regulator will concentrate on connecting people on the internet and not on censoring, filtering or blocking what Canadians can access.”
According to the decision, Canadian telecommunications policy encourages “the development of an orderly, reliable, affordable and efficient telecommunications infrastructure”. The CRTC clarified that the proposed “anti-piracy” regime would not directly achieve these goals. The CRTC added that the Telecommunications Act does not deal with copyright, nor its enforcement, and that if this issue is so important that it requires extraordinary efforts by an administrative body like the CRTC, and website blocking decisions to be made without judicial oversight, that clear legislative direction would be needed.
For more information please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director & General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 562-4002 ×25
lawford@piac.ca
www.piac.ca

CRTC Finally Investigating Telecom Sales Practices

Consumers have two more weeks to comment and “change the deal” for the better
OTTAWA, August 20, 2018 – After over a year of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) asking for it and the intervention of the Federal Cabinet, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) finally is pursuing a public inquiry into reported inappropriate, aggressive and potentially misleading sales of telecommunications and related services.
John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel at PIAC, noted that the CRTC released a “Notice of consultation – Report regarding the retail sales practices of Canada’s large telecommunications carriers” over the summer but that Canadians still have 2 weeks to comment and to ask to attend the hearing to give evidence: “The CRTC has asked Canadian consumers and current and former telecom company employees to relate their stories of sales practices of Canada’s major telecommunications and broadcasting companies. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change the buyer-beware culture of internet, phone and TV sales in Canada.”
The CRTC Notice asks for consumer experiences with telecom sales (including bundled TV service) at the door, on the phone or online. The CRTC in particular wants to hear from “vulnerable” Canadians who, by virtue of age, language barrier, disability or other circumstance are more likely than others to be confused, bullied or misled during sales.
“We hope that a public airing of grievances will give the CRTC enough information to understand the scope and scale of this problem and give it the regulatory attention it deserves,” further noted Lawford. “We hope that the Report to the government will result in clear “rules of the road” for sales,” he added, “but above all, this inquiry and report is a chance to change the culture of, and rebuild public trust in, this industry.
To assist consumers and current and former employees, PIAC has released two “how-to” documents below.
CRTC Telecommunications Sales Practices Review and Report – What Consumers Need to Know [submission date corrected]
CRTC Telecommunications Sales Practices Review and Report – What Telecommunications Company Employees Need to Know
See also the general links to the proceeding.

To read the CRTC’s full Notice of Consultation:	https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2018/2018-246.htm
To submit your comments:	https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/CommentForm/Default-Defaut.aspx?lang=e&EN=2018-246&ET=N&S=O&PA=a&PT=nc&PST=a&FN
To contact the CRTC:	https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/contact/
To contact PIAC:	https://www.piac.ca/

For more information please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director & General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 562-4002 ×25
lawford@piac.ca
www.piac.ca

Open Letter to Facebook: Don't Launch "Messenger Kids" in Canada

OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) today published an open letter to Facebook urging the social media giant not to launch the “Facebook Messenger Kids” app in Canada. PIAC’s letter points to the collection and retention of young users’ actual communications by Facebook, without a clear rationale, something that PIAC claims may, along with other flaws, violate Canadian privacy laws.
“This is not a toy,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel of PIAC. “It is a sophisticated social networking tool with significantly intrusive data collection – and it’s intended for kids – who cannot even consent to it themselves.” The letter raises a number of concerns that Facebook Messenger Kids, as presently structured, may violate Canadian privacy laws.
“We are asking Facebook not to launch Messenger Kids in Canada until they are sure it respects Canadian privacy laws and the privacy of Canadian parents and children,” added Lawford. “As it works now, we cannot see how it can operate and do both.”
For more information, please contact:
John Lawford
Executive Director & General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
office: (613) 562-4002 ×25
Cell: (613) 447-8125
lawford@piac.ca
www.piac.ca