In a continuing services contract you receive services over a period of time, rather than all at once. These types of contracts are limited to dance lessons, personal training (such as Boot Camp), weight loss, self defence, gym and travel club memberships.

Under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act and BC's Consumer Contracts Regulation:

• You must be given a copy of the contract within 15 days the contract was entered into.
• You have until 10 days after you receive a copy of the contract to cancel for any reason.  If you do, the business must provide a refund within 15 days of cancellation.
• In most cases, you can't be locked into a contract for more than 2 years. It is important to review the length of your contract along with conditions which may apply in this regard.

You can cancel your contract if there is a material change in your circumstances which includes the following:

• Death,
• Physical, mental, or medical disability confirmed in writing by a medical practitioner stating that continued participation is unreasonable, or
• Moving more than 30 km away from the facility and the supplier does not provide comparable facilities in the new location.

You can also cancel your contract if there is a material change in the services provided by the supplier which includes the following:

• The services are not completed or are no longer available
• The supplier relocates their facility more than 30 km away and does not provide comparable facilities within 30 km from the consumer’s location.

For more information and a template for cancelling a continuing services, contract please click here.

To view the exact definition of a continuing service contract, please visit Part 4 of the Business Practices & Consumer Protection Act as well as the Consumer Contracts Regulation.