{June 8, 2010} VICTORIA, BC – Consumer Protection BC is proposing to change licence fees for several of our licensed industries and occupations.  A consultation process is underway related to these changes.  The industries considered include debt collection, travel, telemarketers, theatres, video retailers, film and video distributors, home inspectors, cemeteries, crematoria and funeral services.  New fees will not come into effect until January 1, 2011.

Consumer Protection BC has been delegated the authority to set fees for the industries we regulate.   “There have been no fee changes for the majority of these groups since 2005,” says Tayt Winnitoy, Vice-President of Operations for Consumer Protection BC. “These fees help us recover costs for providing regulatory oversight and consumer protection services in BC.”  

Consultation documents have been published on our website which outline the rationale and details of the proposed changes. Licensees are encouraged to provide their feedback through a fee consultation survey which is also posted on the website.

Please click on the following links for each industry/occupation to access the consultation document and survey.

• Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services
• Debt Collection, Bailiffs and Debt Pooling
• Home Inspectors
• Telemarketers
• Theatres, Distributors and Video Retailers
• Travel

Closing dates for the consultation vary. Please read the specific industry consultation documents for response deadlines and other details.

Consumer Protection BC is a not-for-profit corporation that was created to strengthen consumer protection in BC and enforce consumer protection laws. We balance the interests of all parties to promote a marketplace that is fair for both BC consumers and businesses. We license and inspect specific industries, respond to inquiries through our inquiry centre, investigate alleged violations of consumer protection laws, and educate consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities under the law.  

For more information about our organization, please visit our corporate website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.

General Contact:
Licensing Department
1-888-777-4393

Media Contact Only:
Manager of Public Relations
1-604-296-2856