BILL NO. 266

(as introduced)

1st Session, 59th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
54 Elizabeth II, 2005

Private Member's Bill

Consumer Protection Act
(amended)

Graham Steele
Halifax Fairview

First Reading: October 25, 2005

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Clauses 1 and 2 amend the Consumer Protection Act to provide that where certain types of consumer sales contain a written estimated price, the final price charged by the seller cannot exceed the estimate by more than ten per cent unless the parties agree in writing.

1 Subsection 26(1) of Chapter 92 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Consumer Protection Act, is amended striking out "Section" the second time it appears in the first line and substituting "Sections 26A and".

26A (1) Where a consumer sale of

(a) home renovation services;

(b) automobile repair services;

(c) household moving services; or

(d) services of a type prescribed in the regulations,

contains a written estimated price for the delivery of those services, including the cost of any goods required for the delivery of those services, the price charged to the purchaser by the seller may not exceed the estimated price by more than ten per cent.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) prevents a purchaser and a seller from agreeing in writing to amend a price or estimated price in a consumer sale if the purchaser requires additional or different services or goods.

(3) The Governor in Council may make regulations

(a) prescribing services for the purpose of clause (1)(d);

(b) defining any word or expression used but not defined in this Section.

(4) The exercise by the Governor in Council of the authority contained in subsection (3) is regulations within the meaning of the Regulations Act.

3 Chapter 92 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 32 the following Section:

32A (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person who issues a receipt for payment for goods or services by credit card shall print or cause to be printed on that receipt any information contained on the credit card other than the final four digits of the credit card number.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to receipts generated by the taking of a mechanical imprint of the credit card.