CONSUMER WARNING - Two Sudbury Area Car Dealers Suspended by Regulator

TORONTO, July 23, 2014 /CNW/ - As a result of serious consumer complaints, OMVIC, Ontario's vehicle sales regulator, has ordered the immediate suspension of two registered motor vehicle dealers: 1552558 Ontario Inc., operating as Drivetime (1088-B The Kingsway, Sudbury); and Craig Terry Investments Ltd. (1092-B The Kingsway, Sudbury). Accordingly, neither dealership may legally sell, lease or buy vehicles.

"Immediate suspensions are fairly dramatic steps", stated Terry O'Keefe, OMVIC Director of Communications. "They are taken when OMVIC believes a dealer's conduct may place the car-buying public at risk".

OMVIC also issued Proposals to Refuse the registrations of Micheline Cooper (operator of Drivetime and Craig Terry Investments Ltd.) and of another dealership Cooper attempted to register - Turn Key Auto (1901244 Ontario Inc.).

Consumers are warned not to buy, sell or lease vehicles from Drivetime (Sudbury), Craig Terry Investments Ltd., Turn Key Auto or Cooper while the dealers' registrations are suspended; consumers who trade with an unregistered business or individual are not protected by the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund.

Note:

• These suspensions are temporary and subject to appeal to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT). Proposals to Refuse are also appealable to LAT.
• There are other registered dealers in Ontario using the business name Drivetime – they are not affiliated with Drivetime in Sudbury. Further, no individual named Craig Terry is party to any of the proceedings/allegations referenced above.

About OMVIC Registration
Ontario's Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA) requires that all dealers and salespeople be registered with OMVIC. Unregistered selling (curbsiding) is a serious offence: individuals can be fined $50,000 and be jailed for up to two years less a day.

About OMVIC
OMVIC (Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council) administers and enforces the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA) on behalf of the Ministry of Consumer Services. OMVIC maintains a fair and informed vehicle sales marketplace by regulating dealers and salespersons, regularly inspecting Ontario's 8,000 dealerships and 25,000 salespeople, maintaining a complaint line for consumers and conducting investigations and prosecutions of industry misconduct and illegal sales (curbsiding). OMVIC is also responsible for administering the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund on behalf of its Board of Trustees. 

Image with caption: "Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC) (CNW Group/Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140723_C1627_PHOTO_EN_4463.jpg

SOURCE: Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC)

Terry O'Keefe, Director of Communications, 416-226-4500x3525, [email protected], Web: www.omvic.on.ca; Sarah Choudhury, Communications Officer, 416-226-4500x3172, [email protected], Web: www.omvic.on.ca