• Referred to the purchaser as a customer;

• Wrote “no trade” on the bill of sale, an element of retail transactions;

• Charged a $10 OMVIC fee when no such fee exists on a wholesale trade;

• Sold tire and rim road hazard coverage for $299, an element of a retail transition;

• Took a $500 deposit from the consumer.

As the dealership had been fined previously in 2015 and 2018 for failing to comply with Ontario’s all-in price advertising requirements, the panel ordered:

• Oakville Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Ltd., to pay a fine of $10,500;

• Four dealership employees to pay fines of $4,000, $4,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

Each of the individuals was also ordered to retake the OMVIC Certification Course.

The panel dismissed a second complaint about all-in price advertising violations for the same vehicle as no evidence was provided regarding which of the ads for the vehicle the complainant had seen or when.

Dealership owner Gord Nimeck said: “Oakville Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Ltd. is a longstanding family business that is dedicated to serving its customers and ensuring its employees are knowledgeable and compliant with all of the industry’s professional and regulatory standards.

“The dealership recently defended two complaints at OMVIC. It was successful in defending one and, unfortunately, convicted in the other. While the decision was disappointing to our dealership, we are confident that we will not be the subject of a similar complaint again.”

John Carmichael, OMVIC’s chief executive and registrar, also weighed in on the decision.

He said: “The all-in price advertising regulations are meant to provide transparency to consumers and to create a level playing field for all dealers.

"Failure to abide by the requirements is not only illegal, it is unfair to consumers and unfair to every dealer who plays by the rules.

“These penalties will hopefully serve as a deterrent to prevent further breaches.”

OMVIC administers and enforces the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act on behalf of Ontario’s Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.