Find where you can get the help you need by answering a few simple questions about your financial situation.
Being a Guarantor is a big responsibility that can have serious consequences. This booklet will help you understand all that is involved in being a Guarantor.
These online videos are provided by the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association and cover a range of topics such as gangs, drugs and a number of different types of fraud.
The Consumer Bill of Rights outlines the protections that consumers have when buying goods or signing contracts.
Alberta LGBTQ+’s mission is to bring together businesses, communities, and government to build a thriving business community that promotes the equality and inclusion of gender and sexually diverse individuals in commerce and at work.
The Alberta Securities Commission is the regulatory agency responsible for administering the province’s securities laws. This page provides information on how to file a complaint. ASC use complaints filed by the public as well as other means to identify potential breaches of securities laws, and take enforcement action including investigating and prosecuting either administratively or quasi-criminally, as appropriate, to protect investors and the integrity of Alberta’s capital market.
Alberta Small Business Resources is a directory of business resources for new and established entrepreneurs. This Alberta government site provides information on: starting a business, operating a business effectively, how to explore different ways to fund a business (loans, grants, investors), and covers regulations for small businesses.b
The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) is a quasi-judicial independent agency established by the Government of Alberta to regulate investor-owned natural gas, electric, and water utilities and certain municipally owned electric utilities to ensure that customers receive safe and reliable service at just and reasonable rates. The AUC’s Utilities Complaints telephone line is for customers who have been unable to resolve a dispute with the natural gas, electricity or water utility provider or Albertan’s who have questions or concerns about utility services in general.
If you buy or sell goods through a public auction in Alberta, it is important to know that the business holding the auction must be licensed by the province and post security. The Fair Trading Act, the Public Auctions Regulation and Section 57 of the Sale of Goods Act regulate public auction businesses in Alberta. This tipsheet outline the rules and regulations that must be followed by Alberta businesses that sell goods by public auction.
Bankruptcy law in Canada (and generally elsewhere) is governed primarily by federal law and governs the process by which individuals and companies apply to court to be relieved of their debts (except for some debts, such as secured debts or those that have arisen through fraud). Bankruptcy can be voluntary (initiated by the person in debt) or involuntary (initiated by creditors of the debtor). Includes links to online sources of further information.
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) helps companies of all sizes and sectors to achieve success in ways that demonstrate respect for ethical values, people, communities and the environment. BSR leads or participates in a range of working groups and collaborative initiatives, undertakes research and provides a variety of reports and publications.
The Business Link is a not-for-profit organization proudly supported by the Government of Canada (through Western Economic Diversification) and the Government of Alberta (through Finance and Enterprise). While most services are free, a small fee may apply to certain publications, seminars and other enhanced services.
The Time Share and Points-Based Contracts and Business Regulation under the Consumer Protection Act(CPA) sets out the rules for businesses selling time share.
List of the top 10 things charities and not-for-profits need to do to comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam law.
The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to assisting farm businesses by increasing the skills and knowledge of farm advisors. It’s mission is to continually improve the quality of advice being given to farm producers and their families, including agribusiness.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), a Special Operating Agency (SOA) associated with Industry Canada, is responsible for the administration and processing of the greater part of intellectual property in Canada. Topics covered include: Patents, Trade-marks, Copyright, Industrial designs, and Integrated circuit topographies.
The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) was established at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law in the fall of 2003. Through student-centered research and advocacy, the clinic represents consumer and other public interests in such areas as intellectual property, consumer protection in e-commerce, domain name governance, personal information protection and privacy.
The Alberta Securities Commission is the regulatory agency responsible for administering the province’s securities laws. This page provides a link to “Spot the red flags” informaton on how to recognize and avoid investment scams.
The Commissioners office assists Canadians in resolving issues about their television service providers. If a Canadian cannot resolve a complaint with a communications service provider – regardless if it is a television service provider, Internet service provider, wireless service provider or telephone service provider – the CCTS will become the single point of contact for obtaining a resolution. All licensed television service providers will have to become members of the CCTS by September 1, 2017.
Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada is a registered charity. They provide credit counselling and debt management services for Canadians. Their mission is to assist individuals and families in ending financial crises and to help them solve money management problems through education, motivation, and professional counselling.
This online tip sheet is from Service Alberta. Includes information about: What is a franchise?; What is the law in Alberta?; Before you Buy a Franchise; Franchise Fraud; For More Information; Franchises in Alberta. (PDF – 4 pages)
This booklet gives teachers user-friendly information on copyright law, combining items from the Canadian Copyright Act and its regulations, contractual and tariff arrangements with copyright collectives, and court decisions. Much of the information would also be of interest to general audiences. [2005, pdf – 25 pages]
When you apply for a credit card, you are entering into a contract. Like any contract, it is legally binding and gives each party certain rights and responsibilities.
On this page you will find information on:
This web page has information about your legal responsibilities when you have a joint or shared credit card. It describes how authorized users (or secondary users) can affect you and your liabilities.
Credit Counselling Society is an accredited member of Credit Counselling Canada (CCC), a national association of not-for-profit credit counselling agencies specializing in debt consolidation alternatives and credit counselling The Credit Counselling Society is nationally registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a non-profit, charitable organization.
In Alberta, most companies that sell products door-to-door must be licensed under the Consumer Protection Act and the Direct Selling Business Licensing Regulation. Door-to-door sales people sell everything from encyclopedias and magazines to home improvements. If a contract is signed in person,negotiated or concluded away from the seller’s usual place of business, it is considered a direct sale.
This online resource is from the Student Legal Services of Edmonton. Topics include: Credit and Personal Reporting; Dealing with Bill Collecting Agencies; What can happen if you do not pay your debts; and How can Student Legal Services help with debt issues?. This resource is also available to download as a PDF.
This booklet has been prepared for you by the staff at the Law Information Centre (LInC). It is for people who are bankrupt, but have not been granted a discharge from bankruptcy. It is intended to help you make you make an application for discharge from bankruptcy if you are an undischarged bankrupt.
Now that the highly anticipated new copyright legislation has been introduced, more and more librarians are hearing from concerned library users that copyright laws must reflect the public interest. As the voice of the community of library users and professionals, CLA is committed to getting the crucial message to government that copyright issues do indeed strike a chord with Canadians.
The Consumer Investigations Unit (CIU) of ServiceAlberta is responsible for Alberta’s consumerprotection and tenancy laws. This infosheet explains how to file a consumer complaint with
Service Alberta and when an investigation maybe opened, as well as other options available to consumers.
Insurance-related information on floods, wildfires, voluntary sector, property insurance, complaints and preparing for emergencies.
If a rental property is foreclosed upon, the rights of the tenant and the rights of the landlord will be affected. This booklet from the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta answers frequently asked questions about the foreclosure process with a focus on the implications for tenants. This 8 page PDF is available for free download.
This booklet from the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta gives a general overview of what foreclosure is, what can happen during a foreclosure, and how foreclosure may affect both property owners and renters living in a property. This 8 page PDF is available for free download.
Going to court? Here are some tips and information on understanding your foreclosure matter. (Video) Produced in coordination with PBLA and Alberta Courts.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has provided these Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright for your use.
Gift cards purchased in Alberta are no longer subject to expiry dates and fees that lower their value over time. This tipsheet provides information on the Alberta’s Gift Card Regulation, which is part of the Consumer Protection Act,. It also includes information on other rules that help to improve consumer protections, use of the cards and disclosure of terms and conditions.
This guide is a publication of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. It explores what copyright is, the process for registering copyrights in Canada and the benefits of registration.
When someone uses personal information such as your name, Social Insurance number (SIN), credit card number or other identifying information without your knowledge or permission, it is identity theft and it is a crime. This tipsheet provides information on: how businesses and community groups can raise awarenes of identity theft, how to protect your identity when you are away from home, and how to report ID theft.
This article discusses the options available to a debtor when they file for bankruptcy and their are inheritance issues.
Ensure you, and specifically children, have the information needed to develop safe online surfing habits.
This court procedure booklet is a guide for people who are bankrupt, but have not been granted a discharge from bankruptcy. If your trustee is no longer responsible for making another application for discharge, this guidebook will help you make your own application for discharge from bankruptcy
This guide is for people with medical expenses or impairments in physical or mental functions and anyone supporting these people. It gives information on eligible medical expenses, services the CRA provides for people with impairments in physical or mental functions, as well as other information on income tax, excise tax, customs, and the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST).
Money Mentors (formerly know as Credit Counseling Services of Alberta) is an Alberta-based public agency that is the exclusive provider of the OrderlyPayment of Debts program in Alberta as specified under the Federal Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. They offer free credit counselling, money coaching, and financial education tto the community and K-12 students in Alberta. They are an accredited member of Credit Counselling Canada.
This tipsheet provindes information to help Albertans protect themselves from being an unwilling participant in mortgage fraud. If you are going to invest in real estate, make sure you are using a licensed mortgage broker is is registered under the Real Estate Act in Alberta.
The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) is an independent organization that investigates customer complaints against financial services providers, including banks and other deposit-taking organizations, investment dealers, mutual fund dealers and mutual fund companies. OBSI resolves disputes between participating banking services and investment firms and their customers if they can’t solve them on their own.
This colourful information sheet provides legal information about payday loans and debt problems for all ages and can be folded to fit comfortably in a wallet. (Dimensions 9cm x 43cm)
Information for individuals and pension plan administrators from the Alberta Superintendent of Pensions and the Pension Policy Branch.
This comprehensive resource from the RCMP describes sixteen Internet scams, twelve in-person scams, and three telephone scams. It also includes illustrative scenarios along with a glossary and a list of useful links.
This guide provides a general road map of some of the legal issues specific to podcasting with an emphasis on identifying how those issues may apply in the Canadian legal environment. This guide covers only Canadian-based legal questions. (PDF – 31 pages, 2007)
This publication prepared by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada is intended to provide readers with a general overview of the ten principles included in the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and how these principles affect associations and non-profit organizations (PDF – 10 pages).
Learn more about how to recognize a scam. The site provides examples of fraudulent communications and how to protect yourself from identity theft
On this webpage the Canada Revenue AGency provides information and helpful resources for Canadians on various consumer scams and fraudulent schemes. Learn more about:
REACH is Edmonton’s Council for Safe Communities. REACH is a community-based organization working to mobilize and coordinate organizations, community groups and Edmontonians to find innovative solutions to prevention and community safety.
Registry transactions include the issuing and renewing of drivers’ licences, registrations of birth, marriage and death, land title searches and transfers, and registrations of corporations, vehicles, and liens. The majority of these services are delivered on behalf of the Government of Alberta by registry agents located in communities throughout the province. This section of the Service Alberta website provides information on registries in the following categories: Charitable organizations; Corporate registry; Drivers/vehicles; Land titles; Personal property registry; Registry agents (find an agent) and Vital statistics. Many related forms can be downloaded and some services are now available online.
Representing yourself in court is a daunting task. This issue of LawNow offers some suggestions for success.
The Time Share Contracts Regulation under the Consumer Protection Act has been expanded to include the sale of points-based time share contracts. This tipsheet provides information if you offer, solicit, negotiate or conclude a traditional time share or points-based time share contract in Alberta.
Service Alberta’s divisions are committed to delivering high-quality business, financial, information and technology services to government ministries as well as a diverse range of services that touch the lives of Albertans. Divisions include: Consumer Information; Businesses and Charities; Landlords & Tenants; Registries; Drivers and Vehicles; Land Titles; Vital Statistics; Information and Technology; and Government Buying and Selling.
Services for Youth is all about helping youth 15 to 30 years of age. On this Government of Canada site, you will find information ranging from health and education programs to sports and cultural activities. These services are specific to the community you live. Simply click on “In Your Community” on the left hand topic area and you will find any information categories which relate to your community.
This article outlines the 4 main steps Albertans should look at when deciding to start a business in Alberta. This article was first published in LawNow magazines issue Law for Entrepreneurs. Other topics covered in this issue include: entrepreneurship and taxes, ten most common mistakes made when launching a new business, and how to deal with bankruptcy as a small business owner.
The Tax Court of Canada is the youngest superior court in Canada. The Court’s jurisdiction includes the hearing of appeals from assessments under the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax Act (Goods and Services Tax “GST”), the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Pension Plan, among others. The website gives access to the court judgments as well as providing information for people who plan to represent themselves at the court.
The CBA Family Law Section has collaborated with Justice Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency and Finance Canada to develop the Tax Matters Toolkit. The Toolkit will help family law lawyers and their clients understand how tax rules might affect their future finances on separation or divorce. It explains the various credits, benefits and deductions, and will help you navigate and apply the often complex tax laws to the particular circumstances.
The Taxpayers’ Ombudsman is an independent and impartial officer who reviews complaints from people who believe they have been treated unfairly or unprofessionally by the Canada Revenue Agency. Website includes information about the eight service rights of taxpayers, tips for taxpayers, how to make a complaint and frequently asked questions about the service.
Every year, Canadians lose millions of dollars to the activities of scammers who bombard us with online, mail, door-to-door and telephone scams. The Little Black Book of Scams is a reference guide with information Canadians can use to personally protect themselves. It offers information on how a variety of common scams work and how to recognize them, as well as practical tips on how consumers and businesses can protect themselves.
Information and resources on setting up a businesss in Alberta. Topics covered include: deciding how to structure your business, selecting a name, and how to register your business or corporation.
The Consumer Protection Act protects consumers from unfair business practices before, during or after a consumer transaction. See also: Canadian Legal FAQs on Alberta consumer protections at https://www.law-faqs.org/alberta-faqs/consumer-law/
The UCA represents Alberta small consumers by acting as the voice of consumers during regulatory proceedings to ensure the lowest regulated rates consistent with reasonable service, and by providing consumers with the information they need to make informed choices about how to purchase electricity and natural gas, based on their individual circumstances. When consumers have exhausted known avenues of issue resolution, the UCA will investigate and mediate concerns with utility companies.
This is a guide on how to buy products and services in Alberta and contains information about your consumer rights. You will need to buy certain items and you will need to use certain services as you settle into as you start your new life in Alberta.
A deferred payment plan happens when arrangements are made for a debt to go unpaid until sometime in the future. This publication provieds an overview of the ins and outs of a deferred payment plan and what it means to the consumer.
This page points to resources about copyright and patents across the WIPO website, which may be of particular interest to students ranging from upper elementary to university. Resources for younger students include a set of comic books.
