There is an inherent tension in cost of credit disclosure legislation. The legislative objective is to assist consumers in getting the information they need at the time they need it to make informed choices about whether to get credit and where to get it. Increasing the disclosure burden on credit grantors increases their costs, and credit grantors will naturally attempt to pass these costs on to consumers and the requirements will exceed the incremental benefit to consumers of such disclosure. This report describes the general objectives and body of law described as cost of credit disclosure legislation, the “harmonization process” that has resulted in significant changes to the ccdl in Alberta, summarizes ALRI’s role in the harmonization process, and suggests areas in which there may be scope for improvement of Canadian cost of credit disclosure legislation without departing from policies that have recently been agreed to be all Canadian jurisdictions. This report does not recommend specific changes to a body of law. This report is divided into four main sections. The first provides an overview of cost of credit disclosure which briefly describes the objectives and evolution of such legislation, with an emphasis on the harmonization process that lies behind FTA Part 9. The broad contours of FTA Part 9 are discussed. The harmonization process and controversy related to mandatory disclosure of the annual percentage rate and a description in general terms why ALRI and the Uniform Law Conference of Canada are proposing to abandon mandatory APR disclosure and what is proposed in its place. Finally, some suggestion as to the aspects of FTA Part 9 where there appears to be some scope for improvement within the framework of the policies that have recently been agreed to through the harmonization process may be appropriate.
Final Report
Back to Publication SearchCost of Credit Disclosure, Final Report 82
Resource Details
Publication No: | 82 |
FORMAT: | Publications |
TAGS: | consumer, harmonization, cost, Fair Trading Act, loan, agreement, credit, lease |
FILE: | fr082.pdf |