Consumers Council of Canada is urging the Government of Canada to act swiftly to keep its commitment to create a new agency able to rebuild consumer confidence and protect consumers – the Canadian Consumer Advocate.

The Council has published Time for a Real Federal Consumer Advocate elaborating its position. The report is available for purchase/download at the Council’s online store. A brief summary is featured on the Council’s related consumer protection initiative page.

The report covers why Canadian consumers deserve a national agency that has the sole objective to argue for consumers, advance their needs, and stress the relationship of those needs to the decision-making processes within agencies of government.

“The economy is for consumers, not just producers,” said Council President Don Mercer. “The federal government should expand its current plan for the Canadian Consumer Advocate to ensure it is an independent agency answerable to Parliament through the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. The Advocate should be capable of promoting meaningful engagement with and on behalf of consumers.”

Canadians have learned how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed shopping, working, health care and their economic prospects, Mercer said.

He said a safe marketplace has never been more important, and Canada needs a plan – fast – to restore consumer confidence and fair market practices critical to Canada’s economic recovery.

The Council is seeking public support to press the Government of Canada to keep the promise it made in 2019 and hold ministers accountable for the mandate given to them to establish the Canadian Consumer Advocate and ensure it can capably protect consumers’ interests.