Consumer rights advocacy
We support citizens in advocating for their rights as consumers and influence political, economic and social decisions that affect the quality of life of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable.
Stand up for your rights
As a consumer, you may be the victim of abusive commercial practices. The Consumer Protection Act contains solutions and remedies. If you believe you have been the victim of an illegal practice and you want to learn your rights and obligations, we can inform you and refer you to the appropriate process for resolving your dispute.
The l’Office de la protection du consommateur v(OPC) oversees the application of the Consumer Protection Act. They can help you make informed choices and advise you of your rights, obligations and remedies in the event of a problem with a retailer. You can also report and bring a complaint against a retailer for illegal commercial practices.
Advocating for your rights
ACEF du Sud-Ouest de Montréal has a social mission
We advocate on key political issues, analyze existing laws, exert pressure and make political representations. In short, we fight for good living conditions for the people who come to the ACEF du Sud-Ouest de Montréal and for all citizens.
Electricity is not a luxury
For more than 25 years, the ACEF du Sud-Ouest de Montréal has fought to ensure access to electricity for all Quebecers, regardless of their income. To do so, we partner with other consumer associations and work closely with Hydro-Québec to develop agreements that respect the payment capacities of struggling households.
Electricity is an essential service. For us, it is unthinkable that someone in need could have their access to heat, hot water or light taken away, especially if the sole supplier is a government corporation. We are constantly working to develop agreements that are better adapted to helping the most vulnerable.
1ST MEETING TO FIGHT AGAINST ENERGY POVERTY
The first meeting to fight fuel poverty took place on February 10, 2022.
During this day, various actors from a variety of organizations met to discuss the issues surrounding energy poverty and to think about solutions to allow all Quebecers to have access to energy, regardless of their income.
The objectives of the meeting :
- Bringing to light an often overlooked problem
- Get out of individual responsability
- Recognize the structural nature of the problem
- Encourage policy makers to take action
A next meeting is planned. Stay tuned !
Moving towards better education and better credit regulation
Credit has become an indispensable part of our economic system. It creates the illusion that everything is easy and that we can obtain anything at any time, without taking into account our true needs and our ability to pay. It is no surprise, then, that the debt ratio of Canadians is constantly climbing. This is not good news.
Every day at ACEF, we meet people grappling with serious financial problems. They’re holding a powerful financial instrument in their hands, but they’re having trouble mastering the controls. Indeed, the excessive use of credit, including a poor understanding of how it works, is one of the most frequently cited reasons for declaring bankruptcy.
But the issue is not just a lack of knowledge. Financial institutions give access to credit but don’t always assess the applicant’s ability to pay. Furthermore, laws and regulations always lag behind the development of new forms of credit and commercial practices.
Working with other associations that advocate for consumer rights, particularly other ACEFs, we inform the public about various forms of credit as well as the risks of using it carelessly. We also exert political pressure for better governance of the practices of financial institutions and to change the laws that regulate credit.