Alberta government bans door-to-door energy sales

Alberta may be a leader in terms of energy in North America, but a think tank says individual Albertans and Alberta industries are among the higher consumers of energy.

Along with the carbon tax, another one of the Notley government policies will come into effect on January 1, one aimed at protecting residents from often aggressive door-to-door salespeople.

As of January 1, the government has banned the sale of all energy goods and services door to door including:

The government says it made the decision after listening to a number of complaints from Albertans who were fed up with aggressive sales pitches made at their front door.

“I’m happy that the New Year brings relief for Albertans and I look forward to taking further action to better protect Alberta consumers throughout 2017,” said Stephanie McLean, Minister of Service Alberta in a release.

Companies that contravene the new rules could face charges under the Fair Trading Act.

Penalties include a fine of up to $300,000, imprisonment for up to two years, administrative penalties of $100,000, director’s orders and licencing actions.

The NDP government says that energy companies are still allowed to advertise their services over the phone and on the Internet.

In-person sales such as kiosks and print advertising are also still allowed.

Consumers can call the province’s consumer protection line at 1-877-427-4088 or file a complaint online with Service Alberta if they have concerns about door-to-door sales.