Movers are not licenced in Canada, which means, by and large, the moving industry does not have a lot of rules and regulations to abide by.  Once they did; but in the mid 1980s, the Canadian government deregulated the industry by reducing the standards for moving companies thus eliminating much of the protection of consumers against scam operators. 

Conditions of Carriage

The transportation of household goods is governed separately by each of the 10 provinces and three territories in Canada.  These include Conditions of Carriage which are binding rules and regulations spelled out in a carrier's contract of carriage (or in the carrier's tariff).

• Conditions of Carriage Regulations

Warehousing

Most Canadian provinces regulate the storage of goods. Below is a list of the various acts that govern warehousing, including storage, liens, receipts, etc. Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan currently do not regulate in this area.

• Warehouse and Storage Acts

Consumer Protection

There still exist some federal and provincial consumer protection regulations which protect consumers on moves that happen within the same province or across the country and that define the rights and responsibilities of consumers and household goods carriers (movers).

In Canada, consumer complaints are regulated by different levels of government, as well as non-government organizations. Finding the right place to direct your complaint is not always easy, but understanding your rights as a consumer is an important part of the complaint filing process.

You will find links to the websites of federal, provincial and territorial offices responsible for consumer affairs and the consumer protection legislation they enforce here.

Here is Ontario's consumer protection legislation.

• Consumer Protection Act (Ontario)
  Part II – Consumer Rights and Warranties – especially S. 10 – Estimates
  Part III – Unfair Practices
  Part IV – Rights and Obligations Respecting Specific Consumer Right

Motor Carrier Safety

Transport Canada's Motor Carrier Division is primarily responsible for facilitating the reduction of fatalities, injuries and crashes involving large commercial trucks and buses in Canada. The Division works closely with the provinces, territories and industry on rules and regulations governing the safe operation of commercial vehicles, drivers and operators. Provincial and territorial regulations govern the operation of the commercial bus and truck industry, except for the rules and regulations this Division sets in support of the safe operation of federally-regulated (extra-provincial) motor carriers and commercial vehicle drivers. The federal government only has authority over extra-provincial truck and bus carriers that carry goods or passengers across a provincial or international boundary.  The Division administers the Exemptions under section 16 of the Motor Vehicle Transport Act (MVTA) that allows provinces and territories to regulate extra-provincial truck and bus carriers on behalf of the federal government. The MVTA also has two federal regulations that govern Hours of Service for commercial vehicle drivers and the issuance or revocation of Safety Fitness Certificates.