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Hidden camera investigation reveals driving school instructors offer shortcuts to new drivers — for a fee
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A sneak peak at the Marketplace investigation into Ontario driving schools that were willing to take payment in exchange for falsifying documents to say students had completed beginner driver education training even when they hadn’t.
New drivers in Ontario looking for a shortcut to insurance discounts and a faster road test don’t need to look far, according to the latest investigation from CBC’s Marketplace.
Many Ontario driving instructors are willing to be paid to help falsify documents, saying students took driving classes when they didn’t.
Marketplace called 20 driving school instructors in Ontario who posted online ads offering beginner driver education (BDE) lessons. Fourteen of them, or 70 per cent, offered to help break licensing rules.
To obtain a BDE certificate, a new driver must complete 10 hours of in-car lessons, 20 hours of in-class theory and 10 hours of homework with the driving school. It typically costs between $650 and $1,500.
New drivers who can prove they’ve completed a BDE course in Ontario are then eligible to take their road test sooner. They may also receive insurance discounts of up to 30 per cent once they have their licence.
But many schools and instructors said they would file information with Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation without students completing the course — for less than half the cost of the actual course.
After Marketplace shared its findings with Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, he said the government has a zero-tolerance policy and will come down on bad actors. He added that he is looking at increasing sanctions on “any type of behaviour that is not aligned with rules and regulations.” Read More
You can watch the full undercover investigation, “Driving schools exposed: Who’s cheating the system?” any time on CBC Gem, and YouTube.
Ontario minister says help is on the way for homeowners stuck with ‘fraudulent’ liens
The Ontario government is proposing legislation that could save homeowners who say they’ve been victimized by questionable liens on their homes.
Last year, a Marketplace investigation revealed how an elaborate scheme involving the use of notices of security interest (NOSIs) left some seniors across Ontario at risk of losing their homes.
The investigation found that liens had been applied to their properties, they say without their understanding or knowledge, after they were signed up for equipment rental contracts — and ultimately into mortgages with interest rates of up to 25 per cent.
Toronto-based lawyer Greg Weedon, who represents victims of questionably used NOSIs, says the proposed legislation, if passed, is “probably the single best consumer protection piece of legislation that I’ve seen in some time now.”
Legislation will be introduced sometime between now and June 13, according to Public and Business Service Delivery Minister Todd McCarthy.
It will retroactively ban notices of security interest (NOSIs), McCarthy told Marketplace. At times, NOSIs were “being used as an instrument of blackmail.”
McCarthy said while NOSIs can have a legitimate purpose, land registry offices can’t distinguish between legitimate and criminal use.
“So we have decided to ensure that there can be no further criminal activity associated with this at all.”
He also said legitimate users of NOSIs will still have other remedies to seek payment for things like unpaid leases or financial agreements. Read More
Marketplace and Go Public have covered this story extensively. You can see how people have been sucked into unfair HVAC contracts using NOSIs and how another elaborate scheme is leaving some seniors at risk of losing their homes. Catch up on those stories and more any time on CBC Gem and YouTube.
Air Canada and WestJet have both hiked the cost for checked bags. Could carry-on charges be next?
Dig a little deeper into your wallet next time you’re booking a flight: Checked-baggage costs are rising.
For travel booked after Feb. 27, Air Canada will now charge between $35 and $42 for the first checked bag for basic and standard economy fares in North America, the Caribbean and Central America. That’s an increase of $5.
WestJet also now charges between $35 and $42 for the first checked bag for economy fares.
A decade ago, all passengers on domestic flights got to check a bag for free. But that perk ended in 2014, when Porter Airlines, WestJet and Air Canada introduced a $25 checked-bag charge for cheaper fares. A decade later, that fee has climbed by at least 40 per cent.
Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick told CBC News in an email that the airline upped its bag fees “to remain competitive.”
WestJet spokesperson Julia Brunet said in an email that bag charges allow the airline to “keep base fares lower for all travellers.”
But some industry experts warn that as checked-luggage fees rise, so do the number of passengers filling the cabin with carry-ons.
Some airlines already charge for cabin baggage, including Flair Airlines and Porter when passengers buy its lowest, basic fare. In late 2022, Sunwing introduced a $25 charge for the service.
When asked if they were considering carry-on charges, WestJet and Air Canada would only say that they have made no current changes to their policy of one free overhead bag. Read More
What else is going on?
It’s time to file your taxes!
Breaking down what you need to know, including changes to work-from-home credits and the new First Home Savings Account (FHSA).
Not so funny news: 2024’s Just For Laughs comedy festival is cancelled.
The company is seeking creditor protection and has laid off 75 people amid an “unsustainable” financial situation.
Would you rather donate your plasma for free or for profit?
One advocacy group is calling out clinics that pay for blood plasma donations, warning it could impact vulnerable people selling plasma for cash.
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