Exploding Sunroofs and Consumer Protection Law

Erica Alini of Global News interviewed Omar Ha-Redeye in a consumer protection piece looking at exploding sunroofs, ‘I had to drive home on towels’: Exploding sunroofs just the start of the ordeal for many drivers,

One limitation is that CAMVAP won’t handle cases that have already gone through insurance. But the bigger catch is that arbitrators’ decisions are final — there is no way to appeal.

“If you go that route, you’re not going to have an option to take it to court anymore,” said Omar Ha-Redeye of Fleet Street Law.

Still, overall, the CAMVAP system is “quicker, cheaper and simpler than going through the court system,” he added.

Representation in small claims could cost a few hundred dollars if consumers want to hire a paralegal to help them through the process, which is an option in Ontario, he added. Getting a hearing may take months, and cases may be assigned to arbitrators who nothing about motor vehicle claims, Ha-Redeye said.

Statistics, though, show that very few Canadian drivers are turning to CAMVAP. The organization processed just 206 cases in 2017.

That may be, in part, because CAMVAP does not have an advertising budget. Another issue is that CAMVAP is funded by the auto industry, which makes some consumers wary.

That, though, isn’t necessarily as suspicious as some Canadians think, Ha-Redeye said.

Vehicle manufacturers bankroll CAMVAP because it’s “cheaper and more effective for them to resolve their disputes through the system,” he said.