A North Bay car dealer is having its door shut by OMVIC, which is Ontario’s vehicle sales regulator.
The province's vehicle sales regulator sent out a consumer warning about DL Auto Brokers located on Lakeshore Drive in North Bay.
The OMVIC alleges the owners, Darrel Legare and Andrea St. Amant were not operating the dealership at the registered location, as well as operating as unregistered salespersons. Other allegations including failing to report the corporation had filed for bankruptcy as well as it’s alleged the owners did not deposit proceeds of vehicle sales into the dealership bank account as required.
According to OMVIC, Immediate Suspensions are only issued when the regulator believes a dealer’s conduct may place the car-buying public at risk. Laura Halbert, OMVIC’s Director of Compliance and Deputy Registrar, stated the immediate suspension of DL Auto Brokers was triggered following an OMVIC inspection and a consumer complaint that alleged the dealer:
- did not remove liens from at least two vehicles traded in, and from at least two vehicles sold, leaving consumers potentially responsible for the debts
- failed to inform OMVIC as required that the corporation had filed for bankruptcy; additionally, Legare failed to inform OMVIC he had personally filed a commercial proposal pursuant to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act
- did not deposit proceeds of vehicle sales into the dealership bank account as required
- was not operating from its registered location (the dealer’s licensed address is 197 Lakeshore Drive, not 518 Lakeshore Drive where it was operating)
- sold vehicles consigned by other dealers without required consignment contracts and without disclosing to consumers the vehicles were being offered for sale on a consignment basis
- failed to maintain and/or produce records for inspection
- employed unregistered salespersons (Darrel Legare and Andrea St. Amant)
“These are serious allegations,” stated Halbert. “So it was imperative OMVIC issue the Immediate Suspension Order to protect North Bay-area car buyers.”
In conjunction with the suspension order, OMVIC also issued proposals to revoke the dealer’s registration and to refuse new applications for registration by Legare personally and for a new dealership.
Should a dealer appeal an Immediate Suspension Order a hearing will be held within 15 days before the Licence Appeal Tribunal. The Tribunal will determine if the order should be extended until a final determination is made regarding the associated Proposal(s) to Revoke/Refuse Registration.
Consumers are warned not to buy or lease vehicles from, or sell or consign vehicles to, DL Auto Brokers, Darrel Legare or Andrea St. Amant while the dealer’s registration is suspended; consumers who trade with an unregistered business or individual are not protected by the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund.
OMVIC encourages consumers who may have purchased from DL Auto Brokers to ensure their vehicles do not have unexpected liens and that liens on vehicles traded in have been removed. This information can be found by consulting a Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP), available from ServiceOntario or on a CarProof Vehicle History Report.
Consumers with questions or concerns should contact OMVIC’s Complaints and Inquiries Team at 1-800-943-6002 ext. 3942.
