Protecting consumers through oversight
The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council defined 2025 through its continued commitment to effective regulatory oversight that promotes professionalism, accountability, and consumer trust in Ontario’s motor vehicle sales marketplace.
A year with impact
Over the past three years, OMVIC’s role as regulator of the motor vehicle sales industry has evolved and sharpened. 2025 was characterized by unprecedented levels of enforcement activity, as OMVIC continued its assertive regulatory stance to take action across a spectrum of compliance issues.
Strategic goals
OMVIC’s 2024-2026 strategic plan defines three key areas of focus:
OMVIC’s efforts to further these strategic goals are discussed in the 2025 annual report.
Prosecution charges
Enforcement efforts intensified throughout the year, reflecting OMVIC’s zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance and its commitment to using every available tool to safeguard consumers. OMVIC also took innovative steps toward better ensuring motor vehicle buyers are aware of their rights, while increasing oversight of dealers’ financial health, measures that support professionalism and reduce consumer harm.
Each entity charged may be subject to multiple charges.
Administrative actions
Warning letters, education orders, cease advertising orders, and notices of referral to discipline are often used to address the conduct of first-time offenders or less serious instances of misconduct. Administrative actions also included 79 proposals to revoke, refuse, or suspend a dealer or salesperson’s registration—more than double the 34 proposals issued in the previous year. Taken together, the administrative actions totalled 338, a 37% increase from the 246 in 2024.
Proposals to revoke, refuse or suspend registration
2025
2024
Using inspections to educate and enhance consumer confidence
When the public knows OMVIC registered dealers are inspected regularly, people can buy with confidence. Regular inspections also support our strategic goal of ensuring industry professionalism through education.
Average time between inspections (in years) 2025
2024
2023
In 2025, the Inspections team exceeded year-end targets, completing 2,516 inspections. This represents an increase of approximately 11% year over year.
2025
2024
Consumer awareness of curbsiders
2025
2024
2023
Curbsiders are illegal, unregistered vehicle dealers who misrepresent themselves and often the vehicles they sell. They often pose as private sellers. In some cases, they operate as small automotive businesses.
With OMVIC’s ongoing consumer education, awareness of curbsiders has been steadily rising, reaching 28% of respondents in our 2025 consumer awareness survey. However, there is still an awareness gap, underscoring the need for OMVIC’s continued focus on both progressive enforcement and targeted communications to protect the public.
Assisting consumers
Formal complaints handled
2025
2024
Process improvements led to an increase in the number of complaints undergoing formal review. There was also a rise in the number of complaints related to financial stability concerns.
Registrations
registered dealers
registered salespersons
new dealer applications
new salesperson applications
renewals
2025
1% of new dealer applications are incomplete
2022
66% of new dealer applications were incomplete
Moving applications online has greatly reduced incomplete applications by ensuring mandatory documents are provided at the time of submission. As recently as 2022, 66% of new dealer applications were incomplete.
Overall, 2025 marked a year of significant milestones in reaching OMVIC’s vision for industry professionalism and progressive enforcement, contributing to a safe and fair motor vehicle sales marketplace for Ontario consumers.
