Anyone who tries to take advantage of consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic could now find themselves in legal trouble.
On Saturday, Premier Doug Ford announced new penalties to combat price gouging and penalize offenders who are caught significantly raising prices on necessary protective goods.
Effective immediately, the government has issued an emergency order that retail businesses and individuals in Ontario cannot charge unfair prices for necessary items.
During his daily media briefing, Ford said he has zero tolerance for price gouging.
"Starting today, we are taking serious steps to ensure our frontline workers, our families and our most vulnerable citizens have what they need to stay safe," said Ford. "We are putting an end to those trying to profit off of one of the darkest periods in our province's history. If you're engaging in price gouging on necessary goods, we are going to slap you with a ticket or you could face fines or jail time."
Individual offenders can face a ticket of $750, or, if summoned to court and convicted, could face a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and one year in jail.
If convicted, a company director or officer could face a fine of up to $500,000 and up to a year in jail, and a corporation could face a fine of up to $10 million.
Necessary goods are being defined as:
-Masks and gloves used as personal protective equipment in relation to infections. -Non-prescription medications for the treatment of the symptoms of the coronavirus. -Disinfecting agents intended for cleaning and disinfecting objects or humans. -Personal hygiene products, including soap products and paper products.
"If you're out there trying to price gouge and take advantage of the situation, trying to take advantage of the most vulnerable people right now, buying cases of essential goods, hiking the price and selling it back to people who really need it, then stop right now because it's un-Canadian, it's wrong," exclaimed Ford.
Consumers can report an individual who is price gouging by filing a complaint at 1-800-889-9768 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, or by filing a report online.
Ford also said that his Cabinet will be discussing additional measures to limit the size of non-essential gatherings from 50 people to five. If approved, the change will come into effect Saturday night. Families with more than five people, essential businesses, and approved child care facilities will be exempt from the emergency order.