This release was issued under a previous government.
Cuff, a former mayor of Spruce Grove and an expert in board and council governance as well as governance reviews, has been asked to examine AMVIC and report back to the Minister of Service Alberta.
“Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases Alberta families will make and they deserve to have confidence when they make a deal that big. This review is about restoring faith in the regulation of the auto industry and ensuring that Albertans get the services they pay for.”
During the spring 2016 session, the Government of Alberta amended the Fair Trading Act to provide the Minister of Service Alberta with enhanced governance powers over delegated regulatory organizations such as AMVIC. This was done to improve consumer protection in the marketplace. The amendments provided the minister with the ability to order a review of AMVIC’s governance and operations.
The reviewer will report on:
- the effectiveness of the operations and board governance of AMVIC
- whether AMVIC is meeting its mandate to protect consumers
- whether AMVIC’s compensation fund is doing its job to help consumers who have been victim to an unscrupulous vehicle dealer.
Cuff will also report back on whether AMVIC has improved its business practices as recommended in previous government interventions.
The review will take place at AMVIC’s offices in Edmonton and Calgary but will not affect the council’s day-to-day operations.
Background: AMVIC
The Government of Alberta has delegated AMVIC to provide consumer protection in the motor vehicle industry. In addition to licensing businesses and salespeople and ensuring there’s a fair marketplace for consumers and businesses, AMVIC is responsible for investigating violations of the Automotive Business Regulation under the Fair Trading Act.
Background: George Cuff
Cuff is perhaps best known for serving four terms as mayor of Spruce Grove and was first elected in 1977. However, it is his long career in specialized consulting services for numerous small and large public sector organizations that will best support his work with AMVIC.
He brings a wealth of knowledge, skill and expertise in the areas of board and council governance, governance reviews, organizational trouble-shooting and staff and elected official training.
He is a past president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (1982-83) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (1988-89). He also led a review of the leadership structure of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency in 2010.
He has work experience in banking, oil and gas, recreation administration, environmental protection and local government and has worked in both administrative and leadership capacities in a variety of organizations.