Conservatives need to put an end to “pay-to-pay” fees

Enough is enough. The Conservative government has to eliminate pay-to-pay billing for all industries under the federal jurisdiction.

“This is an easy fix. Consumers should be rewarded if they switch to online products, not punished because they are receiving their paper bills in the mail”, said NDP Consumer Affairs critic, Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury).

The Public Interest Advocacy Center published a report yesterday that estimates that Canadians pay between $495 and $734 million dollars every year in fees for paper copies of their telecommunications bills and bank balances.

The poll shows that 75% of people oppose the pay-to-pay fees and that about 33% of the population is uncomfortable with making the switch to e-billing and e-banking.

“This is a clear cash-grab worth millions of dollars that affects low-income families and seniors the most. It is not ethical for banks and telecommunications companies to make a profit on the back of the most vulnerable people in our society”, added Thibeault.