Changes To British Columbia’s Business Practices And Consumer Protection Act Take Effect August 1, 2026: What Businesses Need To Know

Businesses dealing with consumers in British Columbia have just over one month to comply with significant new consumer protection requirements in the province. On August 1, 2026, amendments (PDF) to BC’s Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act (“BPCPA”) come into force, introducing mandatory terms for most types of consumer contracts, new rules for subscription agreements, and stronger protections against high-pressure sales tactics, among other things.

If your business involves consumer contracts, especially internet agreements, subscription-based agreements, fitness services agreements, or direct agreements made in consumers’ homes, your contracts and procedures should be reviewed and updated before August 1, 2026. This article sets out the key changes and what they mean in practice.

Subscription agreements: new rules on automatic renewal, notice, and unilateral changes

The amendments will add a new category of regulated consumer contracts called “subscription contracts,” which are future performance contracts for the supply of goods and services on a continuing basis that have a total price of $50 or more. The updated BPCPA includes several new provisions regulating these types of agreements.

Automatic renewal

The amendments identify certain requirements around automatic renewal of subscription contracts:

• Contracts with terms of 60 days or less: automatic renewal is not permitted unless the customer has the right to cancel at any time before or after the renewal date without charge or penalty. Customers are entitled to refunds upon cancellation.
• Contracts with renewal terms longer than 60 days: businesses must send consumers written notice of the upcoming renewal, complying with specific content and timing requirements. Any automatic renewal that fails to meet these requirements will be void.

Unilateral contract changes

The amendments restrict a business’s ability to make unilateral changes to subscription contracts:

• Any clause permitting unilateral amendments is void unless the business clearlydefines at the time of signing which specific terms may be changed.
• Even where unilateral amendments are permitted, businesses cannot unilaterally change terms related to cancellations, returns, exchanges, or refunds if the change increases the customer’s obligations or reduces the business’s obligations.
• Written notice to customers is required before any permitted unilateral amendment takes effect.

Three other changes businesses need to know about

Consistent contract requirements

The new law includes a comprehensive list of certain information that must be consistently included in most consumer contracts. This includes, among other things, the supplier’s name, a detailed description of the goods or service being provided, an itemized purchase price for goods to be supplied, the total price of the contract, a detailed statement of the terms of payment for the contract, and the supplier’s return, exchange, cancellation, and refund policies.

Fitness contracts

The amendments introduce a new kind of regulated future performance contract called fitness contracts, which are defined as a future performance contract for the supply of fitness services on a continuing basis. These contracts include goods and services like gym memberships, ski passes, or personal training services. These contracts cannot exceed 24 months, and consent for renewal must be given in writing within 30 days of renewal. 

Direct sales prohibitions

To discourage businesses from using high-pressure door-to-door sales tactics, the BPCPA contains provisions regulating direct sales contracts, which are contracts made at a place other than the seller’s place of business (e.g., at the customer’s home). This includes a ban on direct sales contracts for big-ticket purchases like furnaces, air conditioners, and home security systems.

What to do before August 1, 2026

With a month until the amendments take effect, businesses dealing with consumers in BC should prioritize the following:

• Standard contract templates: review all consumer-facing contract templates against the mandatory information checklists.
• Subscription agreements: audit all subscription contracts for automatic renewal clauses, unilateral amendment provisions, and renewal notice processes.
• Fitness service providers: check contract terms against the 24-month cap and update renewal consent processes to require written consent within 30 days of renewal.
• Door-to-door sales: confirm whether any current sales practices involve direct sales contracts for prohibited product categories and update those procedures immediately.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.