Toronto man banned from selling cars in Ontario
A Toronto man who used to work in the automotive industry selling used cars has lost an appeal to become a car salesman again.
The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC) alleged that Sai Lucas Lu of Toronto ran a numbered company and used forged documents, bought cars written off by insurance companies and operated as an illegal, unlicensed dealer.
OMVIC said Lu then sold the vehicles to unsuspecting buyers and also leased them to Uber and Lyft drivers who were also unaware of their condition.
The cars had been written off as total losses by insurance companies, but it's alleged they were purchased at salvage auctions, fixed up and sold to buyers with fake paperwork.
"He certainly can't sell a car legally in Ontario today," CEO of OMVIC John Carmichael said. “This is the type of person we do not want in the automotive industry in Ontario."
OMVIC said that Lu had many past infractions that should not allow him to return to selling cars.
“There are multiple complaints were consumers purchased vehicles that were unsafe, had been in accidents where the mechanical condition wasn't disclosed," Carmichael said.
OMVIC said there are 40,000 registered car sales staff in the province.
When OMVIC denied Lu a chance to have his sales licenced reinstated, he appealed but Ontario’s Licence Appeal Tribunal agreed with OMVIC that Lu should not be allowed to sell cars.
When buying a used car to protect yourself, you can get a used vehicle information package from Ontario’s Transportation Ministry and get a Carfax history report.
Buyers should look for signs of wear or accident damage and have the car checked by your own mechanic. Once a vehicle is put on the hoist and inspected, a mechanic should be able to see signs if it’s a rebuilt wreck.
Also, if you buy from an OMVIC registered dealer and feel you have been deceived, you can apply to OMVIC’s compensation fund which could pay a car buyer up to $45,000 in compensation.
As for Lu, even though he is barred from selling cars now, he can re-apply in several years to try and get his licence again.
He would have to show that he has changed and can be trusted to sell vehicles in the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.