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Cooling-off period

A statutory window after signing during which a consumer can cancel a contract for any reason. In Ontario, direct agreements (including most door-to-door HVAC contracts) carry a 10-day cooling-off period.

The cooling-off period for a direct agreement under section 43 of the Ontario CPA is 10 days. The clock starts when the homeowner receives a written copy of the agreement (with the prescribed cancellation rights notice), not necessarily on the day of signing.

Where the prescribed notice was missing, defective, or buried, the period can extend significantly — sometimes up to a year — depending on the failure. Cancellation during the cooling-off period is unconditional: no reason required.

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