It looks like the Greys’ are likely to have their day in court with OMVIC on their curbsiding charges.
As reported to Members in previous Front Lines, OMVIC is getting serious about stamping out the illegal practice of nominee buying https://tinyurl.com/3kwkrm74
This is the practice of using unregistered salespeople to buy vehicles, and then flip them to exporters.
Ontario law requires such buyers to be OMVIC registered. Exporters traditionally did not register such vehicles in their name, another violation OMVIC takes issue with.
OMVIC is prosecuting such cases in Ontario courts. As previously reported, there is an interesting case on this subject, called OMVIC v. Grey.
The latest developments in the Greys’ attempt to have the charges thrown out have been met with a strong “no” at the Ontario Court of Appeal (Nov. 6, 2025) and, again, in Superior Court (Nov. 7, 2025).
Both courts are saying this must go to trial in Provincial Offences Court as originally intended by OMVIC.
This is not the end of the saga, but it’s the beginning of the end as the stay on the trial of the charges, granted on April 14th, 2025, pending the appeals, will assumedly now be lifted, unless further appeals are made.
We will continue to follow and report on this important case.
Meanwhile, for an interesting read on how the exporter and nominee “straw buyer” problem can reach into some pretty dark places, including money laundering, organized crime, tax fraud, legal and ethical violations, professional malfeasance and manufacturers’ lawsuits, see this detailed CBC story in November: