A Lethbridge woman who took part in the Weight Loss Grants Program that promises 'grants' to participants who reach their goal weight says she is still waiting to get her money back, despite hitting her target.
The mom of six wanted to lose weight to keep up with her children and in December 2017 signed up with the program, joining a clinic where she was provided with a fitness and eating plan.
"I paid $2,400 and was told if I lost 17 per cent of my body weight I would get back $2000," said Spring Quapp.
Quapp managed to hit her target weight in late October, 2018 and followed up expecting to get her money, but that still hasn’t happened.
"What they said is since your file has been flagged and an investigation is ongoing I cannot tell you what the specific problem is."
The Toronto- based company running the program wouldn’t do an on-camera interview but, in an email to CTV News, claims Quapp’s doctor didn’t fill out the paperwork properly.
The company's website now has a letter on it, reading in part 'Our objective was never to avoid paying legitimate grant claims. Unfortunately, we experienced an insurmountable amount of bogus grant requests.'
Six participants of the program have reached out to CTV Calgary with similar stories, including Calgarian Sandi Lacombe. She says it took CTV News getting involved in January 2018, in order to get her money. "The hassle that I had to go through for all of this is just outrageous, unbelievable and outrageous."
Both women did lose weight with the program and while Quapp still hasn’t received any money, she says the company contacted her on Monday telling her that she has been approved for the grant, which it says will be sent by the end of the week.
The Better Business Bureau in Alberta says the company has received 23 complaints from around the province , 130 complaints have been filed across the country with Ontario's BBB which gives the company an 'F' rating.
