Interior design in Quebec: a practical compliance checklist
An interior design or architecture professional in Quebec juggles protected titles, written mandates, photos of homes and follow-up emails. This checklist turns the basic rules into concrete actions, with the official source for each. It is general information, not legal advice: have your practice validated by your professional order, your association or your legal adviser.
1. The architect title and scope of practice
In Quebec, the Architects Act reserves the title of architect and certain activities for members of the Ordre des architectes du Québec (the province's order of architects), with exceptions provided by the law and its regulations. Professional technologists and other design trades (interior designers, decorators) each have their own framework. What needs checking is therefore your own practice.
For Iris, the Orvel agent, this becomes a simple rule: she presents your team according to the titles you give her, never presents herself as an architect and never promises a service that goes beyond your team's scope of practice. Doubtful cases go to a person.
- Enter in the tool the exact titles your team may use.
- Reread the message templates to make sure they imply nothing beyond those titles.
- Send to a person any question whose answer depends on the scope of practice.
- Consult the text of the law and the Order's site: https://www.oaq.com/loi and https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/lc/A-21.
2. Professional order, insurance and ethics
Your professional order or association may impose professional liability insurance and ethics rules. They vary by title and practice: no general rule replaces checking with them.
In how Iris works, the mandate and the proposal are sent by your team. The tracking tool keeps a record of what was proposed, signed and approved, which makes exchanges with your insurer or your order easier if needed.
- Confirm with your order or association which insurance requirements apply to you.
- Keep the proposal, the signed mandate and the client's approvals in the file.
- Consult the reference sites: https://www.oaq.com and https://www.otpq.qc.ca (the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec).
3. Written mandate: ownership of plans, images and concepts
Ownership and use of plans, images and concepts, as well as publication of a project's photos, are best set out in writing in the mandate. Have your legal adviser check this rule; it does not come from a single official text, but from good practice to be validated.
A clear mandate also states the scope, the phases, the fee structure (flat fee, hourly rate, percentage of the budget, mixed) and the timeline before work begins. Iris sends the proposal your team wrote and never changes its terms; she commits to no fees without your proposal.
- Include in your phased proposal template a clause on ownership and use of plans and images.
- State in the mandate whether the project's photos may be used in the portfolio.
- Have your legal adviser review the template before you use it.
4. Commercial messages: consent and unsubscribing
Commercial electronic messages require consent, sender identification and an unsubscribe mechanism under Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL, known in French as LCAP). This covers your proposal follow-ups, seasonal reminders and campaigns.
With Iris, these messages go only to consenting clients and include an unsubscribe link. The seasonal-project template, for instance, repeats that link at the bottom of the message.
- Check consent before adding a contact to a campaign.
- Clearly identify your business in every message.
- Add the unsubscribe link and honour removal requests.
- Official source: https://crtc.gc.ca/fra/internet/anti.htm.
5. Personal information and photos: Law 25
Personal information, meaning the project address, contact details and photos of the home, is protected in Quebec by Law 25. The client's name and photos of their home require their agreement before any publication.
In practice: the address field is flagged as sensitive, access is restricted, deletion happens on request, and Iris collects only what serves the project. The box for photos authorized for the portfolio reflects a written agreement, kept in the file with a dated form.
- Ask only for information useful to the project.
- Limit access to files to your team.
- Plan a way to delete a file on request.
- Get written agreement before publishing any photos, and note it.
- Official source: https://www.cai.gouv.qc.ca/protection-renseignements-personnels/.
6. Client reviews: ask everyone
For reviews, Google's rules forbid offering a benefit in exchange and soliciting only satisfied clients. Iris therefore sends the review request to every client whose project has been delivered, with no reward in return, and the same message also asks for permission for photos, with a no-problem option to decline.
These actions come down to five verbs: check your title, write your mandate, ask for consent, protect personal information and record agreements. Iris applies them in her messages, and your team keeps the final decision.
General information, not legal advice. Check with your professional order or the official source.
Questions
Does this checklist replace legal advice?
No. It is general information drawn from official sources. For your situation, consult your order, your association or your legal adviser.
Can Iris present herself as an architect if someone on my team is one?
No. Iris never presents herself as an architect. She presents your team according to the titles you give her, and she sends any doubtful case to a person.
Is permission needed to publish a project's photos?
Yes, the client's agreement is needed, because photos of a home and the client's name are personal information. Iris asks for it, records it in the file and respects a refusal.
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