Travel agency in Quebec: a practical compliance checklist
Running a travel agency in Quebec also means keeping a set of obligations in order: permit, client protection, commercial messages and personal information. This checklist turns the basic rules into concrete actions. It is general information, not legal advice; for your situation, consult a qualified advisor.
1. The OPC permit and the security bond
In Quebec, a travel agency must hold a permit from the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC, the provincial consumer protection office) and provide a security bond. This is the foundation of everything else: without a valid permit, the agency cannot operate as a travel agency.
In Orvel, the Lina agent reminds you to display the permit number in emails and proposals, and to renew the permit before it expires.
- The permit number appears in emails and proposals.
- The permit expiry date is recorded and a reminder is set ahead of it.
- The security bond is in place.
- Official source: https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca
2. FICAV and the protection of your clients
Clients of a licensed agency are protected by the Fonds d'indemnisation des clients des agents de voyages (FICAV, the travel agents' client compensation fund). The fund is financed by a contribution from travelers on the price of services. Buying directly from a supplier or from a business without a permit is not covered.
In practice, your tracking tool should include a FICAV contribution field to confirm on the invoice, and the proposal should mention the fund.
- The FICAV contribution is confirmed on every invoice.
- The proposal mentions the fund.
- Official source: https://www.protegez-vous.ca/loisirs-et-famille/voyage-annulation-ficav
3. The Travel Agents Regulation
The Règlement sur les agents de voyages (chapter A-10, r. 1) governs the obligations of advisors, including training and contracts. To be able to answer a client or the OPC, keep the complete history of proposals, confirmations and invoices for each file.
Lina keeps this history for every file; your advisor can consult it at any time.
- Every proposal, confirmation and invoice is kept in the file.
- The history is easy to retrieve if a client or the OPC asks a question.
- Official source: https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/rc/A-10,%20r.%201
4. Emails and texts: Canada's anti-spam legislation
Commercial messages sent by email or text must respect Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL, or LCAP in French): consent, identification of the sender and unsubscribe. Lina's campaigns only go to contacts whose consent is recorded, with an unsubscribe link.
Before each campaign (spring break, early booking, post-trip), ask yourself: do I have this person's consent, and does the message clearly identify me?
- Consent is recorded for each contact.
- Every message identifies the agency.
- A way to unsubscribe is offered, and an unsubscribe stops further sends.
- Official source: https://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/fra/accueil
5. Passports and personal information: Law 25
Personal information such as passport details, date of birth and preferences is protected by Law 25, Quebec's private-sector privacy reform. The principle: collect only what is necessary and secure the data.
In Orvel, only the passport expiry date is recorded, never the number, and access stays restricted to your team.
- Only the passport expiry date is recorded.
- Access to files is limited to your team.
- Only information useful for the trip is requested.
6. Travel advisories
The Government of Canada publishes travel advisories by destination, and FICAV may cover certain cancellations depending on those advisories. It is therefore useful to check the official advisory before the proposal and again before departure.
Lina reminds you at both moments; your advisor judges what follows.
- Advisory checked before sending the proposal.
- Advisory checked again before departure.
- Official source: https://voyage.gc.ca/voyager/avertissements
7. The limits the agent respects
These rules add to the agent's safeguards: it never confirms a booking or a payment without your advisor, it never promises a price that does not come from your rules, and it hands over to a human for a complaint or a delicate case. The agent helps keep the list up to date; it does not replace your judgment or that of your advisor.
A displayed permit, a complete history, recorded consents and data limited to what is necessary: that is what to check regularly. Review this list before each campaign season.
General information, not legal advice. Check with your professional order or the official source.
Questions
Is this checklist legal advice?
No. It is general information based on official sources. For a specific question about your agency, consult the OPC or a qualified advisor.
Who is responsible for renewing the permit?
Your agency is. Lina only adds a reminder to renew it before it expires and to display the number in your messages.
Can Lina send a newsletter to all my former clients?
Only to those whose consent is recorded, with the agency's identification and an unsubscribe link, in line with Canada's anti-spam legislation.
More guides for this trade
Let's talk for 15 minutes?
A Zenitech expert will call you back within 24 hours to see what Orvel can do in your day. No obligation.