Landscaping and snow removal in Quebec: a checklist

Private snow removal rules are municipal. Some cities require a permit, registration with the REQ (Registraire des entreprises du Québec, the provincial business register) and proof of liability insurance: $500,000 in Montreal, $1 million in Saint-Hippolyte and $2 million in Laval.

To do each year before the season: renew the permit and the insurance certificate according to each client's city. Marco reminds you of the deadline, but you supply the documents.

• Permit from each client's city, where required.
• REQ registration.
• Current liability insurance certificate, at the amount the city asks for.
• Official source (Montreal): https://montreal.ca/demarches/demande-de-permis-pour-entrepreneurs-en-deneigement-prives?arrondissement=VM
• Laval and Saint-Hippolyte by-laws: https://WWW.LAVAL.CA/Documents/Pages/Fr/Citoyens/reglements/reglements-codifies/reglement-l-12767.pdf and https://saint-hippolyte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/REG-1225-22-Deneigeurs-prives-1.pdf

Many municipalities forbid pushing or throwing snow into the street or onto sidewalks, and set winter parking ban periods, for example November 15 to April 15 in some places.

The "Snow placement" field therefore becomes mandatory at signing and is repeated in the route sheet.

• Placement location noted before the first pass.
• City by-law checked.
• Official source (Quebec City): https://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/gens_affaires/reglements_permis/deneigement.aspx

A snow removal contract must specify the period, the snow threshold, the deadline time and the extras. Without an end date, it cannot be lightly terminated. The client may claim after damage (formal notice, small claims). The Office de la protection du consommateur (the provincial consumer protection office) recommends a written contract that also states the clearing delay, where the snow is left, included tasks such as spreading abrasives, the total cost and payment terms.

Marco's contract sheet reproduces these elements and the end date. His messages offer no legal advice and promise no release from liability.

• Start and end dates.
• Snow threshold, deadline time, extras.
• Total cost and payment terms.
• Source: https://www.caaquebec.com/fr/conseils/entretenir-une-residence/contrat-de-deneigement-et-entrepreneur-ce-qu-il-faut-savoir

A contract concluded by text, email or phone is a distance contract: your contact details, the description of the service, the total price and the terms must be disclosed before the contract is concluded (s. 54.4 of the Consumer Protection Act, LPC), and a copy of the contract must be sent within 15 days (s. 54.7). Without these disclosures, the client may cancel the contract within seven days of receiving the copy (s. 54.8).

If you solicit a client anywhere other than your place of business, you become an itinerant merchant (s. 55): a permit from the Office is required, along with a written contract (s. 58), and the client may cancel within 10 days (s. 59). According to the Office, the snow removal contractor cannot request or accept a deposit during that period. A visit scheduled by Marco at the client's request is not solicitation (s. 57).

A clause allowing the contract to be changed unilaterally is prohibited, unless it specifies what may change and provides for written notice at least 30 days beforehand, with the client's right to refuse (s. 11.2). Marco never announces a new price you have not approved.

Companies that apply pesticides to lawns must hold a permit from Quebec's Ministry of the Environment, and many cities restrict synthetic pesticides. Record the products applied in the file and check the city by-law before any application; Marco suggests no product.

For messages, Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL) requires consent, identification of the sender and an unsubscribe mechanism that works within 10 business days. A client who bought a service from you in the last two years, or whose written contract is in force or ended within that period, has an existing business relationship with you (s. 10(10)(a) and (d)): this is implied consent to send the renewal. Every message identifies your business and offers an unsubscribe (s. 6(2)).

For Law 25, consent must be clear, free, informed and given for specific purposes. Marco asks only for what serves the quote (s. 5 of the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector), informs the person of the purposes of collection and of their rights (s. 8), and your privacy policy names the person in charge of protecting personal information (s. 3.1). Keep the date and source of consent, and limit access to addresses and property photos to your team.

• Sources: https://www.caaquebec.com/fr/conseils/entretenir-une-residence/guides/guide-pour-une-maison-en-sante/les-pesticides, https://crtc.gc.ca/fra/internet/anti/reg.htm and https://www.cai.gouv.qc.ca/

On top of all the above, Marco never commits to a price outside your grid, does not promise a visit time you have not confirmed and hands over to your team for a complaint or damage. Compliance remains your responsibility: the agent helps you forget nothing.

Current permit and insurance, a complete contract, disclosures made, identified messages and limited data: that is the essentials to check before each season. Review this list every fall.

General information, not legal advice. Check with your professional order or the official source.

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• https://montreal.ca/demarches/demande-de-permis-pour-entrepreneurs-en-deneigement-prives?arrondissement=VM
• https://WWW.LAVAL.CA/Documents/Pages/Fr/Citoyens/reglements/reglements-codifies/reglement-l-12767.pdf
• https://saint-hippolyte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/REG-1225-22-Deneigeurs-prives-1.pdf
• https://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/gens_affaires/reglements_permis/deneigement.aspx
• https://www.caaquebec.com/fr/conseils/entretenir-une-residence/contrat-de-deneigement-et-entrepreneur-ce-qu-il-faut-savoir
• https://www.caaquebec.com/fr/conseils/entretenir-une-residence/guides/guide-pour-une-maison-en-sante/les-pesticides
• https://crtc.gc.ca/fra/internet/anti/reg.htm
• https://www.cai.gouv.qc.ca/

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