Garage in Quebec: a practical compliance checklist

According to the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC, Quebec's consumer protection office), above $100 the garage must provide a written estimate (contact details, vehicle, description and cost of the work, parts, date, validity period). Above $50, a detailed invoice and a warranty are required.

Under the Consumer Protection Act, the garage must provide a written estimate before carrying out the repair; it can only be released from this by a waiver that is written in full and signed by the consumer. Estimate fees may be charged only if their amount was announced beforehand (s. 168). The estimate states, among other things, the nature and total price of the repair, the part to be installed and its condition (new, used, remanufactured or rebuilt), its date and its period of validity (s. 170).

• Structured estimate template with contact details, vehicle, work, parts, total, validity.
• Estimate fees announced beforehand, where applicable.
• “Written estimate authorized” box checked before moving to In repair.
• The agent never suggests a waiver of the estimate.

The garage may not start without the customer's agreement, exceed the estimated price or do unplanned work without their consent (OPC). The accepted estimate also binds the garage: no extra charges for the planned repair (s. 171).

An unplanned repair requires the consumer's express authorization; an oral authorization must be recorded on the estimate with the date, the time, the person's name and, where applicable, the telephone number dialed (s. 172). So keep a record of who approved, when and how.

• Approval task before the repair.
• Authorization of extra work recorded: date, time, name, method.
• No work added by the agent: the advisor obtains the authorization.

The customer may ask for the replaced parts when authorizing the work; the repair is guaranteed three months or 5,000 kilometres, whichever comes first, from delivery (s. 176). The invoice states, among other things, the repair, the parts and their condition, the labour hours and the hourly rate (s. 173), and the garage displays a sign on these rules in plain view (s. 180).

Provide a “parts to return” box from the moment of authorization, and mention the warranty in the “vehicle ready” message. When a customer calls back about a problem after a repair, the advisor judges whether the warranty applies.

According to Québec.ca, all motorized road vehicles registered in Quebec, including rental vehicles, must be fitted with winter tires from December 1 to March 15; the fine is $200 to $300. The tire must bear the pictogram or be studded, and studs are allowed from October 15 to May 1 on passenger vehicles.

Plan the reminder in October and November, book according to the shop's capacity and keep a waiting list. The government also recommends waiting a few weeks after March 15 before going back to summer tires, because of changeable weather.

Under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), the estimate requested by the customer and the “vehicle ready” notice do not require prior consent (s. 6(6)(a) and (b)); neither does warranty, recall or safety information about a service the customer obtained (s. 6(6)(c)). A promotion requires express or implied consent (s. 10(9)(a)).

Maintenance reminders and seasonal campaigns should therefore go only to consenting customers, with the business's identification and an unsubscribe link. For online reviews, Google's rules forbid offering a benefit in exchange for a review or selectively soliciting positive reviews, and the Competition Bureau reminds us that an employee who posts a review must disclose their link to the business.

Personal information (plate, VIN, contact details) is protected by Law 25: collect only what serves the appointment (s. 5). Mark the plate as sensitive, limit access and provide for deletion on request.

Rex makes no diagnosis, confirms no price without your estimate and hands over for a complaint or a safety case. For manufacturer safety recalls, it can invite the customer to check their VIN in the Transport Canada database, without promising what is covered. This guide is general information and does not replace legal advice.

A good checklist makes compliance visible at every stage of the repair. Have it validated by a legal advisor, and let Rex keep the records while your team decides.

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

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• https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/en/consumer/good-service/vehicle/repairing/advice
• https://educaloi.qc.ca/capsules/la-reparation-dune-auto-ou-dune-moto/
• https://www.quebec.ca/transports/circulation-securite-routiere/periode-hivernale/pneus-hiver
• https://crtc.gc.ca/fra/internet/anti.htm
• https://www.cai.gouv.qc.ca/protection-renseignements-personnels/
• https://tc.canada.ca/fr/importance-faire-reparer-vehicules-faisant-objet-rappel

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