People Mentioned
Partner, Disputes, Montréal
The enhancement of the availability guarantee, as part of Québec’s Bill 29 consumer protection legislation, will create a significant burden for retailers, says Alexandre Fallon, partner, Disputes, in an interview with La Presse.
The government’s objective is to provide some guarantees for consumers who are seeking to have their appliances, such as computer equipment or vacuum cleaners, repaired. Retailers and manufacturers will be required to provide information on the availability of parts, maintenance or repair. If they do not have all the information — or if they only have part of it — they are obliged to inform the customer before the customer proceeds to the checkout. In the case of an online purchase, this information must also be clearly written on the retailer’s website.
Retailers must provide the information in writing to consumers who visit the store. It is also merchants who bear the burden of guiding their customers to the information provided by the manufacturer.
“In some cases, it will be impossible to comply with what the regulation requires,” says Alexandre. Furthermore he adds that the rules determining which type of products can benefit from the availability guarantee, and how the information must be transmitted to the customer (online or on paper), are not interpreted in the same way by everyone.
It is also unclear what products or property are eligible for the enhancement. “According to the regulations, it is a property whose use may require the replacement, cleaning or updating of one of its components,” says Alexandre. “It is indeed a very elastic interpretation.”
Retailers who fail to comply with the new rules may face hefty fines.
Read the full article in French by Nathaёlle Morissette posted on September 17, 2025
People Mentioned
Partner, Disputes, Montréal
