Baird HallPart of: Canada subscription cancellation law
Quebec gives consumers the strongest cancellation rights in Canada. They can leave a subscription whenever they choose, and businesses cannot lock them into a new fixed term. Bill 10, tabled in December 2025, adds a cancel button and steep new penalties on top.
A quick note
This is a practical guide, not legal advice. Bill 10 is proposed and its details may change before it passes. Confirm your setup with counsel.
A checklist on how to comply in Quebec
Quebec's rules are specific. This checklist covers the ones that shape your cancel and renewal flow.
Auto-renew open-ended only. For contracts over 60 days, never roll a customer into another fixed term.
Let customers cancel anytime. Allow an open-ended contract to be ended at any point by written notice.
Warn before a trial converts. Notify customers 2 to 10 days before a free or discounted period ends, with the new price.
Add a cancellation button. Give online subscribers a clearly labeled, easy-to-find way to cancel.
Refund within 15 days. Return all sums paid within 15 days of a cancellation.
Disclose every fee. Show any additional charges clearly and legibly.
What the Consumer Protection Act requires today
Quebec's Consumer Protection Act (P-40.1) already sets strict terms for subscriptions.
1. Open-ended auto-renewal only
For a contract longer than 60 days, you can only auto-renew on an open-ended basis. A one-year subscription cannot roll into another fixed year.
2. Cancel at any time
Once renewed open-ended, the consumer can end the contract whenever they want, by written notice, even if a term was originally specified.
3. Distance-contract rights and refunds
For contracts entered at a distance, if you do not send the customer a copy in time, they get 30 days to cancel. After any cancellation, you must refund all sums paid within 15 days.
Bill 10: new rules for online subscriptions
Tabled in December 2025, Bill 10 targets online subscription renewals directly. It applies to distance services like mobile plans, streaming, and cloud subscriptions.
1. Notice before a trial converts
For a free or discounted trial, you must notify the customer in writing 2 to 10 days before it ends, stating the end date and the price that will apply next.
2. A cancellation button
Bill 10 requires a clearly labeled, easily accessible cancellation button for online subscriptions, so leaving is as direct as signing up.
3. Fee disclosure and restitution
You must disclose any additional fees clearly, and the bill adds a restitution obligation that lets consumers recover money when the rules are broken.
Penalties and enforcement
Quebec already issues administrative monetary penalties, and a court there approved a $1.3 million fine over price practices.
Bill 10 raises the ceiling further, proposing penalties of several thousand dollars a day for an individual and up to 5% of global revenue for a company.
Who does it apply to?
It applies to businesses selling to consumers in Quebec, wherever the business is based. If you have Quebec subscribers, these rules govern how they renew and cancel.
How Churnkey helps you stay compliant and reduce churn
Churnkey offers a Cancel Flow that is compliant and retains customers, two outcomes that are hard to balance at once.
Getting started is easy, with an SDK, an embedded option, or a self-serve hosted page.
Its automatic compliance detects each customer's location and shows the right cancel option for their province.
Before a customer confirms, Churnkey can offer a pause or discount they are free to decline, and you can A/B test flows to find what saves revenue. On average, companies using Churnkey save 20 to 40% of the revenue they would otherwise lose to churn.
Churnkey is GDPR compliant and SOC 2 Type II certified. It supports compliance with cancellation rules like these, but does not replace legal review.
FAQ
What does Quebec's Consumer Protection Act require for subscriptions?
For contracts over 60 days, auto-renewal is only allowed open-ended, and the consumer can cancel at any time. For distance contracts, refunds are due within 15 days of cancellation, and a missing contract copy gives the consumer 30 days to cancel.
Can a Quebec customer cancel a subscription anytime?
Yes. Once a contract over 60 days renews on an open-ended basis, the consumer can end it whenever they choose by written notice, even if the original contract had a fixed term.
What is Bill 10?
A bill tabled in December 2025 to protect consumers against abusive online subscription renewals and ticket reselling. It adds pre-renewal notices for trials, a cancellation button, fee disclosure, and a restitution obligation.
Do I need a cancellation button in Quebec?
Bill 10 would require a clearly labeled, easily accessible cancellation button for online subscriptions. Even before it passes, an easy self-serve cancel path aligns with Quebec's existing rules.
What are the penalties?
Quebec issues administrative monetary penalties and has seen a court-approved fine of $1.3 million over price practices. Bill 10 proposes penalties of several thousand dollars a day for individuals and up to 5% of global revenue for companies.
Does a confirmation step or retention offer break the rules?
No. The rules require that cancelling be easy and available. They do not forbid a confirmation step or a relevant offer the customer can decline. Avoid anything that hides, blocks, or complicates completing the cancellation.
How can Churnkey help my business?
Churnkey provides a hosted, self-serve Cancel Flow with an always-available cancel option, automatic compliance by location, and A/B testing. You can present a fair offer before the customer confirms while leaving them free to cancel. It supports compliance with rules like these, but does not replace legal review.