This is a guide to exercise your rights under the Consumer Protection Act of Québec.
If you did not receive services you purchased under a future performance agreement, then you may be entitled to a refund under provincial law. (It is not the same as going through your card issuer or bank’s internal chargeback process; see Statutory vs. "Internal" Chargeback.)
There are a number of steps involved in this process, which you proceed through as necessary.
Further details on timelines are included within the detailed guide for each step.
Be aware that the final step in exercising your rights with uncooperative card issuers is to stop using the credit card. Therefore, you may wish to have an alternative credit card available to you at the earliest opportunity.
Note the very specific 60 day time limit in Step 2.
In Québec, you are eligible to proceed if you meet the following criteria:
In this step, you give formal notice to the supplier that the contract is cancelled, and request a refund.
In this step, you exercise your rights under the Act to request a statutory chargeback with your credit card issuer to recover illegitimate charges.
Letter Template for Québec (Step 2)
Note the very specific 60 day time limit here, prescribed in s. 54.14 of the Act.
In this step, you claw back the disputed amount if the card issuer fails to comply with the obligation to reverse the illegitimate charge within the timeframe prescribed by law.
Rights and protections provided by the Consumer Protection Act cannot be waived or contracted out. Sections 261 and 262 of the Act renders such a waiver void.
This means that regardless of what you have agreed to with any airline, tour operator, travel agency, or your credit card issuer, your rights are absolute.