Mission and mandate
The Office de la protection du consommateur was created in 1971, the year Consumer Protection Act.
Mission
The Office enforces legislation under its jurisdiction, it informs consumers collectively and individually, it educates consumers and receives their complaints. Moreover, the Office fosters concerted action between socioeconomic agents.
Mandate
Section 292 of the Consumer Protection Act entrusts the Office with specific duties that fall into the following five categories. For further information on the Office's mandate, consult the Office's annual management reports (in french).
Information and education
Answers consumers' and merchants' information requests
- Through the Office's website
- Through the Québec Portal's consumer information and complaints section
- By telephone
Media coverage
OPCéducation: publication of educational material for teachers
Free access to merchant-related complaints: Merchant information
Various awareness campaigns
Concertation
Cooperation with consumer associations, merchant groups, Québec government departments and agencies and other partners from all sectors
- Voluntary undertakings
- Cooperation agreements
- Information-sharing
- Consultation
Monitoring
Consumer complaint reception and processing
Operating permit issuing
Inquiries, inspections and checks
Legal action (fine notices and legal proceedings)
Compensation and conciliation
Merchant-consumer conciliation (following complaint processing)
Customer compensation in sectors involving financial protection plans (surety) (in french)