A merchant is unable to respect the date on which they agreed to deliver a vehicle to you? The vehicle delivered has damage that was not present at the time you purchased or leased it? Recourse is available to you.

Merchants are sometimes unable to respect the agreed-upon vehicle delivery date. They may tell you, for example, that there is a delay in the manufacturing of the model purchased.

Recourse in case of delivery delays

The law provides for recourse when a merchant is unable to respect the date on which they agreed to deliver a vehicle to you. But first, try to reach an agreement with the merchant.

If the vehicle delivered has damage that was not present at the time you purchased or leased it, recourse is available to you.

Merchants are required to deliver to you a vehicle that conforms to: 

  • what they told you;
  • the description of the vehicle in the contract.

If possible, do not take possession of the vehicle before the problem has been resolved.

Recourse

As soon as you notice the damage, contact the merchant to make them aware of the situation and ask that the problem be corrected.

To help you assert your rights, various tools are available to you. You can first contact the Office to check whether you can use Parle consommation, a quick, free service provided entirely online, to try to settle your dispute with a merchant. The Negotiating with a merchant page can also guide you in the negotiation process.

If the negotiation fails, you can send a formal demand to the merchant. You must clearly explain, in writing, the problem with your vehicle and what you are seeking to obtain. You can see Formally notifying a merchant for more information.

If this process does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, you can go before the courts. The following pages provide the necessary information:

For cases involving claims of $85 000 or more, you must address the Superior Court of Quebec.

The Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan may also be helpful.

Recourse is available to you if the vehicle delivered to you is not the one you purchased or leased, or if the various options you selected are missing.

Merchants are required to deliver to you a vehicle that conforms to: 

  • what they told you;
  • the vehicle description found in the contract;
  • the vehicle description found in their advertisements.

If possible, do not take possession of the vehicle before the problem has been resolved.

The Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan may also be helpful.

Tools made available by the Office

To help you resolve your problem, the Office has made various tools available to you. First, refer to the Resolve a problem with a merchant section, which presents the various steps to follow. Among other things, you will find suggestions on negotiating with a merchant in order to reach an agreement.

The Office also makes available information kits tailored to problems of an exclusively civil nature. They cover reasonable durability of goods, deliveries and non-conformity of goods or services. The Download an information kit page provides all the information you need.

Last update : May 2, 2022

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The information contained on this page is presented in simple terms to make it easier to understand. It does not replace the texts of the laws and regulations.