In Quebec, the power to enact laws is shared between the provincial and federal levels of government following the Constitution Act of 1867. Generally speaking, civil matters (property, contracts, civil liability) as well as municipalities, hospitals and education are under the purview of the government of the Province of Quebec. On the other hand, the federal government may adopt laws on transports (navigation, railways, aeronautics), criminal law, marriage and divorce, etc.

Furthermore, Canada’s law system is “mixed” in nature. Indeed, private law, that is relations between individuals, is governed by French-inspired civil law, and embodied within the Civil Code of Quebec. On the other hand, public law (relations between the State and an individual) is organized under the principles of common law, of English origins. Thus, Quebec lawyers are required to master both law systems.

Of all laws and regulations presently in force in Quebec, many have a direct, daily impact on the business world – be it the Civil Code governing all contractual relationships or otherwise the various dispositions on environment, labour relations or corporate law.

Various legislative texts are made available by Lecours & Lessard for your perusal. These texts have been chosen in function of their pertinence to business people. You may consult extracts of these laws by clicking on their title below. To consult the integral text, please select the “PDF” format.


Disclaimer: The legislative texts offered herein do not constitute an official version and may not include the latest legislative amendments.

Laws of Quebec 

Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information, an Act respecting • Administrative justice, An Act respecting • Business Concerns Records Act • Carrying out of the Entente between France and Québec respecting mutual aid in judicial matters, An Act to secure the • Charter of human rights and freedoms • Charter of the french language • Civil Code of Quebec • Class action, An Act respecting the • Code of Civil procedure • Companies Act • Consumer Protection Act • Deposit Act • Enterprise registrar, an Act respecting the • Environment Quality Act • Hours and days of admission to commercial establishments, an Act respecting • Implementation of international trade agreements, an Act respecting the • Implementation of the Agreement on Internal Trade, Act respecting the • Industrial accidents and occupational diseases, an Act respecting • Interpretation Act • Jurors Act • Labour Code • Labour standards, an Act respecting • Legal publicity of sole proprietorships, partnerships and legal persons, an Act respecting the • Development of manpower training, an Act to foster the • Pay Equity Act • Protection of personal information in the private sector, an Act respecting the • Special powers of legal persons, an Act respecting the • United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, an Act respecting the • Winding-up Act

Laws of Canada

• Access to Information Act • Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act • Bank Act • Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act • Bills of Exchange Act • Bills of Lading Act • Canada Business Corporations Act • Canada-United Kingdom Civil and Commercial Judgments Convention Act • Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms • Commercial Arbitration Act • Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act • Competition Act • Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act • Copyright Act • Corporations Returns Act • Criminal Code • Employment Equity Act • Employment Insurance Act • Export Act • Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act • Hazardous Products Act • Interest Act • International Sale of Goods Contracts Convention Act • Privacy Act • Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act • Trade-marks Act • Winding-up and Restructuring Act • World Trade Organization Agreement Implementation Act