Quebec Cuts Waste, Protects Right to Repair

Summary#

• This bill aims to cut waste across Québec. It sets a goal to reduce food waste by half by 2030 and builds a national strategy to get there.

• It requires businesses to offer their unsold goods to recognized organizations instead of throwing them away. It also creates a Repair Fund and protects your right to get products fixed without losing the warranty.

• Key changes:

  • Sets a national strategy and action plan to fight waste, with yearly public reports.
  • Food businesses must offer donation deals for edible unsold food, or send it to animal feed, compost, or energy use. Non-food businesses must do the same for other usable goods.
  • Priority goes to local and regional organizations on a government-approved list. If no deal is reached after serious efforts, the minister can require a deal with Recyc-Québec (the provincial recycling agency).
  • Creates a public register showing each business’s annual unsold quantities, their donation agreements, and amounts handled; it also lists offenders.
  • Bans deliberately ruining edible food or destroying other usable goods; sets fines for false or missing information.
  • Creates a Repair Fund to support repair programs and circular-economy firms, and changes warranty rules so third-party repairs do not void a warranty unless they caused the problem.

What it means for you#

• Consumers and households

  • More donated food and goods may reach food banks and community groups.
  • You can get a product repaired by any shop without losing the warranty, unless that repair caused the defect.
  • You may see more repair rebates or programs funded by the new Repair Fund.

• Shoppers

  • More options to repair instead of replace, and more confidence that warranties still apply after third-party service.
  • Over time, less waste in landfills and fewer usable goods destroyed.

• Repair shops and refurbishers

  • Potential increase in demand for repair services.
  • New programs or financing may support growth in the repair and reuse sector.

• Manufacturers, processors, distributors, and retailers

  • Must make serious efforts to sign donation agreements for unsold edible food and other usable goods, prioritizing local organizations.
  • Must share information with the minister and be included in a public register of unsold quantities and donation agreements.
  • Can be required to work with Recyc-Québec if unable to find a partner.
  • Face fines for failing to cooperate, providing false data, or intentionally destroying goods that could be donated or repurposed.
  • May need new procedures for sorting, storage, transport, and quality control of donations.

• Non-profits, food banks, and social enterprises

  • May receive more steady supplies of food and goods through formal agreements.
  • Could need capacity to handle, store, and distribute larger volumes safely.

• Municipalities

  • Encouraged to promote better consumption habits and improve local waste and recycling practices to support the strategy.

• Farmers and compost/energy operators

  • Could receive more inputs (e.g., animal feed, compostables) from unsold food streams.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Will cut waste and greenhouse gases by keeping edible food and usable goods out of landfills.
• Strengthens a “don’t destroy, donate” culture by making deliberate destruction of usable goods illegal.
• Increases transparency through a public register, which can drive better business practices.
• Helps families by protecting warranty rights after third‑party repairs and by funding repair programs that can lower costs.
• Supports job growth and innovation in the circular economy, including repair, reuse, and recycling.
• Sets a clear 2030 target and requires annual public reporting to track progress.

Opponents' View#

• Adds costs and paperwork for businesses to sort, store, transport, and report unsold goods, which may be hard for small stores.
• Raises food safety and liability concerns for donations, and may require extra quality controls and training.
• The public register of unsold quantities could expose sensitive business information and affect reputation or competition.
• Fines can be high; terms like “serious efforts” or what counts as “usable” could be unclear and lead to disputes.
• Non-profits may lack space, staff, or trucks to absorb more donations without extra funding.
• The Repair Fund’s size and impact are uncertain, and the bill may overlap with existing recycling or food rescue programs.