Quebec’s new minority government, a rule we got wrong last week (it’s final!), and a Montreal clothing store with 35 years of loyal customers

Banks Avocats Newsletter — Thursday, October 15 , 2026

Hi there,

Two weeks after the election, Quebec has chosen a minority government, which raises a fair question: what actually changes for your business? Short answer: less than the headlines suggest, and later than you’d think. We also owe you a correction (a workplace rule we called “proposed” last week turns out to be final, with dates), plus news about the data behind Quebec property deals, a grocery-lease deal with lessons for every retailer, a $4.10-a-share retail takeover, and a European pay-transparency deadline that most EU countries just blew through. And at the end, a Montreal store with 35 years of history is looking for its next owner. Five minutes, coffee in hand.

Quebec

1. A PQ minority government: what changes for your business, and what doesn’t

The Parti Québécois won the October 5 election but fell short of the 64 seats needed for a majority (preliminary results gave it 59 of 127), so Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will govern with a minority. On its biggest priorities, it needs another party’s support, and a short shelf life is possible. He has promised an economic update this fall. Meanwhile, Manufacturiers et Exportateurs du Québec has already published its wish list: it is asking for a stable tax and regulatory framework, less red tape, and conditions that favour business succession (the takeover of existing businesses by new owners). The key point: promises are not laws. Until a bill is adopted and in force, today’s rules apply.

Do this week: Keep planning on the rules in force today. If you’re thinking about selling or passing on your business, don’t wait for a policy to materialize; the legal groundwork (clean records, up-to-date registers, clear contracts) is the same no matter who governs.

2. Correction: the workplace sexual violence regulation is final, and here are the dates

Last week we described this regulation as a proposal. It isn’t anymore. Decree 741-2026, adopted May 13, 2026, was published in the Gazette officielle on May 27, 2026, without changes to the draft. The regulation enters into force on May 27, 2027. From that date, you must give all workers written information on the risks identified in your workplace, the situations likely to lead to sexual violence, your prevention measures and how to file a complaint. The mandatory training (to be repeated every three years for every worker) starts later, on May 27, 2028. Do this week: Add both dates to your compliance calendar and ask whoever handles HR: do we already have a written risk assessment and a complaint procedure that covers sexual violence, including by customers and suppliers? Starting now beats a scramble in 2027.

3. Competition Bureau and Quebec real estate brokers: a data-sharing deal

On October 15, the Competition Bureau announced it had settled, by consent agreement, its investigation (open since 2023) of the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB) and its subsidiary Société Centris. The Bureau alleged that refusing to give members a real estate data feed, and restricting how it could be used, was likely meant to impede innovation and limit competition among brokerage services. As part of the agreement, QPAREB will give its members a data feed with sale prices, listing history and property characteristics. The association says the solution is tailored to Quebec. No penalty was reported.

Do this week: Buying, selling or leasing premises for your business? Ask your broker what sales data they rely on to price it, and whether that’s about to change.

Rest of Canada

4. Grocery chain Empire agrees to stop using lease clauses that lock out competitors

On September 22, the Competition Bureau announced a consent agreement with Empire Company Limited (Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo and others). Empire agreed not to enter into or enforce restrictive covenants limiting how a property can be used to sell grocery food, and not to use exclusivity clauses in leases that would block competing grocers in 19 identified local areas across six provinces, or block specialty food retailers such as bakeries, butchers, pharmacies, dollar stores and convenience stores. It also agreed not to use clauses reaching beyond the leased property itself. The Bureau’s investigation of other grocers’ practices is ongoing, and commentators expect continued attention to these clauses outside of grocery too.

Do this week: Pull out your commercial lease and look for exclusivity, non-competition and radius clauses. As a tenant, know what you can and can’t be blocked from; as a landlord, know what you’ve promised other tenants, because these clauses are now under a microscope.

5. Roots goes private at $4.10 a share: how a public-company retail deal gets done

On October 13, Roots shareholders approved the plan to sell the company to Marquee Brands (through its operating partner JM&A) for C$4.10 in cash per share, a 36% premium over the March 2 closing price, the last trading day before the company announced its strategic review. The company’s own release also reports Competition Act approval. Court approval is still needed, and closing is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. For a public company, the road includes a two-thirds shareholder vote, a court-supervised plan of arrangement, and competition clearance. For a private business, the process is far lighter, but the same questions will be asked: who approves, who has a veto, and what has to be cleared first.

Why it matters: Whatever your size, a sale is a sequence of approvals. Map them early (partners, lenders, landlord, regulators) so none of them surprises you at the finish line.

International

6. EU pay transparency: the June 7 deadline came and went

The EU Pay Transparency Directive had to be transposed into national law by June 7, 2026, and most member states missed it; Slovakia and Italy were among the first with laws in force, while France, the Netherlands and Germany are expected to follow in 2027. The directive’s core: candidates receive the pay or pay range before interviews, employers can’t ask about salary history, employees can ask how their pay compares with the average pay of colleagues doing work of equal value, and employers with 250 or more employees must report on gender pay gaps annually from 2027 (using 2026 data). Penalties include compensation, fines and possible exclusion from public contracts.

Why it matters: If your Quebec business employs people in an EU country, even one remote worker, check the status of that country’s law and your job postings and interview scripts. Rules will vary country by country.

Business for sale? (Or shopping for one?)

A 35-year-old clothing store in the heart of Montreal is looking for its next owner. The owner is retiring after more than three decades in business. A loyal customer base, a sought-after location and a stable financial history are what set an established store apart from a start-up. A buyer taking over a business with a story this long will want to see the paperwork behind the story: the lease and whether the landlord has to consent to a transfer, any exclusivity or non-competition clauses, the employment contracts, the inventory, the customer data (and how it’s handled under Law 25) and French-language compliance. That’s where we come in, on either side of the table. Write to us in full confidence at contact@banksavocats.com to learn more.

About the author Jade Banks is a lawyer and the founder of Banks Avocats. She advises entrepreneurs and executives in Quebec and across Canada on business law: incorporations, buying and selling businesses, commercial contracts, and compliance (Law 25, the Charter of the French Language). Her approach: plain language, practical advice, and real attention to your business goals. She and her team write this newsletter every Thursday.

This newsletter is general information only and is not legal advice. Every situation is unique — speak with a lawyer before acting. © 2026 Banks Avocats — banksavocats.com