MONTREAL — Canadian Tire has been mandated to pay nearly $1.3 million following its guilty plea to 74 counts of breaching various sections of Quebec's Consumer Protection Act concerning false advertising. The Canadian retail giant reached a settlement after initially asserting its innocence, as confirmed by Crown prosecutor Jérôme Dussault.
During proceedings at the Montreal courthouse, Quebec court Judge Simon Lavoie sanctioned the agreement, which stipulates fines and costs ranging from $15,625 to $18,150 for each count. The case originated from a comprehensive investigation conducted by Quebec's consumer protection office in 2021, which spanned six months.
The investigation revealed that Canadian Tire had engaged in practices to mislead consumers into believing that sale items were heavily discounted. This was accomplished through advertisements that featured artificially inflated regular prices. A thorough analysis of sales data indicated that the products in question were infrequently sold or presented at the so-called regular price.
The consumer protection office scrutinized seven products and verified their prices between April and October 2021 across Canadian Tire's flyers, the company's website, and three retail stores located in the Montreal area.
Under the agreement, Canadian Tire acknowledged liability for five of the scrutinized products. These include knife sets by Henckels and Cuisinart, cookware from Lagostina and Heritage, in addition to a Dewalt cordless drill.
In an emailed statement released on Friday, a spokesperson for Canadian Tire commented, "The OPC charges relate to five products over a six-month period five years ago. Importantly, no customers were overcharged and the matter is now concluded."
Canadian Tire is obliged to remit the fines within the upcoming 12 months. This ruling serves as a significant reminder of the ongoing scrutiny over advertising practices in the retail sector, underscoring the importance of compliance with consumer protection regulations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 6, 2026.
Pierre Saint-Arnaud, The Canadian Press
