Can a consumer enter into a valid credit contract online under
Quebec consumer law? Spoiler: The answer is yes.
A contract in Quebec is, at its core, an offer by one and
acceptation by another consenting party,1 unless otherwise
provided by law.2 Consent is thus the cornerstone of Quebec
contractual law and parties can agree verbally or in writing. At
times, the law prescribes formalities such as signature or print
requirements for certain types of contracts. In a bid to remain
relevant in the technology age, the Quebec legislative framework
for information technology3 broadened the scope of
what constitutes a signature and a document.
THE SIGNATURE
Signing a document serves two functions: 1) identifying the
signatory party and 2) making their consent explicit.4
For electronic documents, 3) it also links a person's identity
to a given document.5
