A consumer association welcomes the addition of Revenue Quebec’s revenue registration (MEV) module, which aims to shed a harsh light on undeclared work in construction.
“We have long been opposed to undeclared work in the sector, so we are in favor of any measure that allows us to get there,” stresses Marc-André Harnois, general director of the Association des consommateurs for construction quality (ACQC).
Last March, the government flew the flag in its budget speech by saying Revenu Québec would offer the web version of the sales registration module (MEV-WEB) to tame the sector.
“This technology, which was recently (2021) introduced in the field of paid passenger transport, could be integrated into the applications used by companies,” Mylène Gagnon, spokeswoman for Revenu Québec, told the journal.
“Not ideal”
For Marc-André Harnois, however, choosing an entrepreneur who works illegally is very risky.
Marc-Andre Harnois
Director General of the ACQC
“If you end up in court because the job was done poorly, or you have a dispute with the contractor, it’s not ideal to go to the judge when you’ve paid illegally,” he says.
In his opinion, the case law is clear: barring exceptions, those who have tried to circumvent the law by paying under the table should not expect the law to protect them when they have problems.
Shared Responsibility
According to Mr Harnois, this is a shared responsibility. The client must make the same effort as the contractor.
“The entrepreneur who is corrupt with the state can also be corrupt elsewhere,” he concludes, getting straight to the point.