2011 QCCQ 6815, 2011 QCCQ 6815

AAA Appliances Services Company c. Canpages Québec 2011 QCCQ 6815 COURT OF QUEBEC Small Claims Division CANADA PROVINCE OF QUEBEC DISTRICT OF MONTREAL TOWN OF MONTREAL Civil Division No: 500-32-115226-096 DATE: May 20, 2011 ______________________________________________________________________ BY THE HONOURABLE SUZANNE HANDMAN, J.C.Q. ______________________________________________________________________ AAA APPLIANCES SERVICES COMPANY 4791 Meloche Pierrefonds Québec H9J 1Y9 Plaintiff v.

CANPAGES QUÉBEC 4878 rue Lévy, suite 200 Saint-Laurent Québec H4R 2P1 Defendant ______________________________________________________________________ JUDGMENT ______________________________________________________________________ [ 1 ] Plaintiff AAA Appliances Services Company is claiming $7,000 from Defendant Canpages Québec, alleging that Defendant failed to respect the conditions of their agreement, namely to publish adds in both languages. Defendant acknowledges the omission and offered a settlement, which Plaintiff refused.

The evidence: [ 2 ] On December 19, 2007, Plaintiff contracted with Defendant to advertise Plaintiff's business in a telephone directory, published by Defendant. Two adds were to be published; one in French and one in English for the sum of $2,370. [ 3 ] Defendant inadvertently failed to place the advertisement in the English

section and only published the add that was written in French. [ 4 ] Defendant apologized for its error and offered Plaintiff a 50% discount as compensation. In addition, it was prepared to upgrade the ad size from a quarter column to a double quarter column, at no extra charge. [ 5 ] Plaintiff refused the offer, demanding the reimbursement of the amount it had already paid plus the publication in the quarter column English and French advertisements in the upcoming three (3) annual Montreal Canpages Directories, at no charge. Defendant refused such a settlement.

Analysis: [ 6 ] Defendant in correspondence to Plaintiff admitted its responsibility. There remains the question of damages. [ 7 ] The contract foresees that any damages cannot exceed the amount payable for the advertisement and submits that the amount it had offered is reasonable. Clause 7 of the agreement reads as follows : « En cas d'erreur ou d'omission dans l'annonce imputable à la négligence de l'Éditeur, la responsabilité de ce dernier ne peut, en aucun

cas excéder le montant payé ou payable par l'Annonceur pour l'annonce visée par le présent contrat et pour la durée de publication de l'Annuaire en question. Dans un tel cas, l'Éditeur peut accorder, à son gré, un rabais ne pouvant excéder: a. Mauvais numéro de téléphone principal … jusqu’à 100% b. Mauvais numéro de téléphone complémentaire … jusqu’à 15% c. Mauvaise adresse … jusqu’à 25 % d. Orthographe erronée de la raison sociale … jusqu’à 25 % e.

Orthographe erronée d'un mot … aucun …L'annonceur reconnaît expressément que la limite de responsabilité imposée est juste et raisonnable et que l'Éditeur n'aurait pas conclu le présent contrat si l'annonceur avait refusé cette limite de responsabilité. » [ 8 ] Plaintiff claims he suffered loss of business and he estimated his damages to be approximately $15,000, which he reduced to $7,000 to come within the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Division of this Court.

No evidence was presented as to his alleged damages. [ 9 ] While clauses limiting responsibility are not applicable when a contract is subject to the Consumer Protection Act [1] , in this instance Plaintiff is another merchant and not a consumer. [ 10 ]

Article 1474 of the Civil code of Quebec indicates that a person cannot exclude or limit his responsibility for material injury caused to another through an intentional or gross fault, that is: “a fault which shows gross recklessness, gross carelessness or gross negligence.” A contrario , when there is an absence of such behaviour, responsibility may be limited. [ 11 ] In the present case, Defendant made a mistake. However, the mistake was not intentional and in the Court's view, Defendant did not show gross recklessness, gross carelessness or gross negligence.

Defendant inadvertently omitted to publish the add in one language but published it in the other language. In such circumstances, the amount of damages is limited to that foreseen by the contract. [ 12 ] The Court grants Plaintiff the amount payable, namely the sum of $2,370. FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT: GRANTS , in part, Plaintiff's action; CONDEMNS Defendant, Canpages Québec, to pay Plaintiff, AAA Appliances Services Company, the sum of $2,370 plus interest at the legal rate plus the additional indemnity foreseen by

section 1619 of the Civil code of Quebec since December 19, 2008, plus judicial fees of 202 $. __________________________________ SUZANNE HANDMAN, J.C.Q. Date of hearing: May 3, 2011