The restaurant industry is worried about the upcoming transition to the MEV-WEB sales recording system mandated by Revenu Québec. Industry leaders, including Denis Robert from Payfacto, express concerns about inadequate government support and a tight timeline for implementation. With only a small percentage of restaurateurs having made the switch, financial strain and potential bottlenecks are anticipated. The Quebec Restaurant Association is advocating for improved compensation programs, but transition costs remain high for both restaurants and service providers.
Concerns Over the MEV-WEB Transition in the Restaurant Sector
The restaurant industry is expressing significant anxiety regarding the shift to the new sales recording module mandated by Revenu Québec, which is due to be in place by August 31. Industry leaders are questioning the government’s ability to execute this transition effectively. Denis Robert, Executive Vice President at Payfacto, a leading payment processing technology provider, shares, “We have attempted to engage with the government multiple times, emphasizing that we cannot transition without more support from their side.”
By May 31, 2025, restaurant owners must have a contract with a point-of-sale provider, such as Payfacto, which also manages Véloce and Maître’D. Following industry feedback, a three-month window has been established for the installation of the MEV-WEB system. Mr. Robert expresses concern that this timeframe may be inadequate. The government is requiring a technological overhaul through the Sales Recording Module (MEV), transitioning from a manual reporting system to a cloud-based platform named MEV-WEB, which automates information transmission. According to Payfacto, around 15,000 restaurateurs are affected by the MEV-WEB implementation, with contracts signed with 1,500 of them. As of mid-November, only 11% of these businesses had made the transition, with Revenu Québec announcing online information sessions to commence in January 2025.
Financial Strain and Potential Bottlenecks
“With seven months remaining, many restaurateurs are still unfamiliar with the MEV-WEB system,” Mr. Robert laments, noting that many are postponing the transition due to substantial costs linked to their technological shortcomings. “We are significantly behind,” he worries, reflecting on the lack of financial support from the government and anticipating a potential bottleneck in the process. “We will need to manage over 2,000 merchants monthly, which is nearly ten times our typical delivery capacity,” he illustrates, adding that restaurateurs are not only frustrated but also skeptical of the government’s ability to execute this project effectively.
Martin Vézina, Vice President of Public and Government Affairs at the Quebec Restaurant Association (ARQ), has been advocating for the government to enhance its compensation program. Currently, restaurateurs who acquired a physical MEV within the two years preceding October 31, 2023, qualify for $700. The ARQ has also requested that the government impose limits on the fees charged by service providers like Payfacto. However, Mr. Robert clarifies that these transition costs are also absorbed by the service providers. “For us, this technological upgrade demands an investment of $4 million, which is considerable,” he explains. Payfacto estimates that its clients will need to invest an average of $3,500, with some facing costs in the millions. Revenu Québec anticipates that the overall implementation costs could reach as high as $6,000 per establishment.