- within Real Estate and Construction topic(s)
- with Finance and Tax Executives and Inhouse Counsel
- with readers working within the Healthcare, Property and Law Firm industries
On June 30, 2026, The Franchise Disclosure Act, SS 2024, c 13 (the "Act") and The Franchise Disclosure Regulations, SR 29/2025 (the "Regulations") come into force in Saskatchewan. This makes Saskatchewan the seventh Canadian province to enact franchise legislation, joining British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. This development reflects the continued national trend toward harmonizing franchise disclosure law across Canada, and brings the country one step closer to a fully consistent coast-to-coast framework.
What the Law Requires
The Saskatchewan framework is largely consistent with franchise legislation in the other six provinces. Franchisors must provide prospective franchisees with a compliant franchise disclosure document (“FDD”) at least 14 days before any franchise agreement is signed or any fee is paid. The required content of the FDD – covering matters such as the franchisor’s background, the franchise system, ongoing fees, territorial rights, trademarks, financial statements, and earnings projections (if any) – is consistent with the requirements in other provinces, as are the technical rules governing how the FDD must be delivered. Electronic delivery is permitted. The Act also adopts exemptions from the disclosure obligation that are consistent with those available in other provinces, uses a definition of “franchise” that is broadly consistent with other provinces, and imposes a mutual duty of fair dealing on both franchisors and franchisees.
Franchisees who do not receive a compliant FDD within the required timeframe may rescind the franchise agreement within 60 days of receiving it. If no FDD is ever provided, the right to rescind extends to two years. These are the same rescission windows that apply in the other regulated provinces, and they underscore why timely and complete disclosure matters.
Saskatchewan-Specific Requirements
While the overall framework is familiar, there are a few Saskatchewan-specific requirements that franchisors will need to address. The prescribed risk warning statement uses slightly different language from those required in other provinces and must be included in its exact prescribed form. Each FDD – and any statement of material change – must be accompanied by a certificate signed by two of the franchisor's directors or officers (or one, if only one exists) certifying the accuracy and completeness of the disclosure, with prescribed language specific to Saskatchewan. Franchisors without a place of business in Saskatchewan must also appoint and identify an agent for service of process in the province. These additions are modest in scope, but they are mandatory and non-negotiable.
What You Need to Do
If you plan to offer, renew, or extend franchises in Saskatchewan on or after June 30, 2026, your FDD must be updated before that offering takes place. Given the general consistency between the Saskatchewan legislation and the framework already in place in other provinces, the required updates are manageable and can be incorporated as targeted additions to your existing FDD rather than a ground-up revision.
A Note for US-Based Franchisors
For our US franchisor clients, the timing is particularly convenient. Many of you are currently completing your annual FDD updates and state filings. That update cycle is the natural moment to add Saskatchewan compliance to your Canadian FDD as well – rather than treating it as a separate exercise to be tackled later. Consolidating these updates now will save time and reduce the risk of inadvertently offering franchises in Saskatchewan with a non-compliant document once the legislation takes effect.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
[View Source]