Every tutor has a story about the lesson that wasn’t. The text that arrives at quarter to five for a five o’clock slot. The student who simply never logs on. It’s easy to shrug off one missed lesson, but they add up quickly: one late cancellation a week at $40 a lesson, over a 36-week school year, is $1,440 you’ll never see. That’s why every tutor in Canada needs a clear cancellation policy.
A cancellation policy isn’t about being strict. It’s about agreeing on the rules while everyone’s still friendly, so there’s nothing to argue about later. Most parents expect one, and most are quietly relieved to see it in writing.
Below is a free tutor cancellation policy template for Canada that you can copy and adapt. It’s written for any independent tutor in Canada who wants a clear, fair cancellation policy. Because consumer protection is set province by province, it includes different right-to-cancel wording for Quebec, Ontario and the other provinces. There are also UK and US versions if you work with families outside Canada.
Free download: an editable Word version of the Canadian policy, ready to fill in and send to families. No sign-up needed.
How to use this tutor cancellation policy template in Canada
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details, delete any sections that don’t apply, and keep the wording plain and friendly. A policy parents can read in two minutes is more useful than a long legal document nobody reads.
Section 10 offers a few different versions. Pick the one for the province where your families live, and delete the rest. If you tutor families in Quebec, read the Quebec notes carefully, because its rules for ongoing lessons are stricter than elsewhere and override parts of this policy.
Share the policy before the first lesson, and ask the parent or learner to confirm they’ve read it. This template is general information, not legal advice.
[Your business name]: Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy
Last updated: [date]
Thank you for choosing [your name / business name]. I hold a regular time slot for each student, so this policy explains what happens when lessons need to move or be cancelled. It’s designed to be fair to you and to me, and to keep things simple.
1. Booking lessons
Lessons are [weekly / every other week / booked as needed] and last [60 minutes]. Your regular slot is [day and time], held for you during the school year [and over the summer, if agreed].
The fee is $[amount] per lesson, payable [by Interac e-Transfer or card / monthly / as a package of [number] lessons]. (Quebec: see the notes on advance payment in the legal section.)
2. Cancelling or rescheduling a lesson
If you need to cancel or move a lesson, please let me know at least [24 / 48] hours before it’s due to start, by [text / email / the booking system].
- With [24 / 48] hours’ notice or more: there’s no charge. I’ll do my best to offer another time that week, or the lesson will be refunded or credited.
- With less than [24 / 48] hours’ notice: the lesson will be charged at [50% / 100%] of the usual fee, because I’m usually unable to fill the slot at such short notice.
- First late cancellation: I understand things happen. The first late cancellation [each term] is free of charge. After that, the charge above applies.
- Rescheduling within the same week: if we can find another time that works for both of us, [no charge applies even with short notice].
3. Missed lessons (no-shows)
If a student doesn’t attend and I haven’t been told beforehand, the lesson is charged in full. For online lessons, I’ll wait [15 minutes] and try to reach you before treating the lesson as missed.
4. Illness and emergencies
If a student is unwell or there’s a genuine emergency, please let me know as soon as you can. I’ll use my discretion and won’t usually charge for a lesson cancelled because of sudden illness or a family emergency. If a student is well enough to learn but can’t travel, we can [switch the lesson online].
5. If I need to cancel
If I have to cancel a lesson for any reason, there is no charge. I’ll give as much notice as I can and offer another time. If we can’t find one, the lesson will be refunded or credited in full.
6. Lateness
- If the student is late: the lesson will still end at the usual time, so the next student isn’t affected, and the full fee applies.
- If I’m late: I’ll make up the time, either at the end of the lesson or in a later one.
7. Online lessons and technical problems
If a lesson can’t go ahead because of a problem on my end, such as my internet or equipment failing, there’s no charge and I’ll reschedule. If the problem is on the student’s end and can’t be fixed within [15 minutes], I’ll try to continue by [phone / another platform]. If that isn’t possible, [the lesson will be rescheduled at no charge the first time; after that, the late-cancellation charge may apply].
8. Lesson packages and prepaid lessons
If you’ve paid for a package of lessons, cancelled lessons are handled under section 2: with enough notice, the lesson stays in your package to use later; with late notice, [it is deducted from the package / half a lesson is deducted]. Prepaid lessons are valid for [the current term / 3 months]. If I’m unable to deliver them, any unused lessons will be refunded.
9. Stopping lessons
You can stop lessons at any time. I ask for [two weeks’ / one lesson’s] notice where possible, so I can offer the slot to someone on my waitlist. Any lessons you’ve paid for but not yet had will be refunded, [less any late-cancellation charges already due]. (Quebec: replace this section with option A below.)
10. Your right to cancel (choose one option)
Option A: Families in Quebec
You may cancel this agreement at any time by sending me the attached cancellation form or any other written notice. The agreement is cancelled as soon as you send it.
- If you cancel before the first lesson, you have nothing to pay.
- If you cancel after lessons have started, you pay only for the lessons already given, at the rate in this agreement, plus a penalty of $50 or 10% of the price of the lessons not yet given, whichever is less.
I’ll refund any money owed to you within 10 days of the cancellation. (Attach a cancellation form, and see the Quebec notes in the legal section before using this version.)
Option B: In-person sign-ups in Ontario
Use this if you sometimes agree on a package with a family in person somewhere other than your own place of business, such as their home, and the total is over $50.
If you agreed to lessons with me in person somewhere other than my place of business, you may cancel this agreement for any reason within 10 days of receiving a written copy of it. To cancel, just send me written notice, for example by email. Any payment will be refunded.
Option C: Other provinces and territories
Check your province’s consumer protection rules (see the legal section) and add any required cancellation wording here, or delete this section if none applies.
11. Agreement
By booking lessons, you confirm you’ve read and agree to this policy.
| Detail | Response |
|---|---|
| Student’s name | |
| Parent or guardian’s name (if under 18) | |
| Signature | |
| Date |
[Your name] · [Business name] · [Email] · [Phone]
Tips for putting your tutor cancellation policy into practice in Canada
Pick a notice period you’ll actually stick to. 24 hours is the most common, and 48 hours suits tutors with waitlists. Apply it consistently, because a policy enforced for some families and not others causes more friction than having none.
Use the free first cancellation. It shows goodwill and gives you a natural moment to remind the family of the policy: “No problem at all, this one’s on me. Just so you know for next time, lessons cancelled within 24 hours are usually charged.”
Make your online setup as reliable as your policy. Technical hiccups cost more than the minutes they eat. In The Spinning Wheel Problem, we looked at a study that found even one- or two-second loading delays went with less engagement and lower scores. A steady connection and a lesson platform that loads quickly will save you more lost minutes than any policy clause.
Keep a simple record. Note the date and time each cancellation message arrives. If there’s ever a dispute, that record is what settles it.
Canada’s provincial rules: what to check before using your tutor cancellation policy
Quebec has the strongest rules. Under Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act, families can cancel a course registration at any time, whether they signed up in person, by phone or online. Once lessons have started, the most they owe is the cost of lessons already given plus a penalty of $50 or 10% of the remaining lessons, whichever is less. Option A follows that rule. As far as I can tell, Quebec also limits how much you can collect before lessons begin, expects a cancellation form to be attached to the contract, and generally requires consumer contracts to be offered in French. Check the details with the Office de la protection du consommateur before using this version, including whether one-to-one tutoring is covered by the course rules.
Ontario. The Consumer Protection Act, 2002, gives a 10-day right to cancel direct agreements, which are agreements made away from the supplier’s place of business, when the total is over $50. For agreements made online, the Act requires certain information to be disclosed and a copy of the agreement to be sent within 15 days. Ontario has also passed a new Consumer Protection Act, 2023, which will replace the 2002 Act when it comes into force, so check for any changes.
Other provinces and territories. British Columbia, Alberta and the others each have their own consumer protection laws, with different rules for in-home sales, prepaid services and online contracts. Your provincial consumer protection office is the best place to check.
Keep charges reasonable. Charging the full fee for a no-show, or half to all of it for very short notice, is common practice. Avoid extra penalties on top of the lesson price.
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