Gym chains set their own notice periods, but provincial law sets the floor they cannot go below. This page summarizes the official guidance from Ontario, Consumer Protection BC and Québec's Office de la protection du consommateur (checked October 29, 2026). For specific chains, see GoodLife, Fit4Less and Planet Fitness Canada.
Ontario
- Who it covers: memberships where you pay $50 or more in advance ("personal development services" under the Consumer Protection Act). Not covered: non-profits and charities (e.g. YMCA), member-owned co-ops, municipal or provincial facilities, and fitness as an incidental extra.
- 10-day cooling-off: cancel within 10 days of receiving a written copy of your contract, for any reason, and you may use the gym during that time.
- How: email your cancellation letter, hand-deliver it (get a signed receipt), or send it by registered mail. If you call, note the date and details.
- Contracts end after one year. Renewals require a renewal notice 30-90 days before expiry; a renewal without notice is not a valid contract.
- Missing information: if your contract lacks required details (names, services, cancellation and renewal terms, total cost, dates), you can cancel within one year.
- Fees: initiation fees cannot exceed twice the annual membership fee, and the club must offer monthly instalments.
British Columbia
- Who it covers: memberships, punch passes and most physical activities lasting more than a day (gyms, yoga, martial arts, lessons, ski passes).
- 10 days for any reason: cancel within 10 days of receiving a copy of your contract.
- If the business changes: you can cancel if it makes an impactful change to the services you signed up for, such as moving or losing an amenity like a pool. Use Consumer Protection BC's form, explain the change and send it with proof of delivery.
- 15 days: the business must respond and provide any refund owed within 15 days, using the formula in BC's regulations.
Québec
- Before services start: cancel with no fees.
- Early on: within a period up to 1/10 of the contract's length after services start, the gym can charge at most 1/10 of the total price. Example: a 10-month, $400 contract can be cancelled in the first 4 weeks for $40.
- Later: you can still cancel under the Civil Code (articles 2125 and 2129); the gym can claim payment for services already provided and proven damages, and must refund prepaid amounts for services not provided.
- How: send the cancellation form included with your contract or another written notice; registered mail is recommended. The contract is cancelled when it is sent, and refunds are due within 10 days.
Other provinces and territories
Your contract sets the notice period and fees. If a gym will not accept valid written notice or keeps billing you, contact your province's consumer protection office.
A cancellation letter you can copy
To: [Gym name, home club address]
Date: [date]
I am cancelling my membership, effective as soon as permitted under my contract and provincial law. Name: [full name]. Member number: [number]. Please confirm the cancellation and my final payment date in writing.
[Signature]
Send it by email or registered mail, or hand-deliver it and ask for a signed receipt. Keep a copy.
Cancelling to save money? Keep the habit
Most people cancel because the gym got expensive or they stopped going. The habit is the part worth keeping. Cheaper options: a day or guest pass when you need the equipment, a cheaper gym (see how to pay less for a gym membership), or home workouts (three free home routines). GymAdapt (our app) rebuilds your plan for whatever equipment you have, free. Get GymAdapt free on the App Store →
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Redeem the free month → Opens the App Store with the code filled in. iPhone only. After the free month, Pro renews unless you cancel in Settings, and the free version stays yours either way.Questions people ask
Is there a cooling-off period for gym memberships in Canada?
In Ontario and British Columbia, yes: 10 days from receiving a copy of your contract. In Québec you can cancel free before services start, or within the first 1/10 of the contract for at most 1/10 of the price.
Can a gym refuse to let me cancel in Ontario?
Not within the 10-day cooling-off period, and contracts must end after one year. Outside that, your contract's notice terms apply. Cancel in writing and keep proof.
Do I have to cancel in person?
Provincial guidance recommends written notice with proof: email, registered mail or hand delivery with a receipt. Check your gym's required method too.
Can I cancel if my gym moves or closes the pool?
In BC, yes: you can cancel if the business makes an impactful change to the services in your contract. Other provinces have their own rules for closures.
What does the Québec 1/10 rule mean?
If you cancel within a period equal to 1/10 of your contract's length after services start, the gym can charge at most 1/10 of the total contract price.
Keep training, whatever gym you end up at
GymAdapt builds a plan for the equipment you have (a big club, a budget gym or dumbbells at home), shows a video for every exercise, logs every set and raises your weights from what you lift. Free to start.
Get GymAdapt on the App Store → Free to start. Pro has a 7-day free trial and is priced in Canadian dollars on the App Store. iPhone only, in English and French.