MEV-WEB for caterers: what changes and who is affected

5 min read · October 19, 2026 · By Caterer Manager

Since June 1, 2025, Revenu Québec no longer accepts sales recorded by the old sales recording modules (SRMs). Every restaurant establishment, and Revenu Québec explicitly places "a business that offers catering services" in this category, must transmit its transactions through a certified sales recording system (SRS) designed to communicate with the WEB-SRM (MEV-WEB), and give the customer a bill produced by that same SRS. Here is what this changes for a caterer, who is affected, what an oversight costs, and how to make the transition without closing for a day.

SRM, SRS, WEB-SRM: Revenu Québec's terms

**SRM** (sales recording module, MEV in French): the device installed between the cash register and the printer since 2011. It is no longer accepted.
**WEB-SRM** (web sales recording module, MEV-WEB in French): Revenu Québec's online service that replaces it. No more device: sales are transmitted over the Internet.
**SRS** (sales recording system, SEV in French): the point-of-sale or billing software certified by Revenu Québec to communicate with the WEB-SRM. Revenu Québec publishes the list of certified SRSs for the restaurant sector; it includes 84 products, among them Colossale (Logiciels Colossale inc.).
**Mandatory billing**: the set of rules (transmission of sales, issuing the bill, keeping records) that apply to restaurant establishments in Québec, whether or not they are registered for the QST.

Catering software like Caterer Manager is not an SRS. Compliance comes from the certified SRS it connects to.

Who is affected by mandatory billing?

The rule covers the supply of meals for immediate consumption in a restaurant establishment, and Revenu Québec names catering services among these establishments. A caterer who delivers boxed lunches to a business is affected. An event caterer who bills a banquet with service is too. Sales of packaged products for later consumption generally are not. When in doubt, your accountant decides; CM configures the rest.

The benefits of the WEB-SRM for a caterer

**No device to buy or maintain**: transmission is handled by the SRS, online.
**A single flow for all sales**: counter, phone, online ordering and group events go through the same system, with no double entry.
**A compliant bill from the moment you invoice**: the required transaction number, statement and QR code are on the document given to the customer, automatically.
**Follow-up in case of an outage**: if a transmission fails because of a communication problem, you have 48 hours to correct it, and the SRS keeps a record.

What CM does, what Colossale does

CM generates the invoice from the event or the online order. The Colossale MEV module transmits it to Revenu Québec through Colossale POS, a certified SRS, and retrieves the transaction number that must appear on the document given to the customer. You don't handle anything: the CM invoice already carries the required statement and QR code. The module is offered as an option on all plans, with no additional terminal; pricing on request.

A restaurant that also does catering

Dining room sales and catering sales go through the same SRS. With CM and Colossale POS, catering orders, events and the counter are transmitted together. If you already have a WEB-SRM-compatible cash register for the dining room, it stays in place; CM takes care of the catering side.

The WEB-SRM transition: checklist

Confirm with your accountant which sales are covered.
Activate the Colossale MEV module in CM.
Test an invoice in a pre-production environment.
Train the billing team (30 minutes).
Back up the data from your old SRMs, then return them (Revenu Québec's recovery program) or recycle them.

How long does the transition take?

For an existing CM customer, half a day. For a new customer, the MEV transition happens during the data migration, with no extra step.

Key dates and penalties

The dates set by Revenu Québec:

**November 1, 2023**: new establishments must start directly with a certified SRS and the WEB-SRM.
**May 31, 2025**: deadline to sign a written agreement with a certified SRS provider.
**June 1, 2025**: a certified SRS connected to the WEB-SRM becomes mandatory for all existing establishments.
**August 31, 2025**: end of the tolerance for old SRMs, granted by exemption to establishments whose SRS could not be installed before June 1. This exemption has ended.

The penalties for non-compliance, as published by Revenu Québec:

Not having a certified SRS in working order: fine of $2,000 to $100,000, with or without imprisonment for up to six months.
Not transmitting transactions, or their corrections and cancellations, within the time limits: penalty of $300, fine of $2,000 to $100,000, and possible suspension or revocation of the QST registration certificate.
Not giving the bill to the customer or not keeping a copy (operator not registered for the QST): penalty of $100, fine of $300 to $5,000, then $1,000 to $10,000 and $5,000 to $50,000 for a repeat offence within five years.
Bills and supporting documents must be kept for six years after the last year to which they relate.

If you missed these deadlines, the simplest thing is to get compliant right away: installing a certified SRS stops your exposure to fines from that day on.

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