Discussions

Cleaning out an estate and found two gift certificates(that we had given the owner who has passed) for a local meat shop. Purchased Dec 21/2018 and has a handwritten expiry date of a year later. I thought for certificates couldn’t expire? I called the store to inquire and was told I could not use them.

gift certificates can expire  
 
gift cards can not  
 
2 different items

They're both legally a prepaid purchase card, according to one of the consumer ammendment protection ammendment acts.  
"prepaid purchase card" means, subject to the regulations, an electronic card, written certificate or other voucher or device with a monetary value, that is issued or sold in exchange for the future purchase or delivery of goods or services, and i:ncludes a gift card and gift certificate."  
 
https://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/38-5/b004e.php

The link says that cards cannot have expiry dates in most circumstances but does not appear to identify what the exempt circumstances are.

The article makes mention that the exemption to the non-expiry rule is if it is for a specific item or service. For instance, if it is for $100 of merchandise at the butcher shop, then no expiry. But if it is for 15 T-bone steaks, then it can expire, since the value of steak is likely to go up over time. The article mentions specific things like a manicure or a message.

It’s just a 40.00 gift certificate the the Butcher Shop.

"Can a prepaid purchase card have an expiry date?  
Expiry dates are not allowed on prepaid purchase cards except:  
 
if the card is issued or sold for a specific good or service (ex: a manicure)  
if nothing of value is exchanged for the card at the time of issue, (ex: cards issued for a promotional or charitable purpose, or as part of a reward or loyalty program)."  
 
https://www.gov.mb.ca/cp/cpo/info/faqprepaidconsumer.html

A business can definitely give away a gift certificate and put an expiry date on that certificate. It usually reads no cash value on it.  
 
But if someone pays for a certificate then no there is no expiry.  
 
Now seeing it was not your certificate you won’t really know which was the case

....I bought it for them for a Christmas gift.

the government website link that razr posted above tells you to contact the provincial consumer protection department if they wont honor the gift certificate