As the obligatory annual vacation approaches, construction workers are preparing for a well-deserved break.
In 2025, they made an extraordinary contribution to Québec’s economy. Whether it was by building roads, hospitals, or greatly needed housing, their work has been remarkable. A total of 216 million hours were worked – a record for the industry.
In compliance with the collective agreements negotiated by the union and employer associations, the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) plays its role by administering the vacation pay for obligatory annual vacations, paid statutory holidays, and sick leaves for almost 200,000 workers.
As we know, the employers make monthly contributions to the CCQ for the vacations and statutory holidays stipulated in the collective agreements. This money represents 13% of the salary earned by workers during each week of work (vacations, statutory holidays, and sick leaves). Between July and December 2025, the sums paid in were accumulated in the Fonds d’indemnités de congés annuels obligatoires et de jours fériés chômés, which is administered by the CCQ.
In recent months, the CCQ managed the money accrued for vacations. These funds were paid out on June 19, 2026; the total was more than $726 million, including the return on benefits.
Table of money paid out as benefits for obligatory annual vacations and paid statutory holidays
| 2025 | 2026 | |||
| Administrative region* | Number of cheques and direct deposits | Amount issued | Number of cheques and direct deposits | Amount issued** |
| Abitibi-Témiscamingue | 3 409 | 10 867 921,73 $ | 3 430 | 12 309 142,49$ |
| Bas-Saint-Laurent–Gaspésie | 7 131 | 26 224 447,50 $ | 7 490 | 29 993 661,49$ |
| Côte-Nord | 2 629 | 10 293 752,77 $ | 2 653 | 11 535 054,42$ |
| Estrie | 8 151 | 25 040 368,10 $ | 8 252 | 27 888 331,45$ |
| Île de Montréal | 18 870 | 53 655 702,89 $ | 19 257 | 61 386 605,92$ |
| Laval–Laurentides–Lanaudière | 50 567 | 169 931 675,05 $ | 50 013 | 184 941 963,41$ |
| Mauricie–Bois-Francs | 13 505 | 46 599 450,42 $ | 13 835 | 51 729 244,95$ |
| Montérégie | 40 601 | 138 975 251,83 $ | 41 264 | 153 326 127,17$ |
| Outaouais | 7 034 | 18 363 122,03 $ | 8 618 | 25 072 004,83$ |
| Québec | 32 403 | 115 028 724,37 $ | 33 884 | 130 717 535,14$ |
| Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean | 8 303 | 30 591 027,63 $ | 8 959 | 37 723 742,04$ |
| Provincial total | 192 603 | 645 571 444,32 $ | 197 655 | 726 623 413,31$ |
* Here, the regions indicate the home addresses of recipients.
** The money paid out was accumulated between July and December 2025 in the Fonds d’indemnités de congés annuels obligatoires et de jours fériés chômés. This fund is administered by the CCQ, and the contribution that must be paid into it is determined by the collective agreements.