On Friday June 19, the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) will send almost 170,000 vacation cheques to Québec construction workers. A total of more than $492 million will be distributed.

The total value of payments has risen by more than 10% in comparison to the amounts paid out last summer ($447 million). This variation is explained mainly by the increase in construction activity registered during the year. In fact, the number of hours worked in the construction industry in 2019 grew by 9% over 2018, reaching 177.2 million hours. This is the highest volume of activity ever recorded.

Every month, employers send the CCQ contributions for paid statutory holidays and vacations, as set out in the collective agreements. These amounts represent 13% of the salary earned by workers during each work week (vacations, statutory holidays, and sick leave). 

The amounts sent out were accumulated in the Fonds de congés payés (or Fonds d’indemnités de congés annuels obligatoires et de jours fériés chômés) between July and December 2019. This fund is administered by the CCQ, and the contributions paid in are determined by the collective agreements.

The annual summer vacation in the construction industry is from Sunday July 19 to Saturday August 1, 2020.

Table of amounts paid, by region*