The dates of the paid statutory holidays and obligatory annual vacation are determined in the collective agreements.
Twice a year, the CCQ sends workers a vacation cheque.
Construction industry calendar
Every year, the CCQ makes this calendar available, with all important dates marked. You can download it here: (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021).
Construction vacations
Winter
- From December 22, 2024, 0:01 to January 4, 2025, 0:00
Summer
- From July 21, 0:01 to August 3, 2024, 0:00
Statutory holidays
- New Year’s Day (January 1 of each year)
- Good Friday (March 29, 2024; April 18, 2025)
- Easter Monday (April 1, 2024; April 21, 2025)
- National Patriots' Day (May 20, 2024)
- The Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day) (June 24, 2024)
- Canada Day (July 1, 2024)
- Labour Day (September 2, 2024)
- Thanksgiving October 14, 2024)
- Remembrance Day (November 11, 2024)
- Christmas (December 25 of each year)
For answers to the questions most frequently asked about statutory holidays, please visit Statutory holidays: Frequently asked questions.
Regarding the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) is not a statutory holiday provided for in the 2021-2025 collective agreements negotiated by the employers and unions. If you have any questions on this subject, please contact your association.
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Special rules
During this period, sites must be closed and all work executed must be paid at the applicable wage rate set out in the provisions of the sector-based collective agreements.
There are some special rules, however, and agreements may be made between employers and employees for certain sites, in particular:
- Maintenance, repairs, modifications, renovations, or emergencies
- New construction work for light residential construction
- Certain types of work set out in the civil engineering and roads sector.
Annual obligatory winter vacation
Special rules – Institutional and commercial / Industrial
Special rules – Civil engineering and roads
Special rules – ResidentialAnnual obligatory summer vacation
Special rules – Institutional and commercial / Industrial
Special rules – Civil engineering and roads
Special rules – Residential -
A bit of history
The well-known “construction holiday” was made official in 1970 by a government decree and took effect for the first time in Québec in the summer of 1971. This vacation period is one of the working conditions to which employers and workers have agreed.
It is estimated that during this part of the summer, about one quarter of Québec's labour force is on vacation. Thus, for more than 35 years, the last two complete civil weeks (Sunday to Saturday) of July have marked the construction holiday. This tradition has been slightly modified since 2008.