Many regulations govern operations in the construction industry, which is constantly changing. To adapt to the various requirements in the labour market, government obligations and decisions, sector, or regional expectations, and support the implementation of programs, the CCQ is authorized by sections 84 or 123.1 of Act R-20 to amend an industry regulation.
Like all government ministries and agencies, the CCQ must also produce a regulatory impact analysis under the Politique gouvernementale sur l'allègement réglementaire et administratif (decree 1558-2021) as soon as proposed legislation or regulation concern businesses or may have repercussions on them.
Regulatory impact analyses make it possible to verify that adoption of legislation or regulation minimize potential costs and repercussions for businesses. These analyses must also demonstrate that a problem exists and that non-regulatory or non-legislative solutions have been considered, if the situation allows.
Following is a list of pending and implemented regulatory changes.
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Highlights of the regulatory changes in force
Employer registration
- Employers must provide their “contact information” (including email address) (those of the administrators or partners if it involves, respectively, a corporation or a partnership).
- From now on, registration and the related payment will be submitted exclusively through the online services.
- All updates to information in the enterprise register and stipulated in the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises (chapter P-44.1) and in the register of licence holders as stipulated in the Building Act (chapter B-1.1) are presumed to modify the corresponding information in the employer registration.
- Information provided for the purpose of employer registration must match the information provided in the enterprise register and the register of licence holders.
- Employers must notify the Commission of a change to any information provided when they registered within 30 days of this change, except for changes to contact information, which must be communicated to the Commission before they come into effect.
Employer reregistration
Employers must reregister before undertaking construction work covered by the law, when they:
- Have notified the Commission that they will no longer act as an employer; or
- have not submitted to the Commission their monthly report or notice of inactivity (old monthly report without activity), as applicable, and the applicable fee, in compliance with the conditions and within the time stipulated in the present regulation, for 24 consecutive monthly work periods.
Monthly report
- The monthly report must now report check-in times, if applicable.
- The hours are reported for the monthly period in total rather than by week.
- When employers have no work done by an employee or do no work as an independent contractor during one monthly work period, they must submit a notice of inactivity to the Commission.
- The monthly report, modifications to the monthly report, and notices of inactivity, and the related payments, are now submitted exclusively through the online services.
- If a monthly report is submitted late, the applicable penalty is progressive according to the number of days late:
- 7% of the amount due if the delay does not exceed 7 days
- 11% of the amount due if the delay does not exceed 14 days
- 20% in the other cases.
- If a monthly report is submitted late, the interest is calculated on a daily basis.
Recent regulatory changes
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Implementation of accelerated training for certain trades
The government has indicated that the construction industry is a sector that is key to achievement of its Québec Infrastructure Plan 2023-2033. Given the serious and pressing issue of a shortage of both labour and training in the industry, the government has communicated its desire that an access route be offered, for a limited time, to people to benefit from short, paid training courses in certain trades for which major and specific needs have been determined.
CCQ Regulation
In response to the above, the CCQ has submitted a draft regulation aiming to establish this new access route to the industry for the trades of carpenter-joiner, tinsmith, heavy equipment operator, and shovel operator.
First publications in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
Effective date: March 28, 2024Government regulation
In addition to the above-mentioned regulation, the government has adopted a draft regulation to the same effect specifically to add the trade of refrigeration mechanic to the list of trades for which this new access route will be available.
First publications in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
Effective date: March 28, 2024 -
Modernization of the regulatory framework and the monthly report
Modernization of the Commission de la construction du Québec’s service offer and regulatory framework
In order to improve the client experience, the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) will gradually be offering enhanced and improved online services and self-service functionalities in 2025.
As a result of this modernization and with a concern for streamlining regulations and administrative processes, the CCQ has begun to review its regulatory framework, in consultation with its partners.
When completed, these changes will affect many aspects of the industry. For the moment, they involve essentially the declaration of hours in the monthly report, employers’ registration with the CCQ, and the designation of the employer’s representative.
On August 2, 2023, a draft regulation will be published in the Gazette officielle du Québec, for consultation only. Anyone who would like to submit comments may do so by writing to [email protected].
The regulatory modifications
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Mode of transmission and payment of the monthly report
It is proposed to update the mode of transmission as well as the amendments and mode of payment for the monthly report so that these operations are conducted exclusively electronically. -
Mode of transmission of employers’ registration, designated representatives, and content of the registration
It is proposed that registration of employers and designation of their representative be done electronically and that the content of the registration be simplified. Regulatory modifications propose streamlining and details with regard to the information necessary for employers to register or designate their representative.
The modifications to the regulation also set out details with regard to the register that employers must keep. -
The obligation to declare the hours of designated representatives
Employers will have to declare the hours worked on construction sites for themselves (sole proprietorship) or their designated representative; they will not, however, be required to pay a supplementary amount for these hours, except in cases when they assume the contributions related to social benefits, when a person is eligible for them.
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Modification to employer’s re-registration
An employer will have to re-register only when it has notified the CCQ that it will no longer act as an employer or when no monthly report or notice of inactivity has been submitted, with payment of the sums due, for 24 consecutive monthly periods.
Modifications règlementaires en vigueur le 28 décembre 2025
Documents (in French only)
Second publications in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
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Register, Monthly Report, Notices from Employers and the Designation of a Representative
The objective of this draft regulation is to add the obligation for employers to preserve their registers, as well as all documents in support of the information contained in those registers, for 6 years after the last year to which they refer.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur le registre, le rapport mensuel, les avis des employeurs et la désignation d’un représentant (in French only)
Date of coming into effect: To come
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Definitions of the trades (carpenter-joiner, painter, elevator mechanic, resilient flooring layer)
The regulatory changes follow the 2015 consultation and the process of revision of the definition of trades in the construction industry. The amendments cover the trades of carpenter-joiner, painter, elevator mechanic, and resilient flooring layer.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:- Réglement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (In French only)
- Analysis of regulatory impact (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Réglement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
Date of coming into effect: September 18, 2019
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Water system worker certification
The regulatory modifications are aimed at putting criteria in place for obtaining and maintaining water system worker certification. These criteria are separate from those for issuing and renewing the occupation competency certificate in order to respect the commitments made to the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques. The modifications also make it possible to implement new training courses specific to water system worker certification.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence (in French only)
- Analyse d’impact réglementaire (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
Effective date: March 4, 2019
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Adoption of bill 152
The Assemblée nationale recently adopted a bill aimed at implementing some of the recommendations made by the Commission d’enquête sur l’octroi et la gestion des contrats publics dans l’industrie de la construction (Charbonneau Commission; known in English as the Commission of Inquiry on the Awarding and Management of Public Contracts in the Construction Industry). The statute modifies certain provisions of the Act Respecting Labour Relations, Vocational Training and Workforce Management in the Construction Industry (Act R-20). The new provisions have a particular impact on the conservation of documents, the fight against undeclared work, and protection of informants and whistleblowers.
Publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
Effective date: June 20th, 2018
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Joining the trade of crane operator and boom truck qualification
The regulatory changes aim first to implement an on-the-job training program to allow access to the crane operator trade by journeymen in the industry or by the labour pools in the event of a labour shortage, and, secondly, to extend the possibility of operating boom trucks to other trades besides that of crane operator.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence (in French only)
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
- Analyse d’impact réglementaire (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence (in French only)
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
Effective date: May 14, 2018
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Interprovincial mobility for apprentices
The regulatory modifications are aimed at making it possible for paid hours worked on jobs that are not covered by Act R-20 to be recognized by the CCQ so that apprentices can be classified in their apprenticeship. The modifications also have an impact on the book ratio that employers must comply with.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d'œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d'œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
Effective date: December 28, 2017
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Programme d’accès à l’égalité des femmes de l’industrie de la construction (PAEF)
These regulatory changes are intended to implement corrective measures under PAEF to facilitate access by women to the construction industry and their retention, while increasing their numbers in the industry.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur l’embauche et la mobilité des salariés dans l’industrie de la construction
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction
- Regulatory impact analysis
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur l’embauche et la mobilité des salariés dans l’industrie de la construction
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction
Effective date: December 12, 2016
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Elevating platform
The regulatory changes intend to create a qualification specific to the “platform lifts” activity in the elevator mechanics trade and to facilitate recognition by the CCQ of the credentials of those already qualified by the MESS to perform the specific “platform lifts” activity.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence (in French only)
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
- Regulatory impact analysis (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence (in French only)
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
Effective date: August 24, 2016
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Compensation Fund for Employees in the Construction Industry
This new regulation specifies the terms for allocating compensation as well as the contributions paid by employers.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement sur le Fonds d’indemnisation des salariés de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
- Regulatory impact analysis (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement sur le Fonds d’indemnisation des salariés de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
Effective date: January 6, 2016
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Situation letters
This new regulation specifies the conditions to be met and the fees charged for issuance of a situation letter, as well as the information such letters may contain in respect of construction work performed on a construction site or for bidding purposes.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement sur les lettres d’état de situation (in French only)
- Regulatory impact analysis (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement sur les lettres d’état de situation (in French only)
Effective date: January 7, 2016
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Fonds de formation des salariés de l’industrie de la construction
This new regulation specifies the operating methods for the Fonds de formation des salariés de l’industrie de la construction, including the contributions employers must make, based on their category, as well as the administration and investment rules governing the constituent amounts.
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement sur le Fonds de formation des salariés de l’industrie de la construction
- Regulatory impact analysis (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
Effective date: March 26, 2015
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Labour scarcity in the construction industry
The regulatory amendments are aimed at countering the effects of labour scarcity on construction sites. The eight proposed measures will make it possible to:
- Encourage access to the industry for individuals who have relevant work experience
- Increase opportunities to hire new apprentices
- Place a higher value on initial training, with the goal of retaining students in vocational training centres until they obtain their diploma
- Accelerate the path for apprentices’ access to the status of journeyperson
- Foster work organization that improves productivity on sites
First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence (in French only)
- Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la formation professionnelle de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie de la construction (in French only)
- Analyse d’impact réglementaire (in French only)
Second publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:
- Regulation Respecting the Issuance of Competency Certificates (in French only)
- Regulation Respecting the Vocational Training of the Workforce in the Construction Industry (in French only)
Effective date: April 26, 2021
