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.

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 2024.

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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.
   
   

4. 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.

Accounting software and payroll services 

Employers that use software or payroll services to file their monthly report should know that certain adjustments will have to be made to these solutions in 2024.

During 2024, the CCQ will publish the list of firms that will have integrated the CCQ’s changes so that employers can make sure to use compatible services.

Other tangible improvements in 2024

During 2024, other administrative changes will also be announced. All the information will be communicated in advance to all of our clients concerned. Until then, the regulatory changes noted here are not in force.

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

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

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:

• Regulation to amend the Regulation respecting the issuance of competency certificates 

Effective date: March 4, 2019

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: 

• Act to amend various labour-related legislative provisions mainly to give effect to certain Charbonneau Commission recommendations

Effective date: June 20th, 2018

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

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

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

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

These amendments intend to create this new territory and implement four transitional measures.

First publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec:

• Projet de règlement modifiant le Règlement sur la délivrance des certificats de compétence (in French only)
• Projet de 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 l’embauche et la mobilité des salariés dans l’industrie de la construction (in French only)

Effective date: 10 mars 2016

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

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

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:

• Règlement sur le Fonds de formation des salariés de l’industrie de la construction 

Effective date: March 26, 2015

The regulatory amendments are aimed at countering the effects of labour scarcity on construction sites. The eight proposed measures will make it possible to:

1. Encourage access to the industry for individuals who have relevant work experience
2. Increase opportunities to hire new apprentices 
3. Place a higher value on initial training, with the goal of retaining students in vocational training centres until they obtain their diploma
4. Accelerate the path for apprentices’ access to the status of journeyperson 
5. 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