The Quebec government plans to monitor construction contractors more closely. With Bill 76, it opens the door to an increase and tightening of inspections and fines, in addition to imposing new training.
“This is a bill that will allow us to build better,” summarized the Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet, at a press conference on Wednesday.
The future law would require three inspections on each construction site, including one just before closing the walls, a “crucial step” for detecting defects in electricity and plumbing.
“To carry out these inspections, contractors will have to make a contract with an engineer, an architect, a person, or an organization which will be determined by the Régie du logement du Québec (RBQ),” specified Mr. Boulet.
Why act now? Since 2019, the proportion of inspections during which defects were discovered has increased from 42 to 59%, reports the minister.
It remains unclear as to the categories of buildings that will be affected for the moment, but we know that condominium buildings will be.
New fines, mandatory training
The government would also create a new system of fines for delinquent entrepreneurs, of $500 for individuals and $1,500 for businesses.
There are 53,000 RBQ contractor license holders in Quebec.
The RBQ would also impose new mandatory training on them including notions of administration, project and site management and safety. Once again, it will be up to the RBQ to clarify its content within two years following the sanction of the law.
Another addition: the Régie will introduce a new mediation mechanism during conflicts between manufacturers and insurers, in addition to the already existing arbitrations.
These new control measures come as the government seeks to boost the construction industry.
When asked if this is not counterproductive, Minister Boulet defends himself well. It costs on average 8 to 15 times more to correct errors in construction after the fact than during construction, he argues.
From the outset, “the delays caused by compulsory surveillance would be negligible,” he argued.
The construction sector generated $66 billion in investments in Quebec in 2023, according to data provided by the minister.
This is the second bill presented by Mr. Boulet in the construction sector since the re-election of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ). The previous one aimed in particular to give more flexibility to the industry to stimulate construction.