Ontario contractors can now bring their workers into Quebec to do specialized construction work.

Construction work is considered specialized if:

  • It requires expertise on a particular construction technique or product, and
  • The manufacturer's warranty for the technique or product is conditional upon all work being done by a person who has completed the manufacturer's compulsory training program.

It can include trades, activities of trades or occupations for which there is no current measure of access to Quebec.

A contractor who works on site must apply to the Jobs Protection Office (JPO) of the Ministry of Labour (MOL), in Ottawa, to obtain a Specialized Construction Work Card. The process is outlined below.

Ontario construction workers are required to join one of the trade unions that represent workers in Quebec's construction sector. For more information on this requirement, please call the JPO hotline at 1-888-998-9959.

How to obtain a Specialized Construction Work Card

1. Go to the JPO and apply for a Specialized Construction Work Card

The application must include the following:

  • a description of the type of work to be done and how it meets the definition of specialized construction work
  • identification of the special expertise required to do the work
  • proof that the contractor/worker has successfully completed the manufacturer's training program
  • proof that the manufacturer's warranty is conditional upon all work being carried out by a contractor/worker who has successfully completed the manufacturer's compulsory training program
  • proof that the contractor/worker has completed the required occupational health and safety training
  • proof of identification, and
  • recent pay stub, T4 slip or Notice of Assessment.

2. The JPO of the Ministry of Labour will:

  • evaluate the application and issue a Specialized Construction Work Card to an applicant who meets the requirements to perform such work, and
  • send copies of the application and supporting information to the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ).

3. The CCQ will:

  • review the application and information received, and
  • issue a card identifying the trade union chosen, to an Ontario contractor/worker presenting a Specialized Construction Work Card, if it is satisfied that the work to be performed meets the definition of specialized construction work.

If the CCQ is not satisfied that the work to be performed is specialized construction work, the JPO will inform the contractor/worker of this decision. At this point, the contractor/worker may contact Ontario's official contact for a resolution to the matter (see contact information at the end of the fact sheet).

Ontario contractors/workers must carry both the Specialized Construction Work Card and the CCQ card identifying their trade union (representative association) at all times when working in Quebec.

For the purpose of working in Quebec, an Ontario worker with a Specialized Construction Work Card is recognized as a journeyperson.

You can do specialized construction work in Quebec without a Specialized Construction Work Card if one of the following two conditions is met.

  • The work forms part of a trade listed in Attachment 1 (Appendix 1, Table 1 of the agreement) and you hold one of the following certificates in that trade:
    • Interprovincial Red Seal Certificate of Qualification
    • Certificate of Qualification
    • Certificate of Apprenticeship
    • Provisional Certificate of Qualification, or
    • Apprentice Identification Card
  • Or the work forms part of an activity of a trade listed in Attachment 2 and you have the applicable Trade Activity Card.

Further information

For general assistance or information, contact:

Jobs Protection Office of the Ministry of Labour
347 Preston Street, 4th Floor, Suite 430
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 3J4

Tel: 613-288-3847
Toll-free: 1-888-998-9959
Fax: 613-727-2900
E-mail: Oqconstruction@ontario.ca

This fact sheet is provided for your information and convenience only. It is not a legal document. For further information contact the Jobs Protection Office of the Ministry of Labour.

Attachment 1

See Appendix 1, table 1 of the agreement for matched construction trades.

Attachment 2

See Appendix 3 of the agreement for activities of trades.