Working in construction in Ontario and Quebec
What you need to know about working in construction if you’re living in Ontario or Quebec and want to work in the other province, and how the Jobs Protection Office (JPO) can help.
Overview
In 2006, the governments of Ontario and Quebec signed the Ontario-Quebec Construction Mobility Agreement.
The agreement allows Ontario and Quebec contractors and workers who perform construction work or transport aggregates (for example, sand or gravel), to access that work more easily, in one province, while they live in the other province.
Jobs Protection Office (JPO)
The Jobs Protection Office, in the Ontario Ministry of Labour, is responsible for overseeing and promoting the agreement, responds to public complaints about construction-related issues and helps:
- Ontario contractors and workers who want to work in construction in Quebec
- monitor Quebec contractors' and workers' compliance with related Ontario laws, while working in Ontario
- Ontario government ministries and construction-related organizations apply and follow the agreement
- Ontario contractors navigate the complexities of the Quebec licensing system
To learn more about the options available to you, Call the JPO at
Before you can work in Quebec
Check to make sure you have the required qualifications, skills or work experience and licensing to:
- bid on construction tenders
- work on a construction project
- transport aggregates such as sand or gravel
Bidding on construction tenders
If you are a contractor who wants to bid on construction work in Quebec, you will likely need a license from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), or in some cases from the licensing organization relevant to your type of work.
Find out:
- how to get a Quebec contractor's license
- which Quebec authorities you need to register with before you start work, if your bid is successful
For help navigating the complexities of the licensing process, contact the JPO.
Read the 2006 agreement to learn more about tendering of construction contracts for Crown corporations or electrical utility corporations.
Working on a construction project
Requirements for workers working on a construction project depends on the type of work you do. Check whether the work you do in Ontario counts/is recognized as a:
- matched trade
- occupation
- activity of trade
- specialized work (or warranty related work)
Learn more about how Quebec recognizes the qualifications, skills or work experience of Ontario workers.
Matched trades
To see if you're eligible, check whether your trade certificate is on the list of matched trades in the agreement.
If you hold a certificate in one of these trades, you can contact the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) directly. You will need to choose one of the trade unions representing workers in Quebec’s construction industry. Contact the JPO for options available to you.
Should your certificate be recognized, you will receive cards from the CCQ. Carry these cards at all times while working in Quebec.
Occupations
To see if you're eligible, check whether
- your trade is on the list of occupations in the agreement
- you have the required number of hours of work experience and/or health and safety training
If you are eligible to work in an occupation, you can contact the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) directly to have your work experience and training recognized. You will also need to choose one of the trade unions representing workers in Quebec’s construction industry. Contact the JPO for options available to you.
Should your work experience and training be recognized, you will receive cards from the CCQ. Carry these cards at all times while working in Quebec.
Activities of trades
To make sure you're eligible, check that you
- have experience in at least one of the activities of a construction trade listed in the agreement
- are not certified in a voluntary trade in Ontario
- you are working for an Ontario employer
To work in activities of trades in Quebec, you must apply to the JPO for a Trade Activity Card. Complete the appropriate application:
- Contractor: online or paper application form
- Worker: online or paper application form
Find out more about the required documentation and process.
If you meet the requirements, the JPO will issue you a Trade Activity Card. Present your Trade Activity Card to the CCQ and choose one of the trade unions representing workers in Quebec’s construction industry.
You must carry both the Trade Activity Card and the CCQ cards at all times when working in Quebec.
Specialized work
To make sure you’re eligible, check that:
- you are working for an Ontario employer
- the work to be performed does not form part of a compulsory trade in Ontario
- that the work is considered “specialized work” as defined under the agreement, meaning:
- it requires expertise on a particular construction technique or product
- 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
To work in Quebec, you must apply to the JPO for a Specialized Work Card. Complete the appropriate application:
- Contractor: online or paper application form
- Worker: online or paper application form
Find out more about the required documentation and process.
If you meet the requirements, the JPO will issue you a Specialized Construction Work Card and have the CCQ review the application and information to ensure they are satisfied that the work meets the criteria.
If the CCQ is not satisfied that the work to be performed is specialized construction work, the JPO will inform the contractor or worker of this decision. At this point, the contractor or worker may contact Ontario's Official Contact for a resolution to the matter.
Ontario contractors and workers must carry both the Specialized Construction Work Card and the CCQ card identifying their representative association at all times.
Transporting aggregates
If you are an Ontario resident, you have access to the bulk trucking brokerage system in Quebec. Read the agreement for more information on bulk trucking.
Concerns, issues and complaints
If you have concerns, issues or complaints about unfairness, discrimination or restrictive practices and are a contractor, worker or aggregate hauler, contact the Jobs Protection Office by:
- telephone at:
1-888-998-9959 (toll free) or613-288-3847 - email: Oqconstruction@ontario.ca
If your issue or complaint cannot be resolved by the JPO, you can use the formal dispute process or have the matter referred to the Bilateral Coordinating Committee. You must contact the Official Contact in writing with the following information:
- the nature of the allegation
- the date and place where the incidents took place
- persons involved
- relevant documents or names of witnesses
- the redress demanded
Harassment
Harassment occurs when a contractor or worker who has the legal right to work on a construction site is intimidated, threatened or challenged in some way. The people doing the harassing may include any of the following:
- contractor
- site supervisor
- worker
- government official
- union representative
Harassment can be verbal or physical and can include repeated, aggressive questioning, offensive gestures or language, or being told to leave a work site and not to return.
If you’re an Ontarian working on a construction site in Quebec, find out what to do and who to call if you are harassed.
Moving to another province
Your Ontario trade certification allows you as a certified worker to practice your trade throughout Canada under the Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).
There are a number of intergovernmental and trade enhancing agreements in place to help with mobility. For more information, review the labour mobility information on the CFTA website.
Contact the JPO
For more information or to discuss concerns, contact the Jobs Protection Office by:
- telephone:
1-888-998-9959 (toll free) or613-288-3847 - email: Oqconstruction@ontario.ca
- mail or in-person appointment:
347 Preston Street, 4th Floor, Suite 430
Ottawa, ON K1S 3J4
Factsheets
- Contractors bidding and working on construction in Quebec
- Dealing with harassment while working in Quebec
- Ontario workers in activities of trades
- Recognition by Quebec of Ontario construction workers
- Workers performing specialized construction work
Application forms for Ontario contractors and workers
Submit the applicable forms below if you wish to work in construction in Quebec.
Specialized work application
To apply for the first time you will need to submit 2 separate forms:
- the business must submit one contractor application
- each worker must submit a worker application
To renew your worker application, submit the worker application only. Contractor applications do not expire so long as they remain valid.
Trade activities application
To apply for the first time you will need to submit 2 separate forms:
- the business must submit one contractor application
- each worker must submit a worker application
To renew your worker application, submit the worker application only. Contractor applications do not expire so long as they remain valid.