Excavation & Site Preparation Licensing in Quebec

Excavation and site preparation in Quebec is generally treated as construction work. A contractor performing excavation, grading, drainage, or foundation digging that forms part of a construction project generally must hold a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ); the Excavation and earthwork subclass (2.5) covers digging, moving, compacting, and levelling earth and granular materials. Some activities are exempt (for example, simple grass mowing), so confirm whether your specific job requires a licence by checking the contractor's status on the RBQ licence register. Locating buried utilities through Info-Excavation (1-800-663-9228) is mandatory before any dig. Construction-site workers fall under the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) and the Act respecting labour relations in the construction industry (Loi R-20). Trenching, shoring, and confined-space work are governed by CNESST safety regulations. Municipal permits are typically required for grading, drainage, and foundation work.

Verify the contractor's RBQ licence number and subclass on the RBQ Registre des détenteurs de licence, and confirm Info-Excavation locates are booked before any digging begins.

(1) Does not arrange Ontario One Call locates before digging - this is a legal requirement (2) No proof of liability insurance or WSIB coverage for heavy equipment work (3) Ignores trench shoring and safety requirements for deep excavations (4) No written quote covering disposal, restoration, and unforeseen rock or water (5) Cannot explain how permits and grading approvals will be handled

(1) Will you arrange Ontario One Call locates before any digging begins? (2) Do you carry liability insurance and WSIB coverage, and can you show proof? (3) How do you handle unforeseen conditions like rock, water, or unstable soil? (4) Is hauling spoil, backfill, compaction, and final grading included? (5) Will you obtain the required municipal permits, or is that my responsibility?

Yes, excavation & site preparations in Quebec are expected to carry liability insurance.

In Quebec, most contractors performing construction work must hold an RBQ (Régie du bâtiment du Québec) licence. You can verify any contractor's licence on the RBQ's online Licence Holders' Registry at rbq.gouv.qc.ca. Always ask for the licence number and verify it before hiring.

Typical rates for excavation & site preparations in Quebec range from $120-$250/hour (operator plus machine). Soil and rock conditions, water table, depth and volume of the dig, site access for machinery, disposal of excavated material, distance to haul spoil, locate and permit requirements, and whether shoring or dewatering is needed. Rock, high water tables, and tight urban access are the biggest cost drivers and can add several thousand dollars. These are indicative ranges; site-specific factors like rock and water make excavation pricing highly variable, so confirm a firm quote after a site assessment.