General Construction Licensing in Quebec

All construction contractors in Quebec must hold the appropriate RBQ licence. This includes general contractors (11 subclasses) and specialized contractors (49 subclasses). The RBQ verifies competence through evaluation of safety management, administrative management, and construction work management skills. A licence security of $40,000 for general contractors or $20,000 for specialized contractors is required. New residential builders holding subclass 1.1.1 or 1.1.2 must be accredited with the Garantie de construction résidentielle (GCR), which provides mandatory warranty coverage for new homes. The GCR covers detached, semi-detached, and row-type single-family dwellings and multifamily buildings of two to five units. On regulated construction sites, workers must hold appropriate CCQ competency certificates.

Ask for the contractor's RBQ licence number and verify it on the online Licence Holders' Registry. For new home construction, verify the builder is GCR-accredited at garantiegcr.com.

(1) Building new homes without an HCRA licence, which is illegal in Ontario (2) No detailed written contract specifying scope, timeline, payment schedule, and warranty (3) Requests more than 10-15% as a deposit before work begins (4) Cannot provide references or refuses to let you visit completed projects (5) Does not pull building permits or suggests skipping them to save money

(1) Are you licensed with the HCRA (for new home construction) and do you carry full liability insurance? (2) Can you provide a detailed written contract with scope, fixed-price or cost-plus terms, timeline, and warranty? (3) What is your payment schedule, and is it tied to completed milestones? (4) Will you pull all necessary building permits and manage the inspection process? (5) Can I speak with references from your last three completed projects of similar scope?

Yes, general constructions 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 general constructions in Quebec range from $70-$150/hour (labour); projects quoted per job or per sq ft. Project scope and complexity, square footage, material selections (standard vs. premium finishes), site conditions and accessibility, permit and development charges, engineering and architectural fees, number of subcontracted trades involved, and current material costs (lumber, steel, concrete). GTA and Ottawa projects run 15-25% higher than smaller Ontario communities. Custom homes with unique features cost more per square foot. Tariff impacts on imported materials (steel, specialty products) have increased costs in 2025-2026.