Surveying Services Licensing in Quebec

Land surveying is a regulated profession in Quebec under the Land Surveyors Act and the Professional Code. Only members of the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec (OAGQ) may perform cadastral (boundary) surveys, prepare legal survey plans, and provide opinions on property boundaries. Becoming an arpenteur-géomètre requires a Bachelor of Science in Geomatics or Surveying Engineering, successful completion of a professional internship supervised by the OAGQ, and passing professional examinations. French language competency is required under the Charter of the French Language. The OAGQ ensures public protection through competency control, professional inspection, continuing education, and a disciplinary process.

Verify the surveyor is a current member of the OAGQ through their online directory at oagq.qc.ca.

(1) The person performing the survey is not a licensed Ontario Land Surveyor (OLS) (2) Provides a 'sketch' or 'location certificate' instead of a proper signed and sealed survey plan (3) Quotes an unusually low price without visiting the site or reviewing existing records (4) Cannot provide their OLS licence number for verification with AOLS

(1) Are you a licensed Ontario Land Surveyor (OLS)? What is your licence number? (2) What type of survey do I need for my specific situation? (3) What is included in your fee, and are there potential additional costs? (4) How long will it take from booking to receiving the completed survey plan? (5) Will you plant iron bars to mark the boundary corners?

Yes, surveying services 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 surveying services in Quebec range from $175-$300/hour. Type of survey required (boundary, topographic, mortgage, severance), property size and complexity, terrain and vegetation (heavily wooded or steep sites take longer), urban vs. rural location, availability of existing survey records, number of boundary corners to establish, whether iron bars need to be planted, municipal requirements for development applications, and travel distance for rural properties. Toronto and GTA surveys cost 20-30% more than smaller communities due to higher demand and property complexity.