Quebec construction holiday: 5 things to know about the tradition

It’s 1 of Quebec’s galore idiosyncrasies that successful nan canine days of summer, erstwhile everyone wishes they were connected holiday, virtually nan full building manufacture and a bully chunk of nan remainder of nan state adjacent up shop for 2 weeks.

On Sunday, Quebec’s yearly building vacation will officially begin. It’s a 50-year-old contented unsocial to nan state that has a awesome effect connected nan region’s tourism manufacture — and connected its roads.

Here are 5 things to cognize astir nan building holiday.

It started much than half a period ago

In 1970, nan Quebec authorities mandated 2 weeks of summertime picnic for building workers crossed nan province. The decree went into effect during nan summertime of 1971.

“This ensures amended co-ordination connected building sites and among nan different trades that must often beryllium coming astatine nan aforesaid clip to support nan hit of work,” said Johanne Brunet, a nationalist affairs advisor astatine nan Quebec building commission. “It allows for a amended synergy of work.”

These days, nan obligatory two-week picnic is enshrined successful nan building industry’s corporate agreements.

A batch of group will spell connected vacation

This year, almost 200,000 building workers will beryllium connected vacation from July 21 to Aug. 3, and will person much than $647 cardinal successful picnic pay, according to nan building commission.

The two-week break besides has a ripple effect crossed nan economy. Brunet said astir 28 per cent of Quebec’s organization will return picnic during nan building holiday, much than half of whom will walk their clip disconnected successful nan province.

A 2023 Quebec authorities study recovered that Quebec City and nan adjacent Charlevoix region were nan astir celebrated tourer destinations for group travelling wrong nan province.

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It’s partially a mobility of safety

The two-week vacation comes astatine nan hottest clip of nan year, Brunet explained. “It’s much and much of a wellness and information rumor pinch ambiance change,” she said. “It’s to springiness workers a break, because now, much and more, it’s not only those 2 weeks that are hot.”

There are exceptions

About 80 per cent of nan building workforce will beryllium connected holiday, but roadworthy work, civilian engineering, emergency repairs and renovations tin continue.

Brunet said Quebec’s building manufacture is affected by an ongoing labour shortage, and workers person put successful much than 200 cardinal hours successful each of nan past 2 years.

There’s a 2nd yearly building vacation successful nan winter, which stretches complete Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The roads tin beryllium dangerous

Because of each nan group heading retired connected picnic astatine nan aforesaid time, nan province’s automobile security committee — Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec — is informing astir a spike successful car accidents astatine this clip of year.

Every twelvemonth during nan building holiday, an mean of 19 group are killed connected nan road, nan agency says. Another 83 group are earnestly injured and 1,466 group person insignificant injuries.