The 2024 Construction Holidays: Everything You Need To Know
Publié le 22 July 2024
The 2024 construction holidays in Québec are about to begin, here is everything you need to know about this annual tradition.
There is an old joke that there are two seasons in Canada: winter and construction.
The most surprising thing is that this is not entirely incorrect, construction is such an important season that entire industries have structured themselves around it. Summer brings the 2024 construction holidays in the province of Québec, starting on July 21st and ending August 3rd. While this period is not an official statutory holiday in the province, the construction holidays play an important role in the summer vacation of many Québec workers, and is not limited to those who work in construction.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 construction holidays in Québec.
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What Are the Construction Holidays?
The construction holidays typically refer to a two-week period from the end of July to the beginning of August in Québec. During this time, most of the provincial construction industry shuts down and its employees take a vacation. It has grown into an unofficial holiday for people outside of the construction industry, with an estimated 150,000 people taking a work vacation from work during the summer 2024 construction holidays.
There is also a second two-week construction holiday in the winter, starting in December and ending in January.
The practice began in 1970, when the Québec provincial government made an agreement with provincial labour leaders in the construction industry. During these two weeks in the summer, more than $550 million in vacation pay is issued as workers enjoy a break. Over the past 54 years, this has evolved into an annual tradition for many people who work in industries outside of construction.
When Are The 2024 Construction Holidays?
The summer 2024 construction holidays will take place from July 21st to August 3rd. During these two weeks, the majority of construction sites throughout the province will be shut down and an estimated 80% of the industry workforce will be on vacation. Many Québec workers in other industries choose to take their summer vacation around this same time period.
Are There Winter 2024 Construction Holidays?
Yes. There is an additional period of construction holidays which occurs during the winter months. The winter 2024 construction holidays will take place from December 22nd, 2024 to January 4th, 2025.
Is It A Paid Holiday?
It is only officially a paid holiday for those who are employed in the construction industry, per agreement between the labour unions and the province of Québec. Here’s how it works for construction workers:
The Commission de la Construction du Québec (CCQ) receives mandatory annual vacation pay from employers each month throughout the year. In total, these amounts represent 13% of the wages earned each week by construction workers.
This 13% is distributed as follows:
- Annual leave: 6%
- Non-working public holidays: 5.5%
- Sick leave: 1.5%
The CCQ pays employees these indemnities twice a year, during the construction holidays.
When Are Employees Paid?
There are two possible options for when employees can receive their construction holidays payment:
- The last eight days of June for payment credited between July and December of the previous year.
- The last eight days of November for Payment credited between January and June of the same year.
What About People Not Working In The Construction Industry?
For the thousands of people in other industries who take their holidays during this period, they must arrange paid or unpaid holidays per their contractual requirements with their employer. Paid time off is a legal requirement for full-time employees in Canada, like minimum wage. Many employers offer beyond the minimum required amount of PTO as an additional employee benefit to attract qualified job applicants.
While it is often referred to as a benefit, time off from work is more than simply a fun perk. This time away is important for the physical, mental and emotional well-being of employees. Overwork has serious consequences, and can easily lead to burnout and exhaustion. Employees should always fully use their time off, and should be encouraged to do so by employers in order to have a refreshed workforce ready to perform at their best upon their return.
Now that you have everything you need to know about the 2024 construction holidays in Québec, you can start planning your next fun vacation away from the workplace.
