LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Laws

Jul 14: The federal government awarded over $17 million in support to 12 forest sector transformation projects across Québec. The projects include undertakings to develop low-carbon technologies, support Indigenous participation in forest-sector businesses, increase manufacturers’ capacity to add value to wood products, and diversify export markets. Québec is home to Canada’s largest forest sector, employing nearly 60,000 people.

New Laws

Jul 14: Québec and Alberta signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of AI to modernize government services and improve cybersecurity. While the two provinces have been working together on AI for years, the new MOU provides a framework for collaboration via establishing a joint steering committee made up of two representatives from each province charged with developing a shared work plan.

Action Point: Find out how to guard against AI legal and liability risks by implementing a legally sound workplace artificial intelligence use policy.

New Laws

Jul 6: From now on, Québec ministries and agencies that regulate businesses will have to offset each new administrative requirement by eliminating one or two existing requirements. The government will create a single, public registry of business forms to better track regulatory paperwork requirements. New administrative forms will also be made available online before they come into effect.

New Laws

Jul 6: After 20 years, Québec officially ended the moratorium on the expansion of agricultural land. The new Regulation respecting agri-environmental practices (RPAE) allows the cultivation of new agricultural land, for an additional potential of up to 200,000 hectares, subject to conditions aimed at protecting natural environments, waterways, and biodiversity.

New Laws

Jul 17: The newly renewed Québec Fisheries Fund agreement provides for $50 million in combined government support for the province’s fisheries and aquaculture industry through March 2031. That’s a 25% increase over the previous agreement with the provincial government’s contribution share rising from 30% to 40%. Companies will be able to apply for financial assistance under the Fund starting on September 1.

New Laws

Jul 15: Québec’s new regulatory framework for mineral exploration and mining activities officially took effect, including the new regulations governing the appointment of a representative in cases of joint ownership of a mining right, the financial contribution for non-exclusive leases for the exploitation of surface mineral substances (restoration of sand and gravel pits), and the standards for provisional financial guarantees.

New Laws

Jun 25: Canada Economic Development (CED) will provide $33,996,687 in funding for 52 businesses and organizations in Québec’s biofood sector. The money will enable businesses and organizations to integrate new technologies, improve their processes, increase their productivity, and develop innovative solutions and products while also creating over 3,400 jobs in the province.

Training

Jul 9: Effective today, Ontarians seeking to settle in Québec must pass practical driving tests demonstrating their competence to drive a heavy vehicle to exchange their Class 1 heavy vehicle driver's licence. The requirement applies to all drivers with less than 24 months of Class 1 driving experience. After failing the practical tests twice, they’ll have to complete mandatory training. The province has also established a working group to develop a coordinated approach to strengthening road safety requirements for temporary foreign workers driving vehicles.

Workplace Violence

Jun 22: After systematically reviewing 10 domestic violence incidents resulting in 16 deaths, the Québec Coroner's Office's Domestic Violence Death Review Committee published a new report making 13 recommendations to raise awareness of and prevent domestic violence deaths in the province.

Action Point: Domestic violence becomes an OHS issue and liability risk for employers when it happens at the victim’s workplace. Find out how to protect your employees from the risk of workplace domestic violence.

Workplace Violence

Jul 17: Under a newly renewed agreement with Ottawa, the federal government will provide $5.5 million over the next five years to support Québec's efforts to combat domestic violence, sexual violence, homophobia, and transphobia. With another $200,000 from the province, eight organizations will receive a total of nearly $5.7 million for operating national or regional helplines serving domestic violence victims.

Action Point: Are you doing enough to protect your employees against violence at work? Find out about the 10 things you must do to prevent workplace violence.

Health & Safety

August 10: August 10 is the effective date for OHS Safety Code for construction work amendments governing use of personal fall protection during the assembly or dismantling of a metal structure, including metal bridging work. Highlights: New requirement to have an engineer's plan meeting CSA Z259.13 and Z259.16 when using a flexible continuous anchorage system for that type of work, clarification of the standards for movement limitation system arrest links, and updates to required lighting levels.

Workers’ Compensation

Jun 30: Newly proposed regulations modernize the framework governing health services covered by workers’ compensation. Among other things, the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) would create a distinction between professions with regard to fee increases and introduce new reimbursement conditions for certain treatments.

CASES

Drugs & Alcohol: No Duty to Accommodate Safety-Sensitive Worker Who Declines Help

A mobile equipment technician returning from a drug-related disability leave admitted to smoking pot the night before taking his return-to-work drug test. Not surprisingly, he tested positive for cannabis. Two weeks later, he got a second chance but tested positive for benzodiazepines contained in the legally prescribed Atavin medication he told his employer about. The company gave him another week to get rid of the Atavin and come back for a retest. Even though he admitted to using cannabis a few days earlier, the test came back negative and the technician was allowed to return to work that day subject to random testing going forward. Seven months later, he failed a drug test after admitting to consuming cannabis the previous evening. So, the company terminated his employment. The Québec arbitrator upheld the decision. It should have been clear to the company that the technician was struggling with a drug dependency and that reasonable accommodation was in order. While not pursuing full medical evaluation, the company did at least offer him help, noted the arbitrator citing the HR manager’s testimony that “I told him that we would be there to support and help him if he needed it” the way it had when the technician first went on disability leave. In that situation, the technician accepted help leading to his successful rehabilitation. But this time he chose not to take advantage of the offer, thinking he could solve his cannabis problem by himself. At that point, the company’s duty to accommodate ended and termination became justified [United Steelworkers Local 5778 v. ArcelorMittal Mining Canada, 2026 CanLII 70757 (QC SAT), July 9, 2026].

Action Point: Drug addiction is recognized as a disability for which employers must make reasonable accommodations to the point of undue hardship. The two takeaways from this case: i. Employers have a duty to inquire whether employees who admit or show signs of drug use are addicts or casual users and offer accommodation in the former case; ii. The obligation to accommodate ends when an employer offers and the employee refuses help. Find out how far employers must go to accommodate an employee’s drug addiction.

Workplace Violence: OK to Fire Worker on Last-Chance Agreement for Violent Outburst       

An operations clerk admitted to kicking and damaging two filing cabinets but blamed his actions on the stressful conditions inside the crusher cab where he worked and promised never lose his self-control again. What might otherwise have been a satisfactory explanation was, however, unavailing because the clerk had already been suspended 14 days for similar conduct and was allowed to return only after signing a last-chance agreement promising to keep his nose clean for 270 days or face termination. As a result, the Québec arbitrator ruled that the employer had just cause to terminate. The last-chance agreement was clear and fair and the union and operator understood what they were doing when they signed it [Quebec Iron Ore Inc. v. United Steelworkers, Local 9996, 2026 CanLII 53076 (QC SAT), June 1, 2026].

Action Point: The key to this case is that the clerk had a history of violent outbursts and was on a last chance agreement when he erupted again. Find out how to implement a legally sound and effective Workplace Violence Prevention Game Plan at your site.