New Rules for Apprentices in the Automotive Industry

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The proposed amendments to the Decree respecting the automotive services industry in the Québec region, pursuant to the Act respecting collective agreement decrees, seek to refine the scope, terminology, and operational guidelines of the existing framework. Key modifications include the addition of La Corporation des concessionnaires d’automobiles du Québec inc. to the list of employer contracting parties and the expansion of the decree’s territorial jurisdiction to explicitly encompass the Lévis region. This change is reflected in the renaming of the parity committee to Comité paritaire de l’industrie des services automobiles des régions de Québec et de Lévis.

The Corporation des concessionnaires d’automobiles du Québec (CCAQ) is a non-profit organization that represents the interests of automobile dealerships in Quebec. It serves as a collective voice for dealerships that hold franchises for the sale of new vehicles, including both light vehicles and heavy trucks. The CCAQ is dedicated to supporting its members by advocating for their interests, promoting industry standards, and fostering a strong automotive sector in the province. The organization also plays a significant role in community development, job creation, and economic growth within the automotive industry.

Furthermore, the draft Decree mandates that apprentices working in trades that require a qualification certificate from the parity committee must perform their duties under the supervision of a qualified journeyman in the relevant trade. The amendments also involve minor linguistic adjustments in the French text, replacing “conjoint” with “paritaire” to improve the clarity and consistency.

These revisions are designed to improve the precision and alignment of the regulatory framework, ensuring it reflects both regional and administrative developments. The regulatory impact analysis suggests that the proposed changes will result in an annual cost of approximately $3.1 million, which represents about 1.1% of the total payroll for businesses governed by the decree. However, it is anticipated that this increase in costs will not adversely affect employment levels or the competitiveness of the affected enterprises.

Stakeholders and the general public are encouraged to submit feedback on the draft Decree during the 45-day consultation period. Following the consultation, the amendments may be formally enacted by the Government. These updates aim to improve regulatory clarity while maintaining the operational and economic stability of the automotive services industry in the Québec and Lévis regions.

Quebec (Draft) January 8, 2025