The Gouvernement du Québec issued O.C. 929-2025 which amends the Decree respecting the installation of petroleum equipment. This amendment process was initiated under the authority of the Act respecting collective agreement decrees and followed the necessary legal procedures, including consultation and notification of the contracting parties, publication of the draft decree, and the required waiting period before enactment.

The amendments introduced several notable changes to the existing decree. Firstly, the decree’s definitions were updated to explicitly include a reference to the “parity committee,” defined as the Comité paritaire de l’installation d’équipement pétrolier du Québec. The section was also restructured by removing paragraph numbers and organizing the paragraphs alphabetically for clarity.

Regarding work conditions, one amendment clarified that travel time required for an employee to reach the job site before the regular workday and to return home afterward is not considered part of the regular workday and is therefore unpaid.

The decree also amended holiday provisions by allowing employers the option to designate either Good Friday or Easter Monday as the Easter holiday. Employers must inform employees of the chosen holiday at least one month in advance, and the selected holiday applies uniformly to all employees. This amendment introduces flexibility in scheduling public holidays, potentially aligning better with operational needs.

A significant new section was added concerning absences due to illness, accidents, or family and parental reasons. Starting January 1 each year, employees with at least three months of uninterrupted service are entitled to three paid days of absence for such reasons. The indemnity covers the employee’s regular salary for the hours normally worked on the day of absence and is payable from the first day of absence. Unused absence days as of December 31 must be compensated no later than the final pay period in January of the following year. Employees who have not yet reached three months of service by January 1 become eligible for these paid absences upon completion of the three-month period. The possibility to divide these absence days is subject to employer approval.

Several amendments relate to financial compensation and benefits. The monetary amount in section 7.01 was increased from $0.49 to $0.68, and meal allowances referenced in section 7.05 were raised from $14 and $16 to $20, contingent on voucher presentation. Furthermore, a new provision was added to address employees who must reside away from home in remote locations without lodging options, such as camps in industrial, mining, or logging sites. These employees do not qualify for the meal allowances but are entitled to a remoteness premium of $20 per day, recognizing the unique challenges of remote work environments.

Quebec (929/2025) July 23, 2025
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