Quebec is introducing standardized certification and skills upgrading requirements for home inspectors who conduct assessments related to sales transactions. A draft regulation, now open for feedback until September 1, sets out the framework for the new regime, which the provincial Régie du bâtiment will administer.
The regulation arises from enabling legislation adopted in late 2019, giving the Régie authority to set conditions for home inspections, including inspectors’ qualifications. Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia also have similar rules. However, the Quebec government tasked the Bureau de normalization du Québec (BNQ) with developing new standards in consultation with stakeholders rather than relying on the CAN/CSA standard A770 for home inspection that the other three provinces use.
“No association of building inspectors in Quebec had adopted it (CAN/CSA A770), all preferring to continue using their own association rules as to how an inspection should be performed,” background information on the BNQ’s website states. “The BNQ standards committee thus set itself the goal to standardize and enhance the provision of services, while enabling the consumer to really understand the scope of an inspection.”
Quebec’s standards establish two classes of inspectors based on training and experience. Class 1 inspectors must complete at least 600 hours of approved training with both theoretical and practical components, and are restricted to inspecting single-family homes and private interior spaces within co-ownership buildings. Class 2 inspectors will be authorized to inspect multifamily buildings along with single-family residences, but must already possess Class 1 certification, have at least two years working experience and complete at least 180 hours of additional approved training related to large buildings.
The regulation also sets out requirements for liability insurance, record-keeping and continuing education, as well as the vetting process for inspectors with accreditation from other Canadian provinces or territories. As of January 2027, certified inspectors will be required to complete 20 hours of continuing education per two-year period. All other requirements of the regulation are slated to come into effect on October 1, 2024.
