Quebec declares residential construction, mining, landscaping as essential services

The Quebec government has declared that home builders, miners, and landscapers are all providing essential services, and as such can return to work despite widespread COVID-19 restrictions.

Premier Francois Legault first announced on April 13 that some residential construction would resume with new guidelines to keep workers safe.

“We’ve ensured, along with public health, that all protocols have been put in place to protect those employees,” Legault said. “Among others, that they must always stay two metres apart from one another. We don’t want to add a housing crisis on top of the one we’re living through now.”

Construction and renovation work on homes that had been slated for completion by July 31 will be allowed to resume April 20.

Building inspections and land surveying for residential construction will also be permitted, and the necessary supply chains will be reopened.

Also on April 13, the Quebec government announced that mining activities can resume on April 15 with new safety and health instructions of their own.