RBQ glossary: letter N

National Building Code of Canada (Code national du bâtiment, CNB)

A model code published by the National Research Council of Canada, with technical requirements for the design and construction of new buildings and for the alteration, change of use and demolition of existing ones. It applies in Québec because Chapter I of the Construction Code incorporates it by reference, with amendments (s. 1.01). The incorporated edition has been the NBC 2020 since April 17, 2025, but the exam sheets still name the NBC 2015, as amended, as the provided document.

See also: Construction Code, chapter I (Building), Part 9 of the NBC (partie 9 du CNB), Classification by major occupancy (classement selon l’usage principal), Energy efficiency chapter (chapitre I.1, efficacité énergétique)

Which building code for the RBQ examProject and site management examSource: LégisQuébec, B-1.1, r. 2, art. 1.01

National Master Specification (Devis directeur national, DDN)

A library of master specification sections for the design and construction of buildings and infrastructure, owned by the National Research Council of Canada and offered in English and French. Its sections are numbered and grouped into divisions following MasterFormat, and each prescriptive section follows a three-part structure. The specification writer edits the sections chosen to produce the specifications for a given project.

See also: Specifications (devis), Plans and specifications (plans et devis)

Project and site management examSource: NRC, National Master Specification overview

Net profit margin (marge bénéficiaire nette)

A profitability ratio that divides a fiscal year’s net profit by the same year’s sales, expressed as a percentage. The exam profile calls it net return on sales (rendement net sur les ventes). A 4% margin means 4 cents of profit remain for every dollar billed, once expenses are paid.

See also: Income statement (état des résultats), Budget variance (écart budgétaire), Working capital (fonds de roulement)

Administration examSource: RBQ, Administration competency profile, element 7 (French)

Notice of contract (dénonciation de contrat)

The written notice by which a subcontractor or supplier that did not deal directly with the owner informs the owner of its contract. Its legal hypothec covers only the work, materials or services supplied after that notice (art. 2728 of the Civil Code). A workman does not need to give notice. Hence the value of giving notice as soon as one starts on the project.

See also: Legal construction hypothec (hypothèque légale de la construction), Subcontractor (sous-traitant), Accounts payable (comptes fournisseurs)

Administration examSource: LégisQuébec, C.C.Q., art. 2728

Notice of opening of a construction site (avis d’ouverture de chantier)

A written notice the principal contractor sends to the CNESST when activities on a site begin, followed by a notice of closing at the end (LSST, s. 197). The Safety Code for the construction industry sets the timing: the opening notice goes out at least 10 days before activities start, except for a major construction site, which has its own rules (S-2.1, r. 4, s. 2.4.1). The notice gives, among other things, the site address, the nature of the site, its expected duration and the expected number of workers.

See also: Principal contractor (maître d’œuvre), Safety Code for the construction industry (Code de sécurité pour les travaux de construction), Construction site (chantier de construction)

Safety management examSource: LégisQuébec, S-2.1, r. 4, art. 2.4.1

Definitions written by RBQexam from the statutes and the RBQ’s pages, without reproducing their text. If in doubt, the official source prevails.