RBQ glossary: letter P

PAEF (Programme d’accès à l’égalité des femmes dans l’industrie de la construction)

The program for women’s equal access to the construction industry, run by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ). It aims to support women’s access to and participation in the industry, in an inclusive and respectful workplace. The CCQ had the 2015-2024 version evaluated and is preparing the next action plan with employer associations, unions and the government. At the safety management exam, the topic falls under the module on sustainable development on site.

See also: Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ), Psychological harassment (harcèlement psychologique), Sustainable development

Safety management examSource: CCQ, building a more inclusive construction industry, 2026 (French)

Part 9 of the NBC (partie 9 du CNB)

The part of Division B of the National Building Code on housing and small buildings. Whether it applies depends on the building’s major occupancy, building height and building area. Other buildings fall under the other parts of Division B, in particular Part 3 on fire protection, occupant safety and accessibility. Subclass 1.2 (small buildings) is defined by reference to Part 9, without regard to the exemptions in s. 1.04 of the Construction Code (r. 9, Schedule I).

See also: National Building Code of Canada (Code national du bâtiment, CNB), Classification by major occupancy (classement selon l’usage principal), Subclass (sous-catégorie), Annexe I (general subclasses)

RBQ licence 1.2 vs 1.3Project and site management examSource: LégisQuébec, B-1.1, r. 9, annexe I

Pass mark

60% for contractor and owner-builder exams, according to the RBQ’s information sheets and instructions page. Section 17 of the regulation requires the pass mark without printing a percentage. The 75% you sometimes see applies to the home-inspector exam, a different exam.

RBQ exam formatSource: RBQ, examinations: instructions and results

Performance bond (cautionnement d’exécution)

A surety’s undertaking to the owner that guarantees the contractor’s performance of the contract. If the contractor defaults, the owner can turn to the surety, up to the bond amount. A public body must require it, together with the labour and material payment bond, for a contract estimated at $2,000,000 or more. It is not the same as the licence bond the RBQ requires.

See also: Labour and material payment bond (cautionnement des obligations pour gages, matériaux et services), Tender security (garantie de soumission), Licence bond

Project and site management examSource: LégisQuébec, C-65.1, r. 5, art. 11

Personalized rate (taux personnalisé)

The rating method for medium and large businesses, based on the amount of their premium: their rate departs from their unit’s rate according to their own experience (LATMP, s. 305). The CNESST compares the cost of the injuries in the employer’s file with that of employers in the same unit, over a 4-year period. Prevention and a quick return to work can therefore lower the premium, and costly injuries can raise it.

See also: Unit of classification (unité de classification), Retrospective adjustment of the assessment (régime rétrospectif), Prevention mutual (mutuelle de prévention), Imputation of costs (imputation des coûts)

Safety management examSource: CNESST, rating of medium and large businesses (French)

Plan, organize, direct, control (PODC)

The four basic functions of management. Planning sets the objectives and the means to reach them. Organizing assigns tasks, people, money and equipment, and directing guides and motivates staff. Controlling compares results with objectives and corrects any gaps.

See also: Business plan (plan d’affaires), Budget variance (écart budgétaire), Forecast budget (budget prévisionnel)

Administration examSource: RBQ, Administration competency profile, element 8 (French)

Plans and specifications (plans et devis)

The set of documents that describe the project: the plans show it in drawings, by discipline (architecture, structure, mechanical, electrical, civil), and the specifications describe it in writing. They are the basis for the call for tenders, the tender and then the work itself. The contract documents set an order of precedence that settles any conflict between a drawing and the specifications, so checking that they agree is part of the job.

See also: Specifications (devis), Shop drawings (dessins d’atelier), Addendum (addenda), Construction Code, chapter I (Building)

Project and site management examSource: RBQ, Project and site management competency profile, element 7 (French)

Prevention mechanisms specific to construction sites (mécanismes de prévention)

The prevention and participation tools a site must set up according to the number of construction workers expected at the same time: prevention program and health and safety representative (10), job-site committee (20), health and safety coordinator (100, or based on the total cost of the work). These rules have applied since January 1, 2023. The details are in the Regulation respecting prevention mechanisms specific to construction sites (S-2.1, r. 8.2).

See also: Site prevention program, Job-site committee (comité de chantier), Health and safety representative (représentant en santé et en sécurité), Health and safety coordinator (coordonnateur en santé et en sécurité)

Safety management examThe site prevention programSource: LégisQuébec, S-2.1, r. 8.2, art. 1

Prevention mutual (mutuelle de prévention)

A group of employers that commit together to a prevention and return-to-work approach, under an agreement with the CNESST (LATMP, s. 284.2). Each member must, among other things, apply a prevention program and review its health and safety actions every year. In return, the group is rated at a personalized rate based on the results of all members, with first effects from the second year.

See also: Personalized rate (taux personnalisé), CNESST assessment (cotisation), Site prevention program

Safety management examSource: CNESST, joining a prevention mutual (French)

Principal contractor (maître d’œuvre)

On a construction site, the person responsible for carrying out all the work. Under section 198 of the occupational health and safety Act (LSST), before work starts, they must have a site prevention program drawn up, with the employers, when at least 10 construction workers will be on site at the same time.

Safety management examSource: LégisQuébec, S-2.1

Priority processing

A paid option to have a licence application processed faster. In 2026, a new licence costs $1,698.84 (general) or $1,256.56 (specialized) with priority processing, against $1,291.69 and $849.41 with regular processing. Exam fees do not change.

RBQ licence fee calculatorHow long to get an RBQ licenceSource: RBQ, contractor fees (French)

Professional file (dossier professionnel)

Another way to have your competency assessed, listed in the RBQ fee table, separate from the exam and from the two s. 20 exemptions. It costs $877.49 per management field or per subclass (2026 fee). Check the conditions with the RBQ before choosing it.

RBQ licence fee calculatorSource: RBQ, contractor fees (French)

Progress billing (décompte progressif)

A payment claim the contractor submits at regular intervals during the work, based on the value of the work done and of the materials needed for it. The Civil Code allows these partial payments if the contract provides for them, provided the contractor first gives the client a statement of the amounts paid and still owed to its subcontractors, suppliers and other participants (art. 2122). The Office québécois de la langue française also uses the term décompte périodique.

See also: Holdback (retenue contractuelle), Subcontractor (sous-traitant), Contract of enterprise (contrat d’entreprise)

Project and site management examSource: LégisQuébec, C.C.Q., art. 2122

Protective re-assignment (retrait préventif)

The right of a worker whose health shows signs of deterioration from exposure to a contaminant to ask for other duties, by giving the employer the certificate prescribed by the CNESST (LSST, s. 32). If the re-assignment is not made right away, the worker may stop working (s. 35). The employer then pays the regular wage rate for the first 5 working days, after which the worker receives the income replacement indemnity (s. 36).

See also: Re-assignment of a pregnant worker (retrait préventif de la travailleuse enceinte), Income replacement indemnity (indemnité de remplacement du revenu), Right to refuse (droit de refus)

Safety management examSource: LégisQuébec, S-2.1, art. 32

Psychological harassment (harcèlement psychologique)

Repeated vexatious behaviour, in the form of hostile or unwanted words, gestures or conduct, that affects an employee’s dignity or integrity and makes the work environment harmful (s. 81.18 of the Act respecting labour standards). Conduct of a sexual nature is included, and a single serious incident can be enough. The employer must prevent harassment, stop it and adopt a policy on prevention and complaint handling (s. 81.19), which also applies on construction sites.

See also: Act respecting labour standards (Loi sur les normes du travail), Charter of human rights and freedoms (Charte des droits et libertés de la personne), Act to modernize the occupational health and safety system (LMRSST)

Administration examSource: LégisQuébec, N-1.1, art. 81.18

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