Permit delays: industry calls for urgent modernization of authorization processes in Quebec

Data to document a well-known issue

While permit-issuance delays regularly make headlines, this study measures their scope and consequences for residential project delivery, construction costs, and housing supply.

The study notably highlights:

• The lack of consistent data and the uneven quality of available information, which limit many municipalities’ ability to effectively measure and manage their authorization processes;
• A marked increase in processing times in most cities, despite a relatively stable volume of permits, resulting in higher construction costs and a lack of predictability;
• Increased use of discretionary mechanisms, contributing to a growing number of files whose processing sometimes exceeds 500 days;
• The growing importance of renovation and requalification permits, which accounted for 39% of permits issued in 2024. Expanding the list of work exempt from permits would reduce pressure on municipal services and allow resources to be focused on more complex projects.

Concrete solutions to accelerate projects

The four organizations have retained certain recommendations from the report as promising and likely to improve permit issuance efficiency, and will promote them to municipalities and the government. They notably advocate for maximum processing timelines, better accountability, increased coordination among the various authorities involved, and modernization of processes through digital tools and artificial intelligence.

They also recommend limiting the use of discretionary mechanisms and accelerating approval of compliant projects.

“Delays in permit issuance have become commonplace in some municipalities. This unpredictability around the start of work undermines contractors’ ability to plan and generates additional project costs. In a context of rising construction costs, it is therefore essential that the government, municipalities, and industry partners work together to harmonize administrative procedures and ensure permits are issued within predictable and reasonable timelines,” said Francine Sabourin, Director General of the ACQ.

“Over the past few years, the housing market has changed profoundly. Builders have adapted their business models to meet a wide range of household needs, including the rental market, in every region of Quebec. However, municipalities have not always shown the same agility in responding to these needs: builders still too often face outdated urban planning procedures and regulations. That is why the APCHQ is calling on municipalities to mobilize the necessary human, financial, and technological resources to accelerate the issuance of construction permits and rapidly increase the housing supply,” said Isabelle Demers, Vice-President, Strategic Development, Public Affairs and Innovation at the APCHQ.

“The existing rental housing stock remains the fastest and most affordable way to house Quebecers. However, its aging requires major investments, and permit regulations unnecessarily slow down many types of work. By facilitating housing renovations, we directly help preserve their quality and affordability,” said Éric Sansoucy, spokesperson for CORPIQ.

“The results of this study clearly show that the time required to obtain a building permit is now one of the main obstacles to delivering new housing. Each month of delay translates into thousands of dollars in additional costs per unit, even jeopardizing the feasibility of projects that are more than necessary. Ultimately, future owners and renters will pay more for housing. In a context of affordability crisis, reducing delays could become a first form of subsidy,” added Isabelle Melançon, President and CEO of the IDU.

Read the study (available in French only).