Why is it so difficult for Ontario contractors to work in Quebec?

Three years ago, Alec Caldwell posted a really good question…

WHY is it SO difficult for an Ontario contractor to work in Quebec?

A Montreal contractor thinks he knows why, as follows…

My take on the issue of why it’s more difficult for Ontario contractors to work in Quebec than the other way around is quite simple. If the ultimate goal is to assure quality construction, safe working conditions, etc., one would be hard pressed to produce statistical evidence that Ontario and Quebec are any different in any category chosen.

Logically, then one might assume that the reasons for the harshly different regulations are totally unrelated to the quality of the workmanship, safety issues, etc., but rather to some bureaucratic body(s) or organization(s) that prefer to disguise their real agendas under the pretext of “in the best interests of the entire Quebec construction industry and consumers.”

Where you will find a significant statistical difference between Quebec and Ontario is the number of people employed in the excessively large number and various syndicates, government bureaucracies, and construction related organizations in Quebec. They are all making a very comfortable living and very interested in not sharing a piece of the lucrative pie that corrupted governments have allowed to be baked because it smells and tastes really good to those at the trough (sorry, I meant table).

Tim Goforth, Montreal