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Residential pool safety

Residential pool safety

Since July 1, 2021, the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation, which came into effect in 2010, has been amended by the Quebec government. Among other things, the amendments have made the regulation applicable to all swimming pools in Quebec, regardless of when they were installed.

!! As a result, all owners of swimming pools that can hold 60 cm (24 inches) of water or more, whether in-ground, semi-inground, above-ground, or inflatable, as well as owners of hot tubs with a capacity of 2,000 liters or more, have until September 30 to ensure that their installations comply with current safety standards. !!

To help you assess the compliance of your pool or spa, the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation has created several self-assessment forms. You can click on this link to access the various forms online: self-assessment forms.

Alarming data on the increasing number of drownings in residential pools since the early 2000s and recommendations issued by the Institut national de santé publique du Québec in 2006 led the provincial government to legislate on pool safety.

In 2007, the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act was passed. This act allowed the government to establish uniform safety standards throughout Quebec by regulation. The municipalities are responsible for enforcing these standards.

The Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation came into effect in July 2010. At that time, existing pool owners were granted grandfathering rights, meaning that they were not required to comply with the new regulations.

However, drowning statistics did not decline sufficiently, prompting several coroners to recommend that the government remove these grandfathering rights and require all owners to comply with the regulations.

Following the recommendations made by investigators, regulatory changes were made and came into effect in July 2021.

Owners are now subject to the 2021 regulations.

The September 30 deadline means that, as of that date, owners whose residential pools are not compliant could be fined by the municipality.

Pool enclosures (fences)

With regard to pool enclosures (fences), owners must comply with provincial regulations as well as the City's Zoning Bylaw 2024-215 (section 5.7.6). This bylaw supplements provincial standards and provides additional details. You must therefore ensure that your installation complies with both levels of regulation.

Main requirements

All fence models are authorized by the municipality, provided they meet the following requirements:

  • Be fixed and have no removable sections (see details below);
  • Prevent the passage of a spherical object 10 cm in diameter;
  • Be at least 1.2 m high;
  • Have no fasteners, projections or openwork that could facilitate climbing;
  • Include a door equipped with a passive safety device that closes and locks automatically.

Please note that if you need to install a fence, you will need a certificate of authorization issued by the Department of Urban Planning, Permits, and Inspection.

To know more

If you have any questions about the conformity of your pool, or would like to know what steps to take to remedy the situation, please contact the Urban Planning, Permits and Inspection Department at 450-672-4444 or urbanisme@saint-lambert.ca.

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