Quebec pool owners get reprieve as government delays safety rules deadline

Quebec pool owners were given more time to meet strict new safety rules after mounting pressure on the provincial government.

Municipal Affairs Minister Geneviève Guilbault confirmed that the Sept. 30, 2025 deadline would be pushed back by a year, promising to introduce legislation this fall to formalize the change.

“Several citizens and municipal officials had expressed their confusion, their frustration and their exasperation about the rigidity of the rules,” she said in a statement to CTV News. “Given my recent arrival in this role, I will take the time to present my solutions to municipal representatives. The goal is to be pragmatic and use common sense.”

Under the regulation, all residential pools — in-ground, above-ground under 1.2 metres, and temporary pools under 1.4 metres — must be surrounded by a compliant fence at least 1.2 metres high. Non-compliant owners would face minimum fines of $500.

The rules, introduced to reduce the risk of child drownings, prompted a wave of complaints this summer.

Pool owners push back

For many homeowners, the financial and logistical burden felt overwhelming.

In Châteauguay, Lori-Ann Legault said the looming deadline left her and her husband exhausted.

“We had a lot of arguments and sleepless nights over this,” she said. “There’s uncertainty, inflating costs, inconvenience — there’s a true hardship here for us all.”

The retiree noted that no subsidies were offered to offset the cost of upgrades, which can easily run into the thousands of dollars.

“My 64-year-old husband and I are now looking at building a fence next week, because there’s simply not enough labour available,” she said. “Even if we do the work ourselves, it’s going to cost several thousand dollars.”

Legault said they had explored all options — from hiring contractors to sourcing materials — but found both were scarce due to high demand.

“We’ve spent 28 years trying to perfect our little piece of the pie here, now I’ve got to put out a lot of money, which we saved for retirement,” she said. “It feels like we’re being forced to deface a property we’ve worked on for so many years.”

Her frustration also stemmed from a sense of unfairness.

“Why is it only pool owners in Quebec?” she asked. “My land is fenced in, I have no children around, and yet I’m stuck worrying about this being jammed down my throat.”

A rush for contractors

The regulation also created a surge in demand for pool fence installers — and a backlog many said was impossible to clear before the original deadline.

Mathieu Lalonde, president of Enfant Sécure, a company that provides pool fences, said business has quadrupled over the last two years.

“We’re receiving probably 100 calls per day, and many of them are reaching out for information because people just don’t understand the regulation,” he said. “The demand has been crazy for us.”

Lalonde said his crews are already nearly booked up through 2025, and some materials won’t be available until 2026.

While the delay gave customers breathing room, it also led some to hit pause on projects.

“We’ve already started receiving calls from people who want to postpone or cancel their installation,” he said. “It’s also a financial decision for many, because the new law has put a lot of stress on people at a time when people are struggling to make ends meet.”

Lalonde argued the government should do more to explain the rules and give homeowners clear guidance ahead of the new deadline.

A wait for clarity

With the government’s announcement, homeowners will avoid fines until at least the fall of 2026, provided the new law is passed by the National Assembly.

For Legault, the delay was welcome but not enough.

“We want to be heard, and we want things to be clear for everybody,” she said.

She said the challenge wasn’t only about finding the funds or sourcing scarce materials — and believes the regulation intruded on her right to enjoy her property after decades of investment and care.

“It’s wrong for the province t o require all of us to do this when swimming pools are only in use three months out of the year — and that’s if we’re lucky,” said Legault.

She hopes the government’s decision to delay will open the door to more flexibility.