Residential swimming pools – Extension of the deadline granted to owners
The Minister of Municipal Affairs announces her intention to extend the deadline to comply with the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation in an effort to help residents
QUEBEC CITY, September 19, 2025 — Geneviève Guilbault, the Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, announced earlier today her intention to push back the deadline for pool owners to comply with the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation by at least one year.
In the interim, the Minister plans to come up with solutions to facilitate the application of the regulation in response to concerns expressed by a number of residents and will work with municipal representatives, many of whom have called for more flexibility in enforcing the regulation.
The safety of all residential swimming pools is paramount. However, in some cases, the strict standards that have been set out can cause significant problems for pool owners, without having a tangible impact in terms of improved safety.
As a result, a short grace period will be granted to pool owners, and no fines for non-compliance will be levied before fall 2026.
Quote:
“Even before I became Minister of Municipal Affairs, many citizens and municipal officials had expressed to me their confusion, irritation and exasperation regarding the rigidity of the standards applicable under the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation. The obligation to comply by September 30, 2025, less than two weeks away, is also impossible for many of them. I have therefore made this file my top priority, so that I can quickly confirm a postponement before the deadline. Given my very recent arrival at Municipal Affairs, I will take the time to present my solutions to municipal representatives. The goal here is to be pragmatic and show common sense.”
Geneviève Guilbault, Minister of Municipal Affairs
Key facts:
- The overriding objective of the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation is to prevent young children from gaining access to residential swimming pools. This is to be achieved through the use of such measures as the installation of an enclosure fitted with a self-closing and self-latching safety gate.
- This regulation applies to all outdoor residential swimming pools, whether they are inground, semi-inground, aboveground or portable (inflatable or otherwise).
- Municipalities are responsible for enforcing the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation and issuing permits to build or install swimming pools or any related structures (fences, patios, platforms, etc.).
- Eight coroners’ reports on drownings that have occurred since 2011 have recommended that provincial regulations be amended to make safety rules applicable to existing swimming pools.
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