Quebecers have until September 30 to set up a fence around their swimming pool. It is on this date that the residential swimming pool safety regulations, adopted in 2021. And no need to go into debt to make your swimming pool compliant: the regulations offer more latitude than some owners had initially understood.
The obligation to install a fence applies to all private swimming pools over 60 centimeters deep and the swirl baths or thermal tanks of more than 2000 liters.
Residential swimming pools, whether out of land, dug or even removable, constitute a significant risk of drowning in young children, especially when they escape the supervision of an adult and the installations are not adequately secure
can we read in the guide to applying the safety of residential swimming pools.
Pool owners installed before 1is November 2010 so far benefited a acquired right and were therefore not obliged to submit to the obligations cited in these regulations. From now on, all swimming pools will have to comply with September 30.
The installations of the owners of swimming pools posed after the 1is November 2010 should therefore already comply with the regulations.
It is the unavailable provincial assessment in matters of drownings that had prompted legislators to take action from the millennial turning point. In the early 2000s, Quebec displayed a worrying portrait in terms of drowning in residential pools, especially due to the importance of swimming pool park and variable regulations on the territory
indicates the guide.
Lack of clarity
Despite the laudable objective of the regulations, he was never unanimous. A petition launched by the swimming pool citizen committee in opposition to the new regulations had notably collected nearly 30,000 signatures. The signatories deplored there not only the high costs to make their swimming pool consistent, but also the lack of clarity of the new measures.
A certain confusion reigned around the rules. Several owners were not certain that the fence surrounding their land, not specifically their swimming pool, was sufficient.
It was by exchanging with the authorities that Louis Mercier, member of the Citizens Pool Committee and himself the owner of a swimming pool, understood that the walls of his house and that the fence of his land could be used to secure his swimming pool.
The new version of the guide published by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs a few months ago makes this information more clear.
Rather than paying $ 5,000 for a fence, it may cost me $ 500.
He is delighted with the actions of his regrouping and affirms that the members of his committee have received many thanks since the regulations were clarified.
Without having modified the regulations, the press officer of the Minister of Municipal Affairs Andrée Laforest confirmed that the Ministry has recently adjusted its documentation concerning the residential pool safety regulations in order to provide details as to the application of certain requirements
.
However, some owners had already undertaken actions before the announcement of the clarifications.
The owner of the architecture and design firm El Concept, Éric Lafontaine, quotes the case of a customer who preferred to fill his land swimming pool rather than complying with the regulations and changing the layout of his rear court.
Installing a new fence costs at least 8000 dollars according to the professional architecture technologist. The invoice can quickly increase to tens of thousands of dollars when related work is done, as is often the case.
Adding an automatic lock to a patio holder and limit the opening of certain windows could be sufficient measurements to make its pool consistent, depending on the installations already in place and the arrangement of its courtyard.
For those whose swimming pool has not yet been in line, a certificate of compliance must be obtained from its municipality once the changes are made. Inspectors will be responsible for verifying compliance with the regulations from September and will be able to impose fines in the event of non-compliance.
With information from Charlotte Dumoulin
