Boom trucks (camions-flèches) in Quebec

R 03 mWho may operate a boom truck here

The Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) describes boom truck operation in construction as work formerly reserved to crane operators, the grutiers. Under the current rules a journeyperson of another trade may also operate one, within three limits:

• a fixed-cab boom truck of 30 tonnes and under;
• materials of that person's own trade;
• temporary moves or site demobilization¹.

Example. A qualified journeyperson running a 25-tonne fixed-cab truck to place that trade's own materials is inside the limits. A 35-tonne truck, over the 30 tonne limit, or another trade's materials, is outside them, and the rules in our research leave that work with a grutier¹.

Our rows do not say how the 30 tonnes is measured, or whether a given job counts as construction for the CCQ. Ask the CCQ. See operator certification by province.

R 06 mStandards and inspection

The construction safety code requires a mobile crane to conform to CSA (ACNOR) Z150-1974 and its 1977 supplement, except clause 4.3.2.5, with the logbook in Annex 9 (s.2.15.7.2)². CSA has since published Z150:26, the 2026 edition and the sixth, which supersedes the 1974 edition³. The newer edition is not Quebec law. The code names two devices:

• Anti-two-block (s.2.15.7.2.1). Every telescopic-boom mobile crane must have a fail-safe device that warns by light and sound, or blocks movements, as the hook block nears the boom tip².
• Overload prevention (s.2.15.7.2.2). A mobile crane lifting loads needs an overload prevention device; cranes made from January 1, 2005 need a load limiter or load moment controller meeting SAE J159².

These sections say "mobile crane". We did not check how the code defines the term or whether every boom truck counts, so ask the supplier whether the truck's devices meet them and which side of 2005 the data plate falls on. Load chart rules, outrigger rules and periodic inspection intervals were not part of our Quebec rows, so we give none. Ask for the logbook and the chart for your configuration. See boom truck inspection and load charts.

R 09 mPower lines

Quebec's distances rise in steps. Section 5.2.1 says any part, load or machinery must stay at least 3 m from a line under 125,000 V (phase to phase)². The other bands are in the table².

Section 5.2.2 allows work inside the minimum distance only if the line is de-energized, an agreement with the utility is sent to the CNESST, or extendable equipment has an engineer-certified dual-function range limiting device and a trained operator². Settle which applies before the truck is booked; it can change the equipment.

The code covers construction; rules outside construction were not checked. Get the voltage from the line's owner and measure the reach with swing and extension. The power-line lookup returns the Quebec distance for a voltage, and power lines and boom trucks compares provinces.

R 12 mDriving and carrier rules

The licence follows the chassis. SAAQ Class 3 covers a straight truck with three or more axles, or two axles and a net mass of 4,500 kg or more; mention F is required for vehicles with air brakes⁴. A two-axle boom truck can reach Class 3 on net mass alone, so ask the supplier for the truck's net mass before you assign a driver.

Not researched for Quebec, and not borrowed from neighbouring provinces: carrier rules, periodic vehicle inspection, oversize permits and seasonal load restrictions. Ask the SAAQ and the province before a long move. Licence classes elsewhere are in the licence and NSC guide.

R 15 mNo public rate table: what exists

We found no Quebec rate table we could verify. An official rate book exists, but it is sold, not published; we did not buy or check it, and this page prints no Quebec hourly rate.

Government hire schedules do exist in Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. They are on the boom truck rental rates page, with operated or bare labels and editions. Published rates are benchmarks for public works, not quotes, and they are not Quebec prices.

A supplier quotes the job; this page explains what goes into the quote. Ask whether the price is operated (operator included) or bare, the minimum charge, what is extra (travel, rigging, permits, fuel) and the chart capacity at your radius. Also ask who will operate: a grutier, or a journeyperson of another trade within the 30 tonnes and under limit¹. The rental rate converter compares hourly, daily and monthly quotes.

R 18 mThe market here

Operating revenue of the machinery and equipment rental and leasing industry (NAICS 5324) in Quebec was $2,140.1 million in 2024⁵, about 12% of the national $18,060.0 million (computed)⁵. In June 2026 Quebec had 186 locations with employees in NAICS 532410⁶, out of 1,748 in Canada⁶: about 10.6% (computed). That code covers construction, transportation, mining and forestry machinery, so it includes excavators and loaders; no official statistic isolates boom trucks.

Job Bank puts the median wage of boom truck crane operators in Quebec at $43.01 an hour, from $30.11 to $47.00⁷; the national median under NOC 72500 is $42.77⁷. A wage is not a billed rate.

R 21 mGST and QST on rentals and leases

Quebec charges the 5% GST⁸ and its own sales tax, the QST, at 9.975%; both apply to the price of a taxable supply unless it is exempt or zero-rated⁹. CRA treats renting or leasing a truck as a supply of tangible personal property¹⁰, so where the truck goes decides whether GST or HST applies. For three months or less, it is the province where the supplier delivers the truck, fixed at first delivery¹⁰. For longer, it is the province where the truck is ordinarily located, or for a "specified motor vehicle" where it must be registered¹⁰.

Revenu Québec's guidance on where a lease is carried out also turns on three months. A lease of three months or less is carried out in Quebec if the supplier delivers or makes the property available to the lessee in Quebec. A longer lease is a series of separate transactions, one for each lease period to which a payment is attributable, carried out in Quebec if the property's usual location is in Quebec¹¹.

Example. A Quebec supplier rents a bare truck for two weeks. Delivered to Gatineau, the GST is 5% and the QST 9.975%: $50 and $99.75 on a $1,000 taxable invoice (computed). Delivered to Ottawa, the place of supply is Ontario, where the HST is 13%⁸.

Registrants recover GST/HST on business inputs through input tax credits¹². For GST/HST, whether an operated hire is one supply or several is a question of fact¹³; how the QST treats an operated hire was not researched, so ask the supplier. Summaries, not tax advice; ownership is in CCA and tax.

R 24 mRequesting a quote here

Request a quote; it only goes to a company with your consent. With your consent, your request goes to one company that rents, sells or finances boom trucks in your area. That company may pay BoomTrucks.ca for the referral. We do not rent, sell or lease equipment.

One thing differs for Quebec. A request from Quebec is saved, but it is held: it is not forwarded to any company until a Quebec privacy assessment is done. The form is in English for now.

A request is easier to price with the load's weight plus rigging, the radius and height of the heaviest pick, and whether the hire is operated or bare. If bare, say who will operate: a grutier, or a journeyperson within the CCQ limits for trucks of 30 tonnes and under¹. Add any overhead line, with its voltage if known, the ground under the outriggers, the municipality and the dates.

Size the job first with the boom truck size estimator, then request a quote. Buying or leasing? See buying a boom truck and leasing one.