PARKING GARAGE VERIFICATION (BILL 122)

As of March 18, 2013, following the coming into force of the Regulation to Improve Safety in Buildings and the Safety Code, Building chapter, it is mandatory for owners of parking lots, whether underground or above ground with concrete slabs whose running surface is not directly supported on the ground, to obtain a verification report from an engineer, every 5 years.

389. Every 5 years, the owner of a multistorey garage must obtain, from an engineer, an in-depth verification report stating that the multistorey garage is not in a dangerous condition and, if applicable, that recommendations on ways to correct defects that may contribute to the development of a dangerous condition have been made.

Regular inspections are required for parking lots, to ensure that they are free of any defects that could compromise safety or lead to dangerous situations. Below are the requirements of the new legislation.

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Keeping a register: What to include

Throughout the useful life of the building, a register containing the following data and documents must be kept and retained on site:

387. The following information or documents concerning a multistorey garage must, during the garage’s lifetime, be recorded in or appended to a register kept available on the premises for consultation by the Board:

(1) the owner’s contact information;
(2) if available, a copy of the construction plans for the multistorey garage as built, and any photograph, document or technical information showing the changes made;
(3) a description of all repair or modification work carried out on the multistorey garage;
(4) a description of recurrent repairs to solve a given problem;
(5) the annual verification reports and the reports on any problem observed with respect to the multistorey garage;
(6) the in-depth verification reports for the multistorey garage.

Mandatory annual verification

The owner is required to carry out an annual inspection of the parking lot. The results of this inspection must be recorded on a form, available on the RBQ website, and accompanied by dated photographs.

IV. Annual verification

388. Each year, the owner of a multistorey garage must carry out a verification and record its condition in an information sheet, accompanied by dated photographs. The information sheet must contain the information and be presented in the form specified in Schedule II.

Key elements of a parking lot audit report

The engineer’s name, signature and professional contact details.
A free service offer is provided, guaranteeing transparency and understanding of the process ahead.
Detailed information on the parking facility, such as its location, age, dimensions, construction method and load capacity.
Verification date.
Location of defects.

Inspection results for structural elements such as concrete quality, reinforcement corrosion and any defects that could lead to unsafe conditions, including their origins.
Recommendations for corrective measures and a proposed schedule for these repairs.
A conclusive summary affirming the safety of the parking lot or suggesting corrective measures to the owner.
Appendices containing photos, diagrams and any other additional data to support the report’s conclusions.

5-year inspection cycle mandatory for parking lot owners

The owner of a newly built parking lot or multi-storey garage is required to obtain a detailed inspection report within 12 to 18 months of completion.
After this initial report, a full inspection must be carried out and reported on every five years.
In addition, a thorough inspection is required after any incident likely to affect the structural integrity of the car park.

Notification of hazardous conditions

If an engineer identifies a dangerous situation, he or she must notify the owner and the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ).

The engineer is also required to indicate any urgent measures taken or to be taken immediately to remedy the dangerous situation. In addition to these urgent measures, the owner is responsible to:

Inform the RBQ promptly.
Submit a document, drafted by an engineer, detailing the necessary corrective measures and a timetable for these actions to the RBQ for approval, all within 30 days.
Ensure that repair work is carried out in accordance with the descriptions, plans and deadlines provided.
Obtain a final inspection report verifying the safety of the parking lot after repairs have been completed.
Send the RBQ a letter from the engineer certifying that all corrective measures have been satisfactorily implemented and that the parking lot is now free of any hazardous conditions.

Ongoing maintenance and repairs

It is the owner’s responsibility to maintain the structural integrity and cleanliness of the parking deck.

Effective preventive maintenance includes several essential measures:

Maintain effective floor drainage to avoid water accumulation by ensuring that slabs have the right slope and that drains are placed at the lowest points, and by cleaning drains twice a year.
Secure expansion or movement joints to prevent water from entering.
Complete cleaning of slabs twice a year, with mandatory spring cleaning to remove de-icing salts accumulated over the winter. These salts can seep into the slabs and corrode the reinforcing steel, compromising the strength of the structure.
Application of a sealant or waterproofing membrane, generally requiring renewal every two years.
Replace expansion or movement joints every ten years or so.
Protection of the waterproofing membrane with a durable coating.

Note: Any modifications or repairs must comply with an engineer’s recommendations and plans to avoid unintentionally increasing the weight on the slabs.

WHY WORK WITH CONSULTANTS FACADES PLUS

With over ten years’ experience, Consultants Facades Plus is a leader in civil engineering and building mechanics, guaranteeing the safety and efficiency of multi-storey car parks. Our approach includes the following steps:

A preliminary meeting with the owner or manager of the parking facility to fully understand their needs.
A free quote for the services offered.
A comprehensive assessment that includes a visual examination, creation of accurate plans of the existing structure, analysis of construction plans (where available), and a detailed field inspection using state-of-the-art equipment and photographic documentation.

Delivery of a detailed report to the owner or manager of the parking facility, including :
- In the case of safety approval, a certificate of conformity signed by an engineer, accompanied by recommendations for any repairs and regular monitoring, specifying an intervention schedule and quantifying any anomalies detected.
- If the safety of the parking structure is in question, launch a specific procedure to report unsafe conditions to the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.

At the owner’s request, we can also carry out annual inspections in the first, second, third and fourth years.

A reminder service is offered six months before the date of the next mandatory inspection, to ensure adequate and timely preparation.

This comprehensive approach not only ensures compliance with current safety standards, but also offers total peace of mind to parking lot owners, guiding them through the regulatory inspection process with expertise and precision.

REGIONS WE SERVE

Our team travels the length and breadth of Quebec to offer you a unique service tailored to your needs. Among others, we serve the following regions:

GREATER MONTREAL AREA

Ahuntsic, Anjou, Beaconsfield, Cartierville, Côte-des-Neiges, Côte-Saint-Luc, Dorval, Hampstead, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Île-Bizard, Kirkland, La Petite-Patrie, LaSalle, Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, Le Sud-Ouest, Lachine, L’Île-des-Sœurs, L’Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève, Longue-Pointe, Mercier, Mile End, Montréal-Est, Montréal-Nord, Montréal-Ouest, Mont-Royal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Outremont, Parc-Extension, Pierrefonds, Pointe-aux-Trembles, Pointe-Claire, Rivière-des-Prairies, Rosemont, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Saint-Henri, Saint-Laurent, Saint-Léonard, Sainte-Geneviève, Sault-au-Récollet, Snowdon, Verdun, Ville-Marie, Villeray, Westmount.

LAVAL & THE NORTH SHORE

Laval: Auteuil, Chomedey, Duvernay, Fabreville, Laval-des-Rapides, Laval-Ouest, Laval-sur-le-Lac, Pont-Viau, Sainte-Dorothée, Sainte-Rose, Saint-François, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Vimont.
Laurentides: Blainville, Bois-des-Fillion, Boisbriand, Deux-Montagnes, Mirabel, St-Jérôme, Sainte-Thérèse, St-Eustache, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Lorraine, Rosemère
Lanaudière: Repentigny, Terrebone, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Mascouche, Charlemagne
Montérégie: Brossard, Boucherville, Ste-Catherine, Mercier, Saint-Philippe, Sainte-Julie, Chambly, Carignan, Candiac, Chateaugay, Longueuille, Mont Saint-Hilaire, St-Bruno-de-Montarville

THE SOUTH SHORE

Boucherville, Brossard, Candiac, Carignan, Chambly, Châteauguay, Delson, Greenfield Park, La Prairie, LeMoyne, Longueuil, McMasterville, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Otterburn Park, Saint-Amable, Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Saint-Constant, Sainte-Catherine, Sainte-Julie, Saint-Hubert, Saint-Lambert, Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Philippe, Varennes, Verchères.