Regulations adopted under the Act respecting labour standards Regulation respecting labour standards (S.Q., 1979, c. 45, s. 88, 89 and 91; after revision : R.S.Q., c. N-1.1)

Maximum amount to be paid for meals and accommodation

Where the employer, because of the employee’s working conditions, must provide meals or accommodation to the employee, or where the employer sees to it that accommodation is provided to the employee, no amount* greater than the following may be charged to the employee

1. $2.61 per meal, up to $34.09 per week;
2. $32.78 per week for a room;
3. $58.98 per week for a dwelling where the room accommodates 4 employees or less and $39.35 where the room accommodates 5 employees or more.

For the purposes of this section,

1. “room” means a room in a dwelling unit that has a bed and a chest of drawers for each employee who is accommodated and that allows access to a toilet and a shower or bath;
2. “dwelling” means a dwelling unit that has at least 1 room and allows access to at least a washer and dryer as well as a kitchen with a refrigerator, a stove and a microwave oven.

No accommodation costs, other than the amounts provided for in the first paragraph, may be required from the employee, in particular for access to an additional room.

With each increase in the general rate of the minimum wage, the amounts provided for in section 6 are increased by the percentage corresponding to the increase in the general rate of the minimum wage, without exceeding the percentage corresponding to the Consumer Price Index.

The Consumer Price Index for a year is the yearly average computed on the basis of the monthly Consumer Price Index for Canada established by Statistics Canada under the Statistics Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. S-19), for the 12 months of the calendar year preceding the increase in the general rate of the minimum wage in relation to the 12 months of the calendar year prior to that year.

If the percentage computed under the fourth paragraph includes more than 2 decimals, only the first 2 decimals are retained and the second decimal is increased by1 unit if the third decimal is equal to or greater than 5.

The Minister publishes the result of the increase in the Gazette officielle du Québec.

R.R.Q., 1981, c. N-1.1, r. 3, s. 6; O.C. 1292-92, s. 4; O.C. 1892-96, s. 1; O.C. 1224-96, s. 1; O.C. 365-2012, s. 5.

* Editor’s note: These rates are subject to change. You can check their validity by visiting the website of the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail.

This provision does not apply to a domestic who resides with his employer under section 51.0.1 of the Act respecting labour standards.