Construction wages are rising in Quebec. The 2025-2029 collective agreements set raises year after year through 2029. But a 5% raise doesn't mean 5% more in your bank account: tax and payroll contributions take a share. Here, with the numbers, is what a CCQ raise really leaves on a Quebec paycheque.
How much construction pay is going up
Major construction wage settlements in Quebec are tracked by the federal Labour Program. Its data shows that the 2025-2029 agreements, signed in spring 2025, grant an average annual wage adjustment of about 5.5% in most sectors, and 5.9% in the residential sector, running until they expire on April 30, 2029.
| Sector | Average annual adjustment |
|---|---|
| Institutional-commercial and industrial | 5.5% |
| Civil engineering and roads | 5.5% |
| Residential | 5.9% |
Your exact hourly rate depends on your trade and sector: it is set by the wage schedule of the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ). Whatever the precise percentage for your trade, the mechanics below are the same for everyone.
Why a 5% raise isn't 5% more in your pocket
Your salary isn't taxed at a single rate. It's split into brackets, and each bracket has its own rate: that's the progressive scale. The rate that matters for a raise isn't your average rate (total tax divided by salary) but your marginal rate — the one that applies to the next dollar you earn.
Take a construction worker earning $80,000 a year. According to the 2026 federal tax brackets, that income falls in the 20.5% federal bracket. Adding Quebec tax (19% at this level) and accounting for the Quebec abatement, the marginal tax rate comes to around 36%. In other words, on every extra dollar of a raise, tax takes about 36 cents — before contributions even start.
$80,000 in construction: net pay before and after the raise
Here is how an $80,000 Quebec paycheque breaks down in 2026, once federal tax, Quebec tax, the QPP, employment insurance and the QPIP are withheld:
| What gets withheld | Annual gross | Share of gross |
|---|---|---|
| Federal tax | −$7,926 | 9.9% |
| Provincial tax | −$9,029 | 11.3% |
| QPP | −$4,695 | 5.9% |
| Employment Insurance | −$896 | 1.1% |
| QPIP | −$344 | 0.4% |
| Total withheld | −$22,890 | 28.6% |
| Annual net | $57,110 | 71.4% |
On this salary, about $57,110 is left net per year, or nearly $4,759 a month. After a 5.5% raise the salary reaches $84,400 and net pay climbs to about $59,731, or roughly $4,978 a month.
| Before | After (+5.5%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $80,000 | $84,400 |
| Net per year | ≈ $57,110 | ≈ $59,731 |
| Net per month | ≈ $4,759 | ≈ $4,978 |
So the $4,400 raise adds about $2,620 net per year, roughly $218 more a month. That's real, but a long way from the $4,400 written in the agreement.
The contributions that eat into the raise
Alongside tax, three contributions come off your pay, and they don't all behave the same way as you move into the higher construction wages.
- The QPP. The Quebec Pension Plan takes a base contribution, then an extra 4% contribution on the slice of income between $74,600 and $85,000 in 2026 — ceilings shared by the CPP and the QPP. At $80,000, your raise lands squarely in that slice, so it is contributed at the higher QPP rate, which explains a good part of the 40% withheld.
- Employment insurance. EI is only withheld up to $68,900 of income in 2026, at a rate of 1.30% in Quebec. Above that ceiling, no more EI: at $80,000, your raise isn't subject to it at all.
- The QPIP. The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan takes 0.43% up to $103,000. Since your raise stays under that ceiling, it keeps contributing, but the share is small.
The takeaway
- A CCQ raise does improve your net pay, but the gap between the headline gross and the money you actually pocket grows with your salary.
- At $80,000, expect about 60% of a raise to reach your pocket, and 40% to go to tax and contributions.
- For your exact trade and salary, run the numbers with Salarium rather than trusting the headline percentage. See also why the marginal rate makes a raise disappoint and the real effect of a raise on take-home pay.
Frequently asked questions
How much are construction wages going up in Quebec in 2026?
The 2025-2029 construction collective agreements set an average annual wage adjustment of about 5.5% in the institutional-commercial, industrial and civil-engineering sectors, and 5.9% in the residential sector, according to federal Labour Program data. Your exact hourly rate depends on your trade and is set by the CCQ wage schedule.
Does a 5% raise put 5% more in my pocket?
No. At $80,000, tax takes about 36 cents on every dollar of a raise (the marginal rate), and contributions take a bit more. In total, nearly 40% of the increase goes to tax and contributions, leaving about 60% net.
Why does part of my raise go to the QPP?
In 2026, the QPP charges an extra 4% contribution on the slice of income between $74,600 and $85,000. A raise received in that slice is contributed at the higher rate, which lowers the net share you keep.
Do I still pay employment insurance on my raise?
Only if your income stays under $68,900, the 2026 maximum insurable earnings. Above that ceiling no EI is withheld, so a raise received above it is not subject to it.