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Monday November 3 2025

Do you employ staff? Here’s what Bill 27 changes.

On October 6, Bill 27 was passed. It amends Quebec’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). If your condominium syndicate employs staff—whether security guards or maintenance workers—this new law directly affects you as an employer.

But don’t panic: the goal of Law 27 is not to change everything, but rather to modernize employers’ health and safety obligations by adding an important component called psychosocial risks.

What changes with Law 27 ?

Before this reform, prevention obligations mainly focused on physical risks: falls, hazardous products, equipment, etc.

Law 27 broadens the vision of occupational health to include psychological health.

This means that, as an employer, you now have a duty to prevent risks related to stress, harassment, conflicts, excessive workload, lack of recognition, or poor communication. In other words, mental health is recognized as an integral part of occupational health.

Some examples of psychosocial risks include:

Interpersonal conflicts: tensions between coworkers, supervisors, or board members.
Unclear or contradictory communications: changing or poorly communicated directives.
Psychological or sexual harassment: hostile, humiliating, or repeated behavior.

REINFORCING WHAT ALREADY EXISTS

Condominium syndicates must already have a psychological harassment prevention policy in place (mandatory since 2004 under the Labor Standards Act). (If you don’t have one, here is the CNESST template)

Law 27 complements this approach:

The anti-harassment policy remains essential, but it must now be part of a broader approach to psychosocial risk prevention.
We no longer react only after a problem arises (such as a complaint) but seek to act before tensions or stressful situations escalate.

WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICAL TERMS FOR A CONDOMINIUM SYNDICATE

As an employer, a syndicate must now incorporate psychosocial risks into its prevention policy and health and safety program.

Identify sources of stress: for example, if the concierge constantly receives urgent requests without prioritization, or if instructions change without explanation.
Train managers or directors who supervise staff to recognize signs of exhaustion, distress, or conflict.
Promote better communication: clarify expectations, establish feedback channels, and recognize good work.
Update internal policies: ensure that the psychological harassment policy also includes the prevention of interpersonal, organizational (related to workload or work methods), and digital (e.g., text messages, emails) harassment.
Collaborate with workers: listen to their concerns, organize short discussions about their work reality and the irritants they experience on a daily basis.

WHY IT MATTERS

Beyond legal obligations, preventing psychosocial risks is good management practice.

In small teams—such as those often found in condominium syndicates—human relations are central to smooth operations. A healthy work environment reduces absenteeism, improves work quality, and increases staff retention.

IN SUMMARY

Bill 27 marks an important development: occupational health is no longer limited to physical injuries, but also encompasses psychological well-being.

For condominium syndicates, this is an opportunity to: