Why a new law on pool fences?
We can never say it enough: children's safety is priceless. Unfortunately, drownings in residential pools remain a tragic scourge in Quebec, and very often, it all comes down to poorly protected access, such as a pool fence door that remains ajar or no longer locks.
It is exactly to curb these statistics that the government has tightened the Residential Pool Safety Regulation. Whether you have an in-ground, semi-in-ground or even above-ground pool, the rules are now unequivocal. The good news is that if your current fence is made of wood, it is very easily adaptable to the new standards, and you certainly don't need to start from scratch.
The end of "acquired rights": 2027 Deadline
For a long time, if your pool pre-dated certain standards, you had this famous "acquired right" which exempted you from applying them. Well, this exemption no longer exists.
The absolute deadline to remember
If your pool was installed before November 1, 2010, you officially have until September 30, 2027 to make your fence 100% compliant. Warning: if your pool was installed AFTER this 2010 date, your yard layout MUST ALREADY BE COMPLIANT today or you are liable to penalties.
Cities in Quebec (from Montreal, Laval to Terrebonne) are taking this very seriously: we're talking about steep fines and potential complications with your home insurance if you don't have a secure barrier. Don't wait until the last minute or for inspectors to knock on your door!
What are the rules to be compliant?
Here are the requirements in simplified form. Good news: these are all things we can correct during a simple wood fence renovation and repair visit without having to replace your existing posts.
1. Minimum fence height
Your fence must measure at least 1.2 meters in height (48 inches or 4 feet), measured from the ground up, all around the perimeter protecting access to your residential pool water.
2. Maximum spacing (under and between boards)
Nothing too wide! The gap between your wood boards, or the space between the bottom of the fence and the grass, must never completely let through a spherical object 10 centimeters (4 inches) in diameter. Why? To prevent a very young child from being able to squeeze through without catching hold.
3. Anti-climbing (Our #1 wood repair)
Above all, a child must not be able to climb over the fence from the outside as if climbing a ladder. In other words, all horizontal wood stringers (like the 2x4s holding your boards) must obligatorily be attached on the inside (towards the pool water). Also, no object that could assist climbing (a water heater, heat pump or filter) must be located within 1 meter of the enclosure.
4. Gate latches and hinges (The portal)
This is where 80% of fences fail inspection. The law requires two absolute safety devices on your access gate:
- Self-closing: The gate hinge must have a spring strong and adjusted enough to bring the pool gate back to the closed position by itself, simply with the wind or without being touched.
- Self-latching: The latch must engage and lock automatically. Furthermore, it must either be placed on the inside (towards the pool), or fixed very high (at least 1.5 m from the ground) to remain completely out of reach of curious young children.
Did you know? (The famous cedar hedges)
Forget cedar hedges! Even if they are opaque, magnificent and dense, municipalities and the Quebec government do not recognize them in any way as a valid or legal safety barrier. A true rigid fence made of wood, chain link or metal is mandatory.
Don't throw your fence in the garbage!
It happens so often that we see wonderful century-old wood fences being torn down because they no longer respect a small detail of the new law in force.
The true solution by Cabanon-Remise A9
The mistake of traditional landscaping companies is easy to understand: "Tear out all the wood and your plants to start a new job site!" This kind of recommendation destroys your lawn, and leads to a brutal explosion in the price of new materials (it's often old bills between $5,000 and $15,000).
At Cabanon-Remise A9, we're convinced of the opposite. Our expert trade consists of inspecting, saving and repairing your wood fence so it immediately passes provincial standards. And this, for the vast majority of residential yards. Instead of charging you a fortune, we repair exactly what's needed in surgical mode.
- Hinge and access adjustment: We integrate powerful spring hinges, cables and replace the access latch (magna-latch) without damaging your gate.
- Targeted board replacement: Gap too big? We close the gaping space at the bottom or sides of your existing installation with a choice of matching privacy wood in treated or cedar.
- Effectively block climbing: We'll modify a bit of structure to prevent your children from hanging on and climbing, guaranteeing your peace of mind.
- Post straightening: If the gate drags on the ground due to an old water-soaked 4x4 that wobbles, we can straighten the foundation or use steel holding bars like our E-Z Mender solution!
Upgrade your existing wood fence to code for a fraction of the cost of a replacement
A certified trade team (RBQ 5622-9370-01) will contact you. No commitment.