Mission and historic

The Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMEQ): Mission and History

Mission

The Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMEQ) issues a specialized contractor's license for construction work, subclass 16, mandatory to execute electrical work in the province of Québec. Master electricians in Québec are required to be members of the Corporation.

CMEQ’s mission is to protect the public by verifying and controlling the qualifications of all its members, and thereby ensuring their probity and competence. It sets regulations and standards governing the professional practice of electrical contractors.

CMEQ also offers its members services to help them carry out their work.

History

Important dates in the Corporation’s history:

• 1949 - Master electricians rally behind Lucien Tremblay and pressure the government to regulate the trade.

• 1950 - The Master Electricians Act (QLR, c M-3) is adopted by the government of Quebec. The Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec is officially founded. It has 54 members spread across 14 regions.

• 1953 - A board of directors is created for each chapter. CMEQ is a “confederation” of 17 chapters.

• 1954 - First publication of CMEQ’s electricity trade magazine, Le Digeste. The name was changed to Maître électricien in 1957 and then to Électricité Québec in 1995. The magazine, which got a facelift in 2012, is still the only French language trade magazine on electricity in North America.

• 1966 - CMEQ’s new logo is unveiled. It’s still just as stylish as ever!

• 1984 - With an eye on the future, the Corporation develops a computerized management system for contractors called Gestion PME. This system was first replaced by Gestion 2000 in 1990 and then by Gestion CMEQ in 2001.

• 1987 - In light of the financial market collapse, the Corporation creates the Cormel investment fund to offer master electricians, their families and their employees access to a secure pension fund.

• 1996 - A vital tool for continuing education and information, www.cmeq.org is launched. In 2014, the Corporation begins redesigning the site to better inform consumers and the public, and make it more user-friendly for master electricians; this will be the website’s second complete overhaul. CMEQ is also active on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

• 2001 - CMEQ is tasked with issuing electrical contractor licences under the Building Act.

• 2007 - After having held its own exposition, Exolectrique, for several years, CMEQ joins industry partners in organizing the first biannual Mécanex/Climatex/Électricité/Éclairage (MCEE) exposition. Today, it’s the largest plumbing, HVACR, hydronic, electrical and lighting expo in Canada.

• 2012 - The construction industry undergoes changes. In order to maintain its role as an industry leader, the Corporation upgrades its facilities, examines its services and repositions itself. Its primary mission: to protect the public.

• 2013 - Sécure, an investment fund, is created to better meet member needs.

• 2015 - CMEQ begins completely rewriting Gestion CMEQ to offer contractors, as always, the very latest in integrated management software.