ImmoMulti — a direct buyer of multi-unit properties on the North Shore — tracks construction-regulation developments that directly affect your decisions as an owner. According to La Presse (June 9, 2026), delays in issuing construction permits have become a concrete obstacle to Quebec's ability to build and renovate — with an increase of 135% between 2017 and 2024 in the major cities and waits reaching 222 days for a 4-to-11-unit building. For a plex owner on the North Shore considering work before selling, this reality profoundly changes the calculation.
Why Have Construction Permit Delays Doubled in 7 Years for Multi-Unit Buildings in Quebec?
Delays rose 135% between 2017 and 2024 in Quebec's major cities (Montreal, Laval, Quebec City). Multi-unit buildings are disproportionately affected: where a single-family home waits 63 days, a 4-to-11-unit building can wait 222 days to obtain its permit. This asymmetry discourages value-adding renovations before resale.
This is not a perception: the reality of construction permit delays in Quebec is documented and concerning. According to the organizations representing real estate developers, multi-unit property owners and construction firms, reported by La Presse on June 9, 2026, delays in issuing construction permits have more than doubled since 2017 — a 135% increase in 7 years in the cities of Montreal, Laval and Quebec City.
The gap between building types is particularly striking. As an example, in Quebec City:
| Building type | Permit issuance delay (Quebec City, 2024) | Trend since 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family home | 63 days | Rising |
| 4-to-11 unit building | 222 days (7+ months) | More than doubled |
| Major cities (Montreal, Laval, Quebec City) | +135% vs. 2017 | Continued rise |
For an owner of a triplex or multi-unit building on the North Shore — in Terrebonne, Mascouche, Blainville, Boisbriand, Saint-Jérôme or Deux-Montagnes — these delays are not an abstraction. They represent the time during which your project stays on hold while costs keep piling up.
Source: La Presse — "Construction de logements : les délais 'sont devenus un frein concret'" (June 9, 2026)
What Actually Happens During 222 Days of Waiting for Your Plex?
While you wait for a permit for your multi-unit building, you keep paying: mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance premiums, administrative fees. For a North Shore plex worth CA$600,000, that potentially represents CA$12,000 to CA$18,000 in carrying costs over 7 months of waiting — before the work even begins.
The wait for a construction permit is never "free." During this period, the plex owner bears all the building's carrying costs without extracting any additional value from the pending project:
- Mortgage interest: on a CA$400,000 balance at a 5.5% rate, each month of waiting costs roughly CA$1,833 in interest.
- Monthly property taxes: for a triplex on the North Shore, count on CA$500 to CA$900 per month depending on the city.
- Insurance premiums: coverage of the building continues throughout the work — and some insurers apply surcharges for buildings under construction.
- Administrative and follow-up costs: quotes, meetings with contractors, plan revisions, correspondence with the municipality — hours that are worth money.
The calculation few owners do before starting work
For a North Shore plex valued at CA$600,000, waiting 222 days (7.4 months) for a permit can generate CA$13,000 to CA$18,000 in carrying costs (mortgage + taxes + insurance) — before the work even begins. These costs must be added to the renovation budget to assess the real return on investment.
This reality applies particularly to projects that require a permit: adding a housing unit, converting a garage into an accessory dwelling, extending an annex, modifying the structure. Many North Shore multi-unit buildings built in the 1970s-1990s present this kind of potential — but realizing it before a sale carries risks that many underestimate.
Construction Costs +58%: The Financial Context That Changes the Entire Renovation Calculation
Combined with permit delays, construction costs have jumped 58% since 2018. A renovation project that cost CA$80,000 in 2018 now costs about CA$126,000. On the North Shore, this inflation hits plex owners who want to maximize their sale price through work but watch their margins erode before they even begin.
The cost of renovation and construction work has risen steadily since 2018. According to data reported by La Presse (June 9, 2026), construction costs have risen 58% since 2018 — well above general inflation. This figure is consistent with the CORPIQ/Aviseo portrait, which documented a 49% increase between 2017 and 2025.
"Delays in issuing construction permits, which have sometimes doubled since 2017, are bogging down real estate builders. Combined with rising construction costs (+58% since 2018), these delays are becoming a threat to the completion of projects."
— La Presse, June 9, 2026, citing the organizations representing Quebec's multi-unit property owners and real estate developersFor an owner of a plex or multi-unit building on the North Shore considering work before selling, this double effect — delays doubled + costs up 58% — creates a difficult equation. A major renovation project that seemed profitable 5 years ago may today generate less added value than its actual cost, once financing, waiting times and worksite surprises are factored in.
Renovating Before Selling Your North Shore Plex: The Scenarios Where It Pays Off (and Those Where It Doesn't)
The profitability of a renovation before the sale depends on the type of work. Small permit-free jobs (paint, floor coverings, fixtures) often have a good return. Major projects requiring a permit (enlargement, adding a unit) carry high risk due to delays and cost overruns. On the North Shore, the multi-unit market remains active — selling now can be more profitable than waiting.
Not all work is created equal — and not all of it requires a permit. Here is how to distinguish projects worth doing before a sale from those that risk costing you more than they return:
Permit-free work: possible good return, minimal delay
- Interior and exterior painting — improves presentation, manageable cost
- Floor covering replacement (hardwood, ceramic, vinyl)
- Updating light fixtures, faucets and door handles
- Recaulking and resealing of weatherproofing joints
- Deep cleaning and clearing out — often the best return per dollar invested
Permit-required work: high risk to weigh carefully
- Adding a housing unit: permit mandatory, 90 to 222 day delay, costs +58%
- Building enlargement: permit mandatory, high risk of structural surprises
- Converting an accessory dwelling: zoning permit required, complex compliance
- Modifying the load-bearing structure: multiple inspections, additional delays
The rule of thumb for plex owners on the North Shore
- If the project can be done without a permit → assess case by case
- If the project requires a permit → precisely calculate the net return including waiting costs
- If the net return is uncertain → selling without major work may be more advantageous
- If the market is active → don't wait: favourable conditions don't last
To dig deeper into the question of return on investment for work before the sale, see our detailed guide on deferred maintenance and its impact on a plex's sale price.
Selling Your North Shore Plex As-Is: 4 Concrete Advantages in 2026
Selling your multi-unit building without major work offers real advantages: no permit delays, no unexpected cost overruns, immediate liquidity, and the chance to recover your capital while the market is still favourable. ImmoMulti buys plexes and multi-unit properties across the North Shore, as-is, with an offer in 48 h.
Faced with permit delays that have more than doubled and construction costs that have risen 58% in 8 years, selling your plex or multi-unit building on the North Shore in its current condition offers four advantages that owners often underestimate:
- 1. Zero permit delay. You don't have to wait 3 to 7 months for the municipality to process your file. The sale can close in a few weeks.
- 2. No risk of cost overrun. Renovation worksites almost systematically generate surprises — especially in North Shore plexes built before the 1990s. These surprises can wipe out the entire expected surplus.
- 3. Capital recovered immediately. Instead of tying up CA$100,000 to CA$200,000 in work for 12 to 18 months, you recover your capital and can redeploy it according to your current priorities.
- 4. You sell the potential. A savvy buyer will value the enlargement or optimization potential of your building in their purchase offer — without you having to bear the risk and delays of realizing it yourself.
Construction permit delays affect owners in Terrebonne, Mascouche, Blainville, Boisbriand, Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Eustache and Deux-Montagnes as much as owners in the greater metropolitan area. To understand why a building may struggle to find a buyer even without work, see our analysis of the reasons your plex isn't selling.
ImmoMulti: direct buyer of multi-unit properties on the North Shore — as-is
Whether your income property needs work, has a permit in progress, tenants in place or management challenges, ImmoMulti can submit a direct offer in 48 hours — no broker, no commission, no mass showings, no obligation. Get your confidential assessment.
For those who first want to assess the current value of their multi-unit building before deciding, our guide on calculating the yield of a multi-unit property explains how buyers analyze your building's cap rate and GRM — including the renovation potential in their final valuation.
