CCQ (EN) — Bricklayer-mason

1. About the CCQ Bricklayer-mason exam

The Bricklayer-mason (Briqueteur-maçon) qualification exam is the official theoretical evaluation administered by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ). Passing this exam is a key step toward obtaining a journeyman competency certificate and being authorized to work as a bricklayer-mason on Quebec construction sites.

The exam covers three sections weighted as follows: Organizing masonry work (15%), Laying bricks, blocks, and stones (59%), and Performing repairs and specialized work (26%). It is offered in French and English in multiple-choice format and lasts approximately 3 hours, with a passing grade of 60%.

2. Exam structure at a glance

Section 2 is overwhelmingly the heaviest block — at 59%, it accounts for more weight than the other two sections combined. Anchor your preparation around Section 2 first.

3. Detailed competency elements

Section 1 — Organizing masonry work (15%)

Securing the worksite:

• Recognize potential site hazards
• Use personal protective equipment

Using scaffolding:

• Install and dismantle scaffolding components according to applicable safety standards
• Anchor scaffolding
• Identify assembly and dismantling steps for tubular scaffolds
• Recognize hazards related to scaffold use

Verifying materials:

• Estimate the quantity of bricks and blocks needed for a project

Section 2 — Laying bricks, blocks, and stones (59%)

Ensuring building waterproofing and ventilation:

• Determine the characteristics of membranes, vapor barriers, and flashings, and their applications
• Install membranes, vapor barriers, and flashings
• Place weep holes and vents at appropriate locations

Performing masonry tasks:

• Lay out walls and courses
• Determine leveling, plumbing, and alignment operations
• Determine gauging operations and reference markers
• Select and install different types of anchors, ties, and reinforcement required for wall stability
• Use mortar and respect its setting time
• Make joints and identify the different types of finishing joints

Building masonry systems:

• Build openings and construct arches
• Install lintels and angle irons
• Lay bricks and blocks using different bonding systems
• Cut and lay natural stones
• Use appropriate tools and techniques

Section 3 — Performing repairs and specialized work (26%)

Repairing masonry:

• Distinguish construction defects and determine the appropriate repair
• Identify causes and consequences of deficient work
• Remove mortar and deteriorated elements using appropriate tools and techniques
• Apply repair tools and techniques
• Clean masonry elements

Performing specialized work:

• Distinguish materials and tools related to refractory work
• Install refractory elements
• Fabricate chimney elements
• Install adhered bricks and stones
• Select and apply binders and adhesive products (primers, mortar, thin-set adhesives) using appropriate tools, equipment, and techniques
• Install prefabricated architectural elements

4. Documents provided at the exam

This is a defining feature of all CCQ trade qualification exams: unlike RBQ contractor exams (some of which are open book), CCQ exams are systematically closed book regardless of the trade. Plan your study accordingly.

5. Recommended study documents

The CCQ suggests the following references for preparation. None of them will be available during the exam — they are study aids only. Use them to build understanding, then test recall with practice questions and flashcards.

• L'ABC du briquetage dans le secteur résidentiel — Association provinciale des constructeurs d'habitations du Québec (APCHQ), 2013, 97 + 30 p.
• Quebec Construction Code, Chapter 1 — Building, and National Building Code of Canada 2010 (amended) — National Research Council of Canada, 2015, 1231 p.
• Illustrated User's Guide — NBC 2010, Part 9 Housing and Small Buildings — National Research Council of Canada, 2014, 593 p.
• Masonry of Buildings (CAN/CSA-A371-14) — CSA Group, 2015, 66 p.
• Safety Code for Construction Work (S.2-1, r.4) — Éditeur officiel du Québec, 2018 (legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca)

6. What makes the Bricklayer-mason exam different

The Bricklayer-mason trade is unusual in that a single section — Section 2 — represents nearly 60% of the exam weight. That concentration changes the optimal study strategy: missing one or two competencies in Section 2 has roughly four times the impact of missing the same number of competencies in Section 1. Effective candidates treat Section 2 as the spine of their preparation and build the other sections around it.

The trade also sits at the intersection of structural work (load-bearing walls, arches, lintels), building envelope (membranes, flashings, weep holes, vapor barriers), and finish craftsmanship (joint types, natural stone cutting, adhered installations). The CCQ exam tests reasoning across all three: understanding why a flashing must integrate with a vapor barrier in a specific sequence, or why a particular anchor type is required for a given wall height. Memorizing the codes and standards (CAN/CSA-A371-14, NBC 2010 Part 9) without understanding their reasoning rarely produces a passing score.

Because the exam is closed book, the platform also tracks what you've actually memorized — flashcards spaced over multiple sessions surface weak areas before exam day, when there is no manual to fall back on.

7. Recommended preparation strategy

1. Anchor everything around Section 2 (59%). It is impossible to pass without strong Section 2 mastery. Start there.
2. Treat the exam as closed book from day one. Memorize material characteristics, joint types, mortar setting times, and anchor specifications — you will not have a manual to consult.
3. Read the recommended documents in this order: APCHQ's L'ABC du briquetage (foundation), then NBC 2010 Part 9 + the Illustrated User's Guide (regulatory), then CSA-A371 (technical standard), then the Safety Code for Construction Work.
4. Use flashcards daily for vocabulary, joint types, anchor categories, and code references. Short, frequent sessions outperform long cram days.
5. Take at least two full mock exams under real conditions (3 hours, no documents, single sitting) before scheduling the real exam.
6. Review every wrong answer. The Prof-RBQ.ca platform shows the reasoning behind each correct answer — read every explanation, even on questions you got right.

8. Why Prof-RBQ.ca for the Bricklayer-mason exam

• Aligned with the official CCQ structure — content mapped one-to-one to the three sections and their weight, with extra depth on the heavyweight Section 2.
• Closed-book training methodology — flashcards and spaced practice designed for memorization, not lookup.
• Mock exams in CCQ format — multiple choice, 3-hour timing, scoring out of 60% — so exam day feels familiar.
• Detailed answer explanations — every question, right or wrong, comes with a written rationale.
• Bilingual — full course in English and French. The CCQ exam itself is offered in both languages.
• A free section is available so you can try the platform before committing.

Frequently asked questions