CCQ (EN) — Elevator mechanic

1. About the CCQ Elevator mechanic exam

The Elevator mechanic (Mécanicien d'ascenseur) 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 an elevator mechanic on Quebec construction sites.

The exam covers three sections weighted as follows: Assembling and installing elevators and freight lifts (45%), Assembling, installing, maintaining and repairing escalators and moving walkways (15%), and Maintaining, repairing and modernizing elevators and freight lifts (40%). 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

Sections 1 and 3 (the elevator content) account for 85% of the score. Section 2 covers the smaller but mandatory escalator and moving walkway scope — a candidate cannot skip it. The combined weight of installation (45%) and maintenance/modernization (40%) reflects the reality of the trade: new construction work and existing-asset service work in nearly equal measure.

3. Detailed competency elements

Section 1 — Assembling and installing elevators and freight lifts (45%)

Planning the work:

• Interpret plans and specifications
• Anticipate safety measures
• Select tooling and the correct rigging tool

Installing the elevator or freight lift:

• Erect scaffolding, false car, etc.
• Verify hoistway dimensions
• Assemble and install the first components inside the hoistway
• Assemble and install the equipment (motor, controllers, and pumping unit)
• Install and align the cylinder(s)
• Install brackets, platform, and counterweight
• Install suspension, governor, and compensation cables
• Install speed governors
• Perform temporary platform start-up
• Install door frames
• Install wiring, conduits, and accessories in the hoistway
• Install the cab on the platform and accessories
• Perform the final electrical connections

Performing adjustments:

• Perform final adjustments and verification
• Participate in technical tests

Section 2 — Escalators and moving walkways (15%)

Planning:

• Interpret plans and specifications
• Anticipate safety measures
• Select tooling and rigging tools

Installing an escalator or moving walkway:

• Verify foundation dimensions
• Definitively fix the equipment
• Place the components and assemble the escalator where applicable
• Perform the electrical connection

Final adjustments and verifications:

• Perform final adjustments
• Participate in technical tests

Maintaining an escalator or moving walkway:

• Verify operation
• Verify clearances
• Lubricate and clean

Repairing an escalator or moving walkway:

• Replace worn or broken components

Section 3 — Maintaining, repairing and modernizing elevators (40%)

Planning:

• Interpret maintenance reports
• Anticipate safety measures
• Select rigging tools

Maintaining an elevator or freight lift:

• Apply the cab inspection procedure
• Apply the machine-room inspection procedure
• Apply the hoistway inspection procedure
• Perform an emergency recall test
• Perform a telecommunication system test
• Maintain a lift for persons with reduced mobility
• Maintain a freight lift and a material lift

Repairing an elevator or freight lift:

• Diagnose, dismantle, repair, and reassemble components
• Perform tests and final verifications

Modernizing an elevator or freight lift:

• Dismantle, replace parts to meet new code requirements, and reassemble

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. For Elevator mechanic candidates this is particularly demanding because the binational B44 / A17.1 safety code is large and rule-heavy — 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.

• CSA standard — Residential Elevating Devices for Persons with Physical Disabilities — CSA Group, Mississauga (shop.csa.ca)
• CSA standard — Elevating Devices for Persons with Physical Disabilities — CSA Group, Mississauga (shop.csa.ca)
• Quebec Construction Code, Chapter V — Electricity (Canadian Electrical Code Part I with Quebec amendments, CSA C22.10-18, 23rd edition) — CSA Group, Mississauga, 2018, 806 p.
• Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators and Moving Walks (binational standard CSA B44 / ASME A17.1) — CSA Group, Mississauga (shop.csa.ca)
• ASP Construction — Construction sector occupational health and safety resources (asp-construction.org)

6. What makes the Elevator mechanic exam different

Few CCQ trades are as code-driven as Elevator mechanic. The Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators and Moving Walks — published as CSA B44 in Canada and ASME A17.1 in the United States, in a binational harmonized form — governs every aspect of the trade: design, hoistway and machine-room construction, suspension and governor systems, doors, controls, inspection routines, emergency recall, modernization. The Quebec Electrical Code (CSA C22.10) layers on top for the electrical side. Two heavyweight codes, both of which must be memorized for a closed-book exam.

The exam is also unusual in that it spans both new installation (Section 1, 45%) and service work (Section 3, 40%) at nearly equal weight. Many candidates work primarily on one side of the trade — installation crews on new construction, or service technicians on the existing installed base — but the exam tests both. A candidate who only does new construction may struggle with the inspection routines, emergency recall tests, and modernization work in Section 3; a candidate who only does service may struggle with the assembly sequences, cylinder alignment, and counterweight installation in Section 1. Calibration across both sides is essential.

Section 2 (escalators and moving walkways, 15%) is small but mandatory. It is also the section most candidates have the least field experience with, since escalators are far less common than elevators on most sites. 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.

7. Recommended preparation strategy

1. Anchor preparation around the CSA B44 / ASME A17.1 Safety Code. It threads through Section 1 (installation), Section 3 (maintenance, repair, modernization), and parts of Section 2. Master its structure.
2. Treat the exam as closed book from day one. Memorize inspection intervals, clearance requirements, governor trip speeds, and emergency recall procedures — you will not have a code book to consult.
3. Read the recommended documents in this order: CSA B44 / ASME A17.1 (the foundation — the spine of the trade), then CSA C22.10 (electrical-side rules), then the CSA accessibility standards (lifts for persons with disabilities), then ASP Construction's safety resources.
4. Calibrate across Section 1 and Section 3. If your day job is primarily installation, drill maintenance and modernization. If your day job is primarily service, drill assembly sequences and commissioning.
5. Don't neglect Section 2. Escalator and moving walkway questions tend to be straightforward but require specific knowledge most candidates haven't accumulated through field experience alone.
6. Take at least two full mock exams under real conditions (3 hours, no documents, single sitting) before scheduling the real exam.
7. 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 Elevator mechanic exam

• Aligned with the official CCQ structure — content mapped one-to-one to the three sections, with code-rule coverage anchored to CSA B44 / ASME A17.1 and CSA C22.10.
• Closed-book training methodology — flashcards and spaced practice designed for memorization of code rules and inspection procedures, 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 tied back to the code rule or theoretical principle.
• 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.

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