A newly released workplace safety report has exposed a cascade of failures that led to the death of a temporary foreign worker, who was crushed by a concrete slab on a Montreal North construction site in 2023. The investigation by Quebec's workplace safety board, the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST), concluded there was no safe work method in place and a total absence of health and safety management at the location.
A Fatal Collapse and Systemic Negligence
The tragic incident occurred on September 23, 2023, at a mixed-use building on Rolland Blvd. near Pascal St. According to the CNESST report published on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the worker was killed instantly when a load-bearing wall in the basement was demolished, causing the concrete floor above to collapse. The accident also left two other foreign workers injured.
The investigation found the deceased worker, along with the injured colleagues, had no training or qualifications for construction or demolition work. Critically, the report states the individuals who hired them were equally unqualified and provided no training, protective equipment, work boots, or supervision.
"The workers handled debris of all kinds with bare hands. No worker wore gloves, goggles or safety helmets. The majority didn't wear safe work boots," the CNESST wrote. The report also noted the deceased and one injured worker did not speak English or French.
A Chain of Unqualified Decisions
The report outlines a disturbing chain of responsibility. The building, owned by a business called Chola Empire, was damaged by fire in 2022. The landlord contracted STS Construction & Rénovation for renovations, a company the report states has no employees.
A building manager, referred to as Mr. B, then hired a contractor, Mr. A, for cleanup work in the basement. Mr. A, who offers metal recycling and cleaning services, does not hold a required construction contractor's licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec and has no expertise in construction or demolition.
Mr. A recruited five workers for their first day on the job, none with relevant qualifications. On the morning of the accident, Mr. B gave an additional, fateful instruction to demolish the basement walls. Despite having no knowledge of construction, Mr. A agreed, rented a jackhammer, and reassigned the workers without providing clear safety instructions.
Ignorance of Basic Construction Principles
The CNESST's engineering analysis, conducted by engineer Hussein Elahmed, determined the basement walls were load-bearing, supporting the floor above. Their demolition directly caused the catastrophic collapse.
"The occurrence of the accident demonstrates that neither the project manager, nor Mr. A, nor the workers suspected that the walls they were demolishing in the basement were load-bearing walls," the report states. "They were unfamiliar with this type of construction."
This violation is stark: Quebec's construction safety code mandates that concrete slab demolition must follow a procedure established by a qualified engineer and be supervised by a competent manager—conditions utterly absent at this site.
Preventative Measures and Broader Notification
To prevent future tragedies, the CNESST announced it will communicate its findings to major construction industry associations in Quebec, including the Quebec Construction Association and the Quebec Construction Employers Association.
Significantly, the board also plans to notify organizations involved with foreign workers and immigration, such as:
- The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration
- The Roundtable of Organizations Serving Refugees and Immigrants
- The consulates of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras
- The Quebec Construction Commission
The report serves as a grim reminder of the lethal consequences when profit and expediency are prioritized over fundamental safety protocols and the well-being of vulnerable workers.
