Firefighter schedule in 2026: shifts, platoons and hours per week
24-hour shifts in Montreal, a 12-24-36 schedule in Quebec City, 42 hours a week on average: what the collective agreements say, and what is missing for the 2026 calendar.
The firefighter schedule in Montreal or Quebec City is 42 hours a week on average for a full-time firefighter, with shifts over a 4-week cycle shared among 4 teams. In Montreal, the workday lasts 24 hours and starts at 7 a.m. In Quebec City, the collective agreement describes two schedules: 10- and 14-hour shifts, then a schedule of 12, 24 and 36 hours. This text applies to women and men firefighters alike.
A firefighter's schedule in Montreal
The schedule is in article 4 of the collective agreement between the Ville de Montréal and the Association des pompiers de Montréal, for the period from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2024. Paragraph 4.01 sets working hours at 42 hours a week on average, over a 4-week cycle. Firefighters are divided into 4 platoons, numbered 1 to 4. The workday lasts 24 hours and starts at 7 a.m.
Appendix A of the agreement illustrates the cycle. It shows which platoon goes on duty each day.
| Week of the cycle | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Platoon 4 | Platoon 1 | Platoon 2 | Platoon 4 | Platoon 3 | Platoon 2 | Platoon 3 |
| Week 2 | Platoon 1 | Platoon 2 | Platoon 3 | Platoon 1 | Platoon 4 | Platoon 3 | Platoon 4 |
| Week 3 | Platoon 2 | Platoon 3 | Platoon 4 | Platoon 2 | Platoon 1 | Platoon 4 | Platoon 1 |
| Week 4 | Platoon 3 | Platoon 4 | Platoon 1 | Platoon 3 | Platoon 2 | Platoon 1 | Platoon 2 |
Source: Ville de Montréal, firefighters' collective agreement 2018-2024, appendix A. Week numbers added by the editors.
In this grid, each platoon comes back 7 times in 4 weeks. The agreement refers to a 168-hour work cycle, which gives 42 hours a week on average.
What the Montreal department's website still shows
The FAQ of the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM), Montreal's fire department, describes a different schedule, consulted on October 11, 2026: a day shift from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., a night shift from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. and a 24-hour shift from Sunday 7 a.m. to Monday 7 a.m. The page states that it reproduces appendix A of the agreement in force from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2017. The 2018-2024 agreement is the more recent of the two texts.
A firefighter's schedule in Quebec City
The City of Québec publishes the collective agreement concluded with the Association des pompiers professionnels de Québec, in force from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2028. Clause 7.01 sets working hours at 42 hours a week on average, under a 4-platoon system. These 42 hours include 40 hours at the regular rate and 2 hours of overtime, already included in the pay.
The clause describes two schedules.
- The first: a 10-hour day shift, from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., a 14-hour night shift, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., and a 24-hour shift on Sunday, from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. on Monday
- The second, called the 12-24-36 schedule: a 12-hour shift from 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., a 24-hour shift from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. the next day and a 36-hour shift from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. the next day
Appendix A bears the note "Implementation no later than May 2026" for the 12-24-36 schedule. It shows platoon 1's hours over 4 weeks.
| Week of the cycle | 10- and 14-hour schedule | 12-24-36 schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 40 hours | 24 hours |
| Week 2 | 42 hours | 48 hours |
| Week 3 | 44 hours | 36 hours |
| Week 4 | 42 hours | 60 hours |
Source: Ville de Québec, firefighters' collective agreement 2024-2028, appendix A, total hours of platoon 1 per week.
The 2026 platoon calendar
Neither city publishes an annual platoon calendar for 2026 in the documents consulted. The agreements give the cycle, not the dates of the year.
In Montreal, paragraph 4.01 gives a starting point: the 4-week cycle begins on Monday, January 4, 2021 with platoon 4 and repeats as long as the parties do not agree on a new schedule. The agreement ended on December 31, 2024 and the City shows no more recent one in the documents consulted on October 11, 2026. A 2026 calendar counted from that date must therefore be confirmed with the SIM.
In Quebec City, appendix A ties the cycle to no date. The agreement also does not say on what date the 12-24-36 schedule came into effect.
What is not published
The firefighters' collective agreements of Laval and Longueuil were not found on those cities' websites. Their fire department pages do not describe the work schedule. This article does not cover part-time firefighters.
This text summarizes public documents. It is not legal advice or union advice.
Further reading
- Firefighter salary in Quebec: the Quebec City and Montreal scales
- Working as a firefighter in Quebec: all the employers
- Becoming a firefighter in Quebec: training and steps
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Frequently asked questions
What is a firefighter's work schedule?
In Montreal and Quebec City, the full-time firefighter works 42 hours a week on average, over a 4-week cycle. When one team is off, one of the other three is on duty, states appendix A of the Quebec City agreement. Shift length depends on the city and its collective agreement.
What are the work schedules of Montreal firefighters?
The 2018-2024 agreement provides for a 24-hour workday starting at 7 a.m. Firefighters are divided into 4 platoons, over a 4-week cycle. The SIM's FAQ still shows the old schedule of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.
What are a firefighter's hours?
In Quebec City, clause 7.01 first describes 10-hour day shifts, 14-hour night shifts and 24-hour Sunday shifts. It then describes the 12-24-36 schedule, made up of 12-, 24- and 36-hour shifts. Both schedules give 42 hours a week on average.
What is the work rhythm of firefighters?
The rhythm is a 4-week cycle shared among 4 teams. In Montreal, each platoon comes back 7 times in the cycle according to the appendix A grid, for 24 hours each time. In Quebec City, platoon 1 works 24, 48, 36 then 60 hours a week under the 12-24-36 schedule.
How many hours a week does a firefighter work?
A firefighter works 42 hours on average in Montreal as in Quebec City. The actual week varies: in Quebec City, it ranges from 24 to 60 hours under the 12-24-36 schedule and from 40 to 44 hours under the 10- and 14-hour schedule. The cycle totals 168 hours.
Where can I find the 2026 firefighter platoon calendar?
Neither the Ville de Montréal nor the City of Québec publishes it in the documents consulted on October 11, 2026. The Montreal agreement states that the cycle begins on Monday, January 4, 2021 with platoon 4 and repeats every 4 weeks.
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Sources
- Ville de Montréal, Convention collective entre la Ville de Montréal et l'Association des pompiers de Montréal inc., 1er janvier 2018 au 31 décembre 2024, article 4 and appendix A, consulted on October 11, 2026
- Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal, Foire aux questions, question "Quel est l'horaire de travail d'un pompier ?", consulted on October 11, 2026
- Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal, Salaires et avantages, rotating schedule, 42-hour average week, consulted on October 11, 2026
- Ville de Québec, Convention collective entre la Ville de Québec et l'Association des pompiers professionnels de Québec inc., en vigueur jusqu'au 31 décembre 2028, clause 7.01 and appendix A, consulted on October 11, 2026