Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) in Quebec: Exploring Awareness, Perceptions, and Challenges

With increasing empirical evidence showcasing IPD’s capability to improve project outcomes and elevate construction processes, its adoption is rising across Canada. Yet, despite this growing trend, Quebec remains an exception, with no documented IPD projects to date. However, recent conversations and discussions within academic and industrial circles indicate that Quebec is poised to explore the benefits of IPD, potentially gearing up for its debut IPD project in the foreseeable future. Within this context, this paper aims to explore the awareness, perceptions, and challenges associated with adopting IPD in Quebec, aiming to provide an in-depth understanding of where Quebec stands in relation to IPD and offer a valuable guide for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and academic researchers aiming to advance this collaborative project delivery approach. Accordingly, a quantitative survey methodology was utilized. A comprehensive statistical approach incorporating both descriptive and inferential statistics was employed to analyze the data. The results showcase the state of IPD knowledge and awareness among construction professionals in Quebec, namely highlighting a gap between awareness and practical application. Despite this, a positive perception of IPD’s potential to enhance project outcomes is evident, with a highly positive perception of the foundational elements of IPD in Canada. In addition, the analysis showed a general consensus on the level of comfort in implementing IPD principles. The survey also identifies significant challenges to IPD implementation, including legal and contractual difficulties and the prevailing industry culture. The study concludes that, despite the favorable perceptions of IPD’s ability to enhance construction industry outcomes, Quebec’s construction industry would benefit from a holistic approach that promotes well-informed awareness and training in IPD and addresses the foundational challenges raised to ensure a seamless adoption of this innovative project delivery approach.