Available
Pilotiko for commercial grounds maintenance
A shopping centre, three condo buildings and a clinic don't get mowed like a street of bungalows: each site has its own spec sheet, contact person and allowed hours.
Pilotiko helps a Quebec commercial grounds maintenance company spread weekly visits across dozens of sites, book crews and equipment without double-booking, record skills such as pesticide certification, and draft renewal quotes that a person on your team reviews before anything goes to the property manager.
In short
- Every site under contract is a customer with its own visits, history and contact person.
- Crews, ride-on mowers and trailers are booked as resources, so nothing gets promised twice.
- Applying pesticides to green spaces requires a Quebec permit and certified (or supervised) staff; Pilotiko can require that skill at assignment.
- Renewal quotes are drafted by an agent and approved by you.
How is commercial grounds work different from residential lawn care?
Your customer isn't a homeowner looking at the lawn; it's a manager comparing specs, frequencies and proof of service, often for several properties at once.
The buyer is a condo board, a property management firm, a retail chain, an industrial park or an institution. Many write a spec sheet: mowing frequency, number of hedge trims, seasonal flower beds, litter pick-up, spring clean-up of winter grit. Pricing is set once a season or for several years, and renewals are negotiated over the winter.
Site rules matter more than the weather. A clinic doesn't want leaf blowers running during morning appointments, a mall wants the median mowed before opening, a condo building forbids blocking the garage ramp. Those instructions have to follow the crew week after week instead of living in the foreman's head.
Volume changes how the office works. With 30 or 40 sites to visit every week, one missed visit gets noticed fast, and the call comes from the property manager, not a resident.
What does the season look like for a commercial contractor?
| Period | Site work | Office work to protect |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | Little ground work; inspections, dormant tree pruning where contracted | Renewal quotes, public tenders, seasonal hiring |
| April and May | Spring clean-up of grit and debris, first mow, repairing turf damaged by snow | Start-up calendar per site, first visits confirmed |
| June to August | Weekly mowing, flower beds, hedge trimming, weeding | Covering absences, heat, handling complaints quickly |
| September to November | Aeration, overseeding, leaf clean-up, site closing | Billable extras, end-of-season review per site |
Which rules apply to commercial grounds maintenance in Quebec?
If you apply pesticides, the Government of Quebec lists "application in green space maintenance" among the activities that require a permit [1]. The permit is valid for three years, you need one per type of activity, and the work must be done by certified employees or under the supervision of a certified employee. Permit holders also keep a register of their pesticide purchases, sales or uses [1]. Municipalities can add their own restrictions, so check the bylaw in every town where you have a site.
In summer, the CNESST (Quebec's workplace health and safety board) reminds employers to supply enough cool water and give breaks every hour. It advises workers to drink at least a glass of water every 20 minutes and stop at the first sign of discomfort [2]. For a crew mowing next to a sun-baked asphalt lot, that means fewer productive hours in the day, and the schedule should reflect it.
The line between maintenance and construction matters too. According to the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), no licence is needed for low walls and other landscaping work on private land, but paving and interlocking-paver parking areas fall under subclass 2.7, Sitework [3]. If a client asks you to redo a paver driveway, check your licence before signing.
| Requirement | Source | In Pilotiko |
|---|---|---|
| Permit for green space maintenance, valid 3 years | Government of Quebec [1] | Renewal date logged as a task in the Management room |
| Application by, or under, certified staff | Government of Quebec [1] | "Pesticide certificate" skill required for that service |
| Register of pesticide use | Government of Quebec [1] | Not automated: the register stays yours |
| Cool water and hourly breaks in hot weather | CNESST [2] | Longer summer visit durations on the service |
| Paving and paver parking: subclass 2.7 | RBQ [3] | Separate service, limited to authorized crews |
How does Pilotiko keep dozens of sites organized?
Each site is a customer with its address, contact person and instructions. Each visit is a job in the calendar, tied to a crew and, when needed, to resources: the 60-inch ride-on mower, the trailer, the dump truck. If the trailer is heading to Boucherville Tuesday morning, it won't also be offered for Brossard at the same time.
The Home services template is a starting point: Dispatch for requests from property managers, Quotes for renewals and extras, Vans and fleet, Workshop for blade sharpening and engine upkeep, and Accounting. You add or remove rooms from the catalogue to match how you actually work.
When a crew lead is off, Pilotiko suggests a replacement based on recorded skills, free hours and workload after the job. A service that requires the pesticide certificate refuses an employee without it, unless a manager explicitly overrides. The quotes agent drafts renewals from your services and prices; someone on your team reviews them and decides whether to send.
Internal reports show bookings, workload per crew and revenue. At season's end you can see which sites asked for the most extras and which ate more hours than planned, which is exactly what you need to price next year's contract.
How many sites can three crews cover each week?
What do property managers push back on?
- "How do I know you came this week?" The site history lists each completed visit with date and crew, so you can answer in seconds.
- "The grass went brown in August." Drought and municipal watering limits play a part; note them in the site instructions and in the quote to head off the argument.
- "Why are leaves extra?" If the spec sheet leaves them out, the quote should say so. The quotes agent carries your clauses into every draft.
- "Can you come before we open?" The allowed window is recorded on the site, and the calendar only offers slots that respect it.
What isn't available yet?
Where should you start?
Enter your sites and services with realistic durations first, then your crews and their skills. To understand how it fits together, read about dispatch, the work order and how AI agents wait for your approval.
Neighbouring trades have their own pages: residential landscaping, parking lot maintenance, snow removal and, on your customers' side, property management. For your own storefront, see the hosted website. Plans are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to apply pesticides on commercial properties in Quebec?
Yes. Application in green space maintenance is one of the activities that require a Government of Quebec permit. The permit is valid for three years, and the work is done by certified employees or under a certified employee's supervision.
Do I need an RBQ licence for grounds maintenance?
Not for maintenance, nor for low walls and other landscaping work on private land, according to the Régie du bâtiment. Paving and interlocking-paver parking areas do fall under subclass 2.7.
Can Pilotiko handle several sites for the same property manager?
Yes. Each site has its own record, instructions and history, and you can group them under the same contact. Reports show hours and revenue site by site.
Are weekly visits created automatically for the whole season?
Not today. Each visit is a job your team enters or books in the calendar. Pilotiko then checks for crew and equipment conflicts.
How should heat be built into the schedule?
The CNESST asks employers to provide cool water and hourly breaks in hot weather. Lengthening summer visit durations on the service keeps crews from being overbooked on paper.
Does Pilotiko send renewal quotes?
Not on its own. The quotes agent drafts from your services and prices; a person reviews and sends. Automatic email sending isn't available yet.
Sources
- Gouvernement du Québec, Permis pour la vente et l'utilisation de pesticides (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- CNESST, Coup de chaleur (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Sous-catégorie 2.7 – Entrepreneur en travaux d'emplacement (accessed on October 15, 2026).
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