Supporting Reference

CCDC 2, Stipulated Price Contract for the ExAC

CCDC 2 (2020) is the standard fixed-price contract between an owner and a contractor in Canada. Examitect's ExAC study plan lists it as a primary reference for six Section 4 categories, from bidding and contract award through construction administration, site review, and owner takeover.

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CCDC 2 overview

CCDC 2 at a glance

Full titleCCDC 2 (2020), Stipulated Price Contract
PublisherCanadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC)
Current edition2020
Earlier editionsCCDC 2 (2008) is the immediate prior edition commonly cited in practice
LanguagesEnglish and French
Primary audienceOwners, contractors, and the consultants who administer their contracts in Canada
ExAC relevancePrimary reference on Examitect's ExAC study plan for six Section 4 categories
Where to accessSealed copies through CCDC document distributors; catalogue at ccdc.org

Why CCDC 2 matters for the ExAC

CCDC 2 is the contract behind most of Section 4. Almost every scenario that asks what the architect can certify, who can issue a change, what triggers holdback release, or how a default notice runs is anchored in a CCDC 2 General Condition.

Examitect's ExAC study plan lists CCDC 2 (2020) as a primary reference for six Section 4 categories: types of construction contract, contract award procedures, the architect's role in construction administration, office functions during construction, the architect's role on site, and field functions. That coverage spans the construction phase from bid to warranty.

Even if your IAP experience has been mostly design work, you are practising in projects governed by CCDC 2. The ExAC reflects that: contract clauses are not background reading, they are the answer.

How to study CCDC 2 for the ExAC

  • Read the Agreement (Articles A-1 to A-8) before anything else. Know what the Owner and Contractor agree to before you study how they perform.
  • Memorize all 28 defined terms. Every capitalized word in the contract is a potential ExAC question.
  • Sketch a one-page map of GC 1 through GC 13, one line per Part, so you can find any clause by topic without flipping pages.
  • Deep-read Parts 2, 5, 6, and 12. These cover the Consultant's authority, payment and holdback, changes in the Work, and Owner Takeover including Ready-for-Takeover.
  • Pair CCDC 2 with CHOP Chapters 6.5 and 6.6. The handbook gives the practice context behind each clause.
  • Drill scenario questions on Change Orders, payment certification, Ready-for-Takeover, and the Part 8 dispute ladder.

ExAC sections CCDC 2 supports

  1. Section 4: Construction and practice

    CCDC 2 (2020) is listed as a primary reference for six Section 4 categories on Examitect's ExAC study plan, covering the full construction phase from bidding through owner takeover.

Inside CCDC 2: Agreement, Definitions, General Conditions

CCDC 2 (2020) is shorter than people expect, but densely packed. It has three main parts: the Agreement, the Definitions, and the General Conditions. The General Conditions run from Part 1 through Part 13. When an exam question points you to "the contract", this is the document it means.

SectionWhat it contains
Agreement (A-1 to A-8)The signed deal: the Work, agreements and amendments, contract documents, contract price, payment, notices, language of the contract, and succession.
DefinitionsTwenty-eight capitalized terms used throughout the contract, including Contract, Contract Documents, Consultant, Substantial Performance of the Work, Ready-for-Takeover, Change Order, Change Directive, Working Day, and Notice in Writing.
Part 1: General ProvisionsContract documents, law of the contract, rights and remedies, and assignment.
Part 2: Administration of the ContractAuthority of the Consultant, role of the Consultant, review and inspection of the Work, and defective work. The core of what Section 4 tests about the architect's role.
Part 3: Execution of the WorkControl of the Work, construction by Owner or Other Contractors, temporary work, construction schedule, supervision, subcontractors and suppliers, labour and products, and shop drawings.
Part 4: AllowancesCash allowances and contingency allowance.
Part 5: PaymentFinancing information, applications for payment, payment, Substantial Performance of the Work and holdback release, final payment, deferred work, and non-conforming work. One of the most-tested Parts on the ExAC.
Part 6: Changes in the WorkOwner's right to make changes, Change Order, Change Directive, concealed or unknown conditions, delays, and claims for a change in contract price.
Part 7: Default NoticeOwner's right to terminate or perform the Work, and the Contractor's right to suspend or terminate.
Part 8: Dispute ResolutionAuthority of the Consultant in the first instance, then negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. Adjudication under applicable legislation is preserved as a parallel right, not a step in that sequence. Know the order before the exam.
Part 9: Protection of Persons and PropertyProtection of work and property, toxic and hazardous substances, artifacts and fossils, construction safety, and mould.
Part 10: Governing RegulationsTaxes and duties, laws, notices, permits, fees, patent fees, and workers' compensation.
Part 11: InsuranceThe required insurance program for the contract.
Part 12: Owner TakeoverReady-for-Takeover, early occupancy by the Owner, and warranty. The headline addition in CCDC 2 (2020).
Part 13: Indemnification and WaiverIndemnification of the parties and waiver of claims.

When an exam question asks where to look, identify the action first (pay, change, terminate, take over), then jump to the Part that governs that action. Most candidates lose time hunting clauses they could have skipped to directly.

Key CCDC 2 terms every ExAC candidate should know

Most CCDC 2 questions on the ExAC turn on a defined term. The contract capitalizes its definitions for a reason: every capital-letter word means exactly what the Definitions section says, no more and no less.

TermWhat it means in CCDC 2
ContractThe undertaking by the parties to perform their respective duties under the Contract Documents. Not just the signed Agreement.
Contract DocumentsThe full bundle listed in Article A-3: Agreement, Definitions, General Conditions, supplementary conditions, Specifications, Drawings, addenda, and anything else listed.
ConsultantThe person or entity engaged by the Owner and identified in the Agreement, typically the architect of record. Administers the contract on the Owner's behalf.
Substantial Performance of the WorkThe point at which the Work is sufficiently complete for use, as determined under the lien legislation at the Place of the Work. Triggers holdback release; the one-year warranty in CCDC 2 (2020) runs from Ready-for-Takeover, not Substantial Performance.
Ready-for-TakeoverNew in CCDC 2 (2020). A defined milestone signalling that the Work is complete enough for the Owner to take over the building. GC 12.1.1 limits the prerequisites to eight items: certified Substantial Performance, evidence for occupancy, final cleaning, operations and maintenance documents, as-built drawings to date, startup testing, secure access for the Owner, and demonstration and training being scheduled. Deficiency correction is not on the list.
Change OrderA written amendment to the contract, prepared by the Consultant and signed by the Owner and the Contractor, that records an agreed change in Contract Price, Contract Time, or both.
Change DirectiveA written instruction directing the Contractor to proceed with a change before price and time are agreed. Used to keep the Work moving while the parties negotiate.
Supplemental InstructionA written clarification from the Consultant that does not change the Contract Price or Contract Time. Used to interpret the Contract Documents without a formal change.
Notice in WritingA formal written notice delivered per Article A-6. Many CCDC 2 rights and deadlines only start running once Notice in Writing is properly delivered.
Place of the WorkThe designated site or location of the Work identified in the Contract Documents. Drives which provincial lien legislation, Payment Legislation, and labour and tax rules apply.
Working DayA day other than a Saturday, Sunday, statutory holiday, or statutory vacation day observed by the construction industry in the area of the Place of the Work. Some CCDC 2 clocks run in Working Days, but the key payment and takeover deadlines run in calendar days, so always check which unit the clause uses.
Payment LegislationThe prompt-payment and adjudication legislation in force at the Place of the Work. CCDC 2 (2020) defers to Payment Legislation where it conflicts with the contract's default payment and adjudication terms.

Tips for Intern Architects reading CCDC 2

Specific tactics for getting CCDC 2 into recall, not just recognition.

Tip 1, learn the capitals. Every capitalized word in CCDC 2 is a defined term. If a question turns on what counts as "the Work" or who counts as a "Subcontractor", the Definitions section is the answer. Treat lowercase versions as plain English, not contract language.

Tip 2, follow the money. Trace one full payment cycle: Application for Payment, Consultant's certification, Owner's payment, holdback, Substantial Performance, holdback release, Final Payment. Once you've walked it once, Part 5 stops being a list and becomes a sequence.

Tip 3, distinguish Change Order from Change Directive. A Change Order is signed and priced. A Change Directive proceeds before price is agreed. Examitect questions often put both terms in the same scenario and ask you to pick the right one.

Tip 4, internalize Ready-for-Takeover. Ready-for-Takeover is the headline addition in CCDC 2 (2020). It is a defined milestone beyond Substantial Performance. If a scenario describes a building that has reached Substantial Performance, where the occupancy requirements are met, training is scheduled, and the Owner is moving in, you're looking at Part 12. Deficiency correction is not a prerequisite; the deficiency list travels with the application.

Tip 5, watch the day counting. CCDC 2 (2020) runs its payment and takeover clocks in calendar days (10 to certify payment, 28 to pay, 20 to review Substantial Performance, 10 to review Ready-for-Takeover), while clocks like holdback release and default correction run in Working Days, which exclude weekends, statutory holidays, and statutory vacation days. Questions that include specific dates are usually testing this distinction.

Tip 6, respect Notice in Writing. Many CCDC 2 rights (including a Contractor's claim under GC 6.6 or a default under GC 7.1) only start running once Notice in Writing is properly delivered per Article A-6. A conversation on site does not qualify.

Tip 7, read Part 8 as a ladder. Dispute resolution under CCDC 2 (2020) climbs from the Consultant's first-instance ruling to negotiation, mediation, and finally arbitration. Adjudication where Payment Legislation applies is a parallel statutory right the contract preserves, not a rung on the ladder. Know the order before the exam.

Common ExAC scenarios where CCDC 2 is the answer

These scenarios repeat across Examitect practice questions and mock exams. Each is anchored in a specific CCDC 2 Part.

  • The Owner asks the Contractor to proceed with extra work before the price is agreed: Change Directive under GC 6.3, not a Change Order.
  • The Consultant interprets a drawing without changing price or time: Supplemental Instruction under GC 2.2.
  • The Contractor finds rock that was not in the geotech report: Concealed or Unknown Conditions under GC 6.4.
  • The Owner is moving in early before the project is complete: Early Occupancy under GC 12.2, not Substantial Performance.
  • The Contractor stops receiving payment and wants to walk: Contractor's right to suspend or terminate under GC 7.2, only after Notice in Writing.
  • Holdback can be released: at Substantial Performance of the Work under GC 5.4, governed by the lien legislation at the Place of the Work.
  • A dispute cannot be resolved by the Consultant: the negotiation, mediation, and arbitration ladder under GC 8.3, with adjudication available in parallel where Payment Legislation applies.

How CCDC 2 compares to other ExAC references

CCDC 2 is the actual contract on a project. The other ExAC references explain how to design, document, cost, and administer the work that contract governs.

ReferenceRole on the ExAC
CCDC 2The Stipulated Price Contract between Owner and Contractor, and the primary reference Examitect's ExAC study plan cites for Section 4 question 9.2, Understand the types of construction contract. CCDC 2 carries the Agreement, Definitions, and General Conditions that govern most Canadian construction projects; any supplementary conditions are added separately, project by project.
CHOPExplains the practice context CCDC 2 assumes. CHOP Chapter 6.5 walks through bidding, Chapter 6.6 covers contract administration and field review, Chapter 6.7 covers takeover and project closeout the way a Canadian architect actually does them, and Chapter 6.8 collects the sample forms.
CCDC 24The Guide to Model Forms and Support Documents that supports CCDC 2. Sets out the Contractor's Qualification Statement, prequalification checklist, change-process forms, and the model Application for Payment.
NBC 2020The technical code the Work has to meet. CCDC 2 requires the Contractor to build to the Contract Documents, but the Contract Documents must comply with the NBC.
CHINGThe illustrated reference behind the design and detail decisions baked into the Contract Documents that CCDC 2 governs.
RSMeans and YardsticksThe cost references used to estimate the Contract Price before CCDC 2 fixes it.

How Examitect reinforces CCDC 2

Examitect's Section 4 practice questions are written around CCDC 2 scenarios: a Change Directive disguised as a Change Order, a payment certification with a tricky holdback amount, a Ready-for-Takeover punch list, a default sequence that hinges on Notice in Writing. The mock exams put those scenarios on the clock, so you practise picking the right clause in the time the ExAC actually gives you.

If you've never worked on a CCDC 2 project, start with the free sample question, then move to a full Section 4 plan. If your IAP is already deep in construction administration, use the mocks to verify that recognition has hardened into recall.

FAQ

CCDC 2 FAQ

CCDC 2 is the Stipulated Price Contract published by the Canadian Construction Documents Committee. It is the standard fixed-price contract between an owner and a contractor in Canada and bundles the Agreement, Definitions, and 13 Parts of General Conditions into one document. The current edition is CCDC 2 (2020).

Yes. Examitect's ExAC study plan lists CCDC 2 (2020) as a primary reference for several Section 4 categories, including types of construction contract, awarding a contract, construction administration office functions, and field functions.

Section 4 (Construction and practice). CCDC 2 is the contract behind the bidding, construction administration, and field-review questions that make up most of Section 4 on Examitect's study plan.

CCDC 2 (2020) is the current edition. It replaced CCDC 2 (2008) and introduced changes including Ready-for-Takeover, updated insurance requirements tied to CCDC 41, an adjudication clause that preserves the parties' rights under provincial prompt-payment legislation, and refreshed General Conditions throughout.

CCDC 2 has three main sections: the Agreement Between Owner and Contractor (Articles A-1 to A-8), the Definitions, and the General Conditions (Parts 1 through 13). The General Conditions cover administration, execution, allowances, payment, changes, default, dispute resolution, protection of persons and property, governing regulations, insurance, owner takeover, and indemnification.

CCDC 2 is the stipulated price contract that governs an actual construction project. CCDC 24 is the Guide to Model Forms and Support Documents, which sets out contractor prequalification statements and the model forms used during construction administration. CCDC 24 supports the use of CCDC 2.

Under CCDC 2 (2020), the Consultant (typically the architect) administers the contract, interprets its requirements, reviews and inspects the Work, certifies payment, issues Change Orders and Change Directives, and rules in the first instance on disputes under Part 8. The Consultant's authority is set out in GC 2.1 and GC 2.2.

Time varies widely with prior construction administration experience. Most candidates spend a focused week on CCDC 2, reading it once cover to cover, then revisiting Parts 2, 5, 6, and 12 alongside CHOP Chapter 6.6 and scenario-based practice questions.

Keep exploring

Other ExAC reference books.

The six primary references on Examitect's ExAC study plan. CCDC 2 sits alongside these as the contract behind Section 4.

CHOP

The Canadian Handbook of Practice. The RAIC's reference for architectural practice and a primary Section 4 reference.

CHING

Building Construction Illustrated. The illustrated reference behind Section 1 site analysis and Section 3 assemblies.

NBC 2020

The National Building Code of Canada. The technical code your CCDC 2 Contract Documents have to meet.

NECB

The National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings. The energy-performance side of Section 2.

RSMeans

The unit-cost reference used to estimate the Contract Price before it is fixed by CCDC 2.

Yardsticks

The Canadian elemental cost reference for early-stage budgeting on Section 1 cost management.

All supporting references

Browse every supporting reference on Examitect's ExAC study plan, including CCDC 24, RAIC Document 6, and RAIC Document 9.