According to the Régie de l'énergie, it takes 4 to 7 years to build a hydroelectric power station, from the time the project initiator remits the Project Notification form to the government until the facility is up and running.

The Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune estimates a run-of-the-river hydro plant can be authorized and built within three years (if it generates less than 5 MW) or four years (if more than 5 MW).

These time frames are much shorter than the ten years or so which are required to build large hydroelectric power stations.