01

Condominium and residential property management

Property managers hire on behalf of a condo board and answer to that board if something goes wrong. They keep a standing roster of vendors and re verify it constantly, which makes them the heaviest repeat askers in the country.

Property managerCompliance coordinatorCondo boardRegional manager

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
WSIB clearance certificateA one page confirmation from Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board that your account is registered and your premiums are paid.	WSIB	90 days	If a worker is hurt and your clearance is not active, the hiring party can inherit the claim and the cost.	clearances.wsib.cawsib.ca
Certificate of insurance, commercial general liabilityA summary page from your insurer proving you carry liability cover. Buildings usually want two to five million dollars and want to be named on it.	Your broker	12 months	No certificate means no site access. Most buildings will not let you start without one on file.	Property manager COI guidance
Additional insured endorsementA specific add on to your policy that extends your cover to the client. Different from simply listing them as certificate holder, and clients often confuse the two.	Your broker	Policy term	Without it the building has no claim against your policy, which is usually the entire reason they asked.	Certificate of insurance basics
Criminal record checkA police check for anyone who will hold keys, enter units, or work unsupervised in the building.	Local police service	1 to 3 years	Boards routinely refuse unit access without one. Concierge and cleaning contracts hinge on it.	Ontario police record checks
Workplace harassment and violence policyA written policy your business is required to have and review yearly under Ontario health and safety law.	You write it	Reviewed yearly	Comes up in audits and larger tenders. Easy to produce, easy to forget to update.	Ontario Ministry of Labour

02

Cleaning and janitorial

Cleaning contracts turn over fast and often run through a facility management prime who inherits the end client’s requirements and pushes them straight down to you.

Property managerFacility management primeOffice managerProcurement

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
WSIB clearance certificateConfirms your workers are covered for workplace injury and your premiums are current.	WSIB	90 days	The most common single reason a cleaning invoice gets held. No clearance, no payment release.	clearances.wsib.ca
Certificate of insuranceProof of liability cover. Cleaning claims are usually water damage, slips, and damaged contents.	Your broker	12 months	One flooded suite without cover can end a small cleaning business.	COI for property management
WHMIS training recordsProof your staff were trained on the chemicals they handle. Required under Ontario health and safety law.	Training provider	Refreshed yearly	A ministry inspection at a client site can put your contract at risk, not just your own operation.	Ontario health and safety
Criminal record checks for staffChecks on the individual cleaners, not just the company, since they work alone in occupied space after hours.	Local police service	1 to 3 years	Staff turnover makes this the hardest one to keep current. Most firms have gaps and do not know it.	Ontario police record checks

03

Electrical contracting

Electrical is one of the few trades where the licence sits on the business, not just the person. Any client can verify you in about ten seconds using a public lookup tool.

Property managerGeneral contractorHomeownerMunicipalityInsurer

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
ECRA/ESA contractor licenceA seven digit licence number that authorises your business to do electrical work for hire in Ontario. It looks like ECRA/ESA 7000000.	Electrical Safety Authority	Annual renewal	Only licensed contractors may legally do electrical work for hire. Working without one is not a paperwork problem, it is illegal.	Hire a licensed contractorGet your licence
Master electrician designationYou must be a master electrician or employ one at all times to hold the contractor licence.	Electrical Safety Authority	Ongoing	Lose your master electrician and the contractor licence goes with them.	Licensed contractor or certified electrician
Liability insurance, two million minimumPublic liability and property damage cover. The two million floor is written into the licensing requirement itself.	Your broker	12 months	Let it lapse and your licence eligibility goes with it.	Licence requirements
WSIB registrationRequired as part of holding the contractor licence where the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act applies to you.	WSIB	90 day clearances	Tied directly to your ability to keep the licence.	Licence requirements
Certificate of acceptanceIssued after ESA inspects completed work. Clients keep it for insurance and resale.	Electrical Safety Authority	Per job	Unpermitted electrical work can void a building owner’s insurance.	About licensed contractors

04

HVAC, gas, and fuels

Anything touching fuel is regulated by the TSSA, and the registration sits on the contracting business while separate certificates sit on each technician you employ.

Property managerBuilding ownerGeneral contractorRestaurant operator

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
TSSA contractor registrationAuthorises your business to install, service, and maintain regulated fuel equipment anywhere in Ontario.	TSSA	Annual renewal	Unregistered fuels work is an enforcement matter. A pre registration inspection is part of getting approved.	Contractor registrationLicensing and registration
Fuels safety technician certificatesEach technician doing the work needs their own certificate. The registered contractor is responsible for making sure they hold it.	TSSA	Varies by class	You carry the responsibility for hiring the right certificate holders for the work being done.	Contractor registration and certification
Contractor audit readinessTSSA runs heating and petroleum contractor audit programs. Registered contractors are subject to them.	TSSA	Ongoing	An audit finding can suspend your ability to work.	Contractor registration
Certificate of insuranceLiability cover. Gas work carries a higher risk profile so clients often ask for higher limits.	Your broker	12 months	Standard gate for building access.	COI basics
WSIB clearance certificateStandard across every trade working on somebody else’s property in Ontario.	WSIB	90 days	Hiring party inherits injury liability without it.	clearances.wsib.ca

05

Elevator and lifting devices

Elevating devices sit under the same safety authority as fuels. Condo and commercial buildings cannot operate without a compliant maintenance contractor, which makes this a very short and very scrutinised vendor list.

Property managerBuilding ownerCondo boardFacility director

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
TSSA authorisation for elevating devicesThe safety authority regulates elevators, escalators, and lifts. Work on them requires proper authorisation.	TSSA	Annual renewal	A building with a non compliant elevator contractor risks having devices taken out of service.	Licensing and registrationTSSA overview
Certificate of insurance with high limitsLiability cover, usually at higher limits than other trades because of the injury exposure.	Your broker	12 months	Buildings and their insurers set the floor, and it is rarely negotiable.	COI basics
WSIB clearance certificateStandard requirement for on site trade work.	WSIB	90 days	Injury liability transfers to the building without it.	clearances.wsib.ca

06

General contracting and renovation

General contractors are asked to prove things by their clients, and then have to turn around and ask the very same things of every subcontractor they hire. They are both a vendor and a requestor at once.

Property managerDeveloperHomeownerInstitutional clientInsurer

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
WSIB clearance certificateIn construction, even a one person operation with no employees is generally required to be registered and able to produce a clearance.	WSIB	90 days	If your subcontractor’s clearance lapses mid project you are expected to hold back payment until it is resolved.	clearances.wsib.caSubcontractor liability
Certificate of insuranceLiability cover, commonly two to five million on commercial work.	Your broker	12 months	Clients will not release deposits or site access without it.	Construction COI management
Health and safety policy and programA written policy plus the supporting program. Larger clients ask to see both.	You write it	Reviewed yearly	Standard prequalification gate on institutional and municipal work.	Ontario health and safety
Working at heights trainingRequired certification for workers on construction projects who use fall protection.	Approved provider	3 years	A single untrained worker on site can stop the job.	Ontario health and safety
Subcontractor documents you collectEverything above, again, from every sub you hire. This is the part that quietly eats a project manager’s week.	Each subcontractor	Continuous	You inherit the gap. Their lapse becomes your liability.	Subcontractor liability

07

Security guarding and concierge

Security is licensed twice over. The agency needs a business licence and every guard needs an individual one. Property managers are increasingly expected to verify both, and the penalties for getting it wrong are substantial.

Property managerBuilding ownerEvent venueRetail operatorHospital

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
PSISA agency licenceAnyone selling the services of security guards needs an agency licence under Ontario’s Private Security and Investigative Services Act.	Ministry of the Solicitor General	Annual renewal	New agencies are contacted by a compliance inspector within thirty days and inspected within six months.	Agency requirements
Individual guard licencesEvery guard needs their own licence, carried while on duty and produced on request. Licences are digital now.	Ministry of the Solicitor General	Annual renewal	Hiring an unlicensed guard exposes the agency and the client. Fines under the Act are significant.	Agency requirementsOntario security licensing
Mandatory training and testingA government approved training program covering use of force, legal authorities, emergency response, and report writing, followed by a ministry exam.	Approved training provider	Before licensing	You cannot apply for a licence without completing the required training first.	Licensing process
Criminal record checkCompleted before a licence is granted. Directors and officers of the agency are also screened.	Local police service	Per licence cycle	A conviction on the prescribed list can block licensing entirely.	Ontario police record checks
First aid and CPR certificationPart of the licensing requirements for guards.	Approved provider	3 years	Expired first aid can invalidate licence standing at renewal.	Ontario security licensing
Certificate of insuranceLiability cover for the agency.	Your broker	12 months	Standard contract gate for every property and venue client.	COI basics

08

Childcare and early years

Childcare is licensed at the program level and screened at the individual level. If you provide care to more than five children under thirteen you need a licence, and every adult in the building needs clearance.

Ministry of EducationParentsMunicipal service managerSchool boardEmployer partners

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Child care licenceRequired for any program caring for more than five children under the age of thirteen. Issued under the Child Care and Early Years Act.	Ministry of Education	Renewed yearly	Operating unlicensed where a licence is required is an enforcement matter. The application itself takes four to six months.	Apply or renew a licenceChild care rules
Vulnerable sector checkThe highest level of police check in Canada. Required for all staff, volunteers, and students at licensed centres, and updated every five years.	Local police service	5 years	Renewal windows are long and easy to miss. Processing can take weeks.	Child care rulesVulnerable sector checks
Standard first aid with infant and child CPRRequired for home child care providers overseen by a licensed agency.	Approved provider	3 years	A lapsed certificate can pull a provider out of service until it is renewed.	Child care rules
Liability insuranceRequired cover for the program.	Your broker	12 months	No licence and no parent contract without it.	Home daycare licensing
Fire safety and public health inspectionsYour premises are inspected before approval and periodically after.	Fire service and public health	Periodic	A failed inspection suspends operation.	Home daycare licensing

09

Education services and school suppliers

Ontario overhauled background check rules for school board personnel. Boards now collect police record checks from a much wider group, including service providers, on staggered deadlines.

School boardPrincipalBoard purchasing managerHealth and safety officer

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Vulnerable sector checkRequired for anyone in a position of trust or authority with students, including service providers with regular direct contact.	Local police service	Set by board policy	Boards must collect a check before the individual starts work. No check, no site access.	Background check overhaulOntario police record checks
Criminal record and judicial matters checkThe level below a vulnerable sector check. Which one applies depends on the role.	Local police service	Set by board policy	Providing the wrong level means starting over and losing weeks.	Background check overhaul
Offence declarationA signed form declaring any convictions since your last check. Boards collect these between full checks.	You sign it	Annual or on site change	Boards may collect a fresh declaration before you begin at a different school site.	TDSB police record check procedure
Certificate of insuranceLiability cover naming the board.	Your broker	12 months	Standard procurement gate on every board contract.	COI basics
WSIB clearance certificateFor any provider doing physical work on board property.	WSIB	90 days	Boards apply the same liability logic as any other property owner.	clearances.wsib.ca

10

Healthcare staffing and clinical vendors

Hospitals run the deepest verification stack of any requestor, and most of them route it through a dedicated credentialing platform. Expect immunisation records alongside the usual insurance and licensing.

Supply chain directorVendor access coordinatorMaterials managementClinical manager

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Professional licence or registrationCurrent registration with your regulatory college for every clinician you place.	Regulatory college	Annual renewal	An expired registration removes that person from the schedule immediately.	Hospital vendor credentialing
Immunisation and TB screening recordsProof of immunisation status and tuberculosis screening before entering patient care areas.	Your physician	Annual or per policy	The single most common reason a rep or clinician is turned away at the door.	Vendor credentialing guide
Background checkCriminal record screening, often at vulnerable sector level given the patient population.	Local police service	1 to 3 years	Facilities monitor status continuously, not just at onboarding.	Ontario police record checks
Privacy and HIPAA or PHIPA trainingProof you were trained on handling patient information.	Training provider	Annual	Required before system or clinical area access is granted.	Vendor credentialing
Facility specific policy attestationsEach hospital assigns its own required policies and trainings on top of the standard set.	Each facility	Per facility	Being cleared at one hospital tells you nothing about the next one. This is the repeat burden in its purest form.	Access management
Certificate of insuranceLiability and often professional liability cover.	Your broker	12 months	Standard supply chain gate.	COI basics

11

Fitness, coaching, and youth programs

Anyone working with children or vulnerable adults gets screened, whether they run a gym floor, a swim class, or a weekend league. Facilities and schools both ask, and they rarely accept each other’s paperwork.

Facility operatorSchool boardMunicipal recreationParentsSports organisation

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Vulnerable sector checkRequired for coaches, camp counsellors, and youth leaders in positions of trust or authority.	Local police service	1 to 5 years	Most leagues and facilities will not let you on the floor without a current one.	Vulnerable sector checksVSC requirements
Certification for your disciplinePersonal training, coaching, or instructor certification from a recognised body.	Certifying body	1 to 3 years	Facility insurance often requires certified instructors only.	Ontario police record checks
First aid and CPRCurrent certification, often with AED training.	Approved provider	3 years	Standard condition of facility access and league sanctioning.	Ontario health and safety
Liability insuranceCover for injury claims arising from instruction.	Your broker	12 months	Facilities require it before granting space.	COI basics

12

Catering and food service

Catering splits into three separate approvals that come from three separate places. The kitchen, the people, and the alcohol are each regulated on their own track.

Event venueCorporate clientSchool boardPublic healthWedding client

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Food handler certificationPersonal certification for everyone who touches food. It sits on the individual, not the business.	Public health unit or approved provider	2 to 5 years	Staff turnover creates constant gaps. Venues ask for the current roster, not the company certificate.	Starting a catering businessCatering requirements
Food premises inspection approvalYour kitchen must comply with the Ontario Food Premises Regulation and pass regular health inspections.	Local public health unit	Periodic inspection	A failed inspection can close you mid contract with events already booked.	Catering requirements
Caterer’s endorsementAn endorsement on your liquor licence that lets you sell and serve alcohol at catered events in unlicensed spaces.	AGCO	Per licence term	Serving without the right endorsement puts the whole event at risk, including the venue.	Liquor licensing for caterers
Smart Serve certificationOntario’s mandatory responsible alcohol service training. Anyone serving alcohol needs it.	Smart Serve Ontario	Per recertification cycle	One uncertified server can jeopardise the venue’s licence, not just yours.	Smart Serve requirements
Municipal business licenceMost Ontario municipalities require a general business licence for catering.	Your municipality	Annual	Easy to overlook when you expand into a neighbouring city.	Catering requirements
Certificate of insuranceLiability cover, usually naming the venue as additional insured.	Your broker	12 months	Almost no venue will let you load in without it.	COI basics

13

Event venues, AV, and event staffing

Venues sit on both sides. They ask their vendors for proof and they get asked for proof by corporate clients. Deadlines are hard, so a missing certificate on the morning of an event is a real emergency.

Venue operationsEvent producerCorporate clientHotel risk manager

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Certificate of insurance naming the venueLiability cover with the venue named as additional insured, not just certificate holder.	Your broker	12 months	The most common load in day blocker in the entire events industry.	Additional insured guidance
Smart Serve for bar staffRequired for anyone serving alcohol at the event.	Smart Serve Ontario	Per recertification cycle	Puts the venue’s liquor licence at risk if missed.	Smart Serve
Rigging and working at heights certificationFor AV crews hanging lighting, truss, or screens.	Approved provider	3 years	Venues with overhead rigging points will not release them without it.	Ontario health and safety
Security guard licences for event securityIndividual and agency licences under the same rules as any other security work.	Ministry of the Solicitor General	Annual renewal	Event security is not exempt. The same licensing applies.	Agency requirements
WSIB clearance certificateFor crews doing physical setup and teardown.	WSIB	90 days	Load in injuries are common and the venue does not want the claim.	clearances.wsib.ca

14

Trucking and commercial transport

Transport carries two separate document sets. One proves you are allowed to operate the vehicles, the other proves you are safe enough for a broker to give you freight. Both get checked constantly.

Freight brokerShipper3PLMinistry of TransportationInsurer

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
CVOR certificateCommercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration. Required for trucks over 4,500 kilograms, buses seating ten or more, and tow trucks operating in Ontario.	Ontario Ministry of Transportation	Assigned expiry date	You cannot legally operate without it, and a copy must be carried in every vehicle.	CVOR overviewCVOR application process
CVOR abstract and safety ratingYour safety scorecard. A rolling record of collisions, convictions, and inspection results over the past two years.	Ontario Ministry of Transportation	Rolling 24 months	Brokers pull this before giving you freight. A poor rating quietly costs you work you never hear about.	CVOR overview
Operating authority, MC and DOT numbersFederal authority to operate for hire, required for cross border and United States work.	FMCSA	Ongoing with filings	Brokers verify authority against live federal data before every load.	Carrier onboarding practice
Certificate of insurance for cargo and liabilityAuto liability and cargo cover. Brokers set their own minimums, usually one million auto and one hundred thousand cargo.	Your broker	12 months	Insurance lapses are monitored continuously by broker compliance platforms and can suspend you instantly.	Carrier compliance monitoring
W-9 or W-8 and signed carrier agreementTax form plus the broker carrier contract. Part of the standard packet every broker sends.	You complete it	Per broker	You will fill this same packet out for every single broker you work with. Dozens of times a year.	Carrier packet checklist
BOC-3 process agent filingNames a legal process agent in every state you operate in. Required for for hire carriers registered federally.	Process agent	Ongoing	Verifiable through federal systems. Brokers check it.	Carrier packet checklist

15

Waste, recycling, and environmental services

Waste hauling combines transport requirements with environmental approvals. Property managers and municipalities both ask, and the environmental side is the one people forget.

Property managerMunicipalityFacility directorIndustrial client

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
CVOR certificateRequired for the collection vehicles once they pass the weight threshold.	Ontario Ministry of Transportation	Assigned expiry date	Same rules as any other commercial fleet.	CVOR overview
Environmental compliance approvalProvincial approval for waste handling and processing activities.	Ontario Ministry of the Environment	Per approval terms	Operating outside your approval conditions is an enforcement matter.	Ontario environment ministry
Certificate of insuranceLiability plus, in many cases, environmental impairment cover.	Your broker	12 months	Standard requirement on commercial and municipal contracts.	COI basics
WSIB clearance certificateStandard for on site work.	WSIB	90 days	Injury liability transfers without it.	clearances.wsib.ca

16

IT services, software, and managed service providers

Technology vendors get asked to prove security rather than safety. The questionnaire is the gate, and answering it badly is the most common reason a deal stalls between verbal yes and signature.

ProcurementThird party risk analystCISOVendor management office

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
SOC 2 Type II reportAn independent audit by a CPA firm against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. Buyers read it instead of auditing you themselves.	Licensed CPA firm	Annual audit cycle	Without one you answer a bespoke questionnaire for every single deal. With one you clear the first filter quickly.	Reviewing vendor SOC 2 reportsSOC 2 in enterprise sales
Bridge letterA short letter covering the gap between the end of your audit period and today. Buyers ask for it constantly.	Your auditor	Covers a specific gap	An out of date report with no bridge letter reads as stale and stalls the review.	SOC 2 evidence requests
Security questionnaire responsesStandardised sets like SIG or CAIQ, or the buyer’s own custom list. Questions on encryption, access control, incident response, and subprocessors.	You complete it	Per buyer	These add weeks to a sales cycle. The same questions, rewritten, for every prospect.	Security questionnairesVendor questionnaires and RFI
Cyber liability insuranceCover specific to data breach and system failure, separate from general liability.	Your broker	12 months	Increasingly a hard contractual requirement, not a nice to have.	COI basics
Subprocessor listEvery third party that touches customer data on your behalf. Buyers want it current.	You maintain it	Continuous	Adding a subprocessor without telling customers can breach your own contracts.	Vendor SOC 2 checklist

17

Professional services, consulting, and agencies

Nothing here is safety regulated, so the ask is commercial and tax focused. It looks lighter than the trades, but it is the same repeat problem in a different costume.

ProcurementAccounts payableLegalVendor management office

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
W-9, W-8BEN, or Canadian equivalentTax forms so the client can pay you and report correctly.	You complete it	Update on change	Missing forms hold up your first invoice, every time, with every new client.	Federal supplier registration
Certificate of insuranceGeneral liability and often professional liability, also called errors and omissions.	Your broker	12 months	Standard contract condition on commercial engagements.	COI basics
Code of conduct acknowledgementA signed acknowledgement of the client’s supplier standards.	Client provides it	Annual or per contract	Refreshed on renewal and easily forgotten between cycles.	SOC 2 vendor management
Business registration confirmationProof your legal entity exists and matches the name on your invoices.	Corporate registry	Annual filings	A name mismatch between your invoice and your registration delays payment.	Doing business with Ontario
Supplier diversity or equity attestationsSelf declarations some buyers require as part of their supplier programs.	You declare it	Annual	Increasingly common on enterprise and public sector contracts.	SOC 2 vendor management

18

Selling to municipalities

Most Ontario municipalities run one shared e bidding platform. Registration is free, the requirements are published in every bid document, and the same documents come up again on every single tender.

Manager of procurementBuyerContract administratorSupply chain analyst

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Vendor portal registrationAn account on the city’s bidding platform so you can view documents and submit bids. Most Ontario cities use the same one.	Your municipality	Keep profile current	You cannot see or bid on opportunities without it.	bids and tenders platformToronto bids portal
WSIB clearance certificateStandard condition on municipal work.	WSIB	90 days	Contract award can be held until a current clearance is on file.	clearances.wsib.ca
Certificate of insurance to municipal limitsLimits and endorsements are specified in each bid document and vary by contract type.	Your broker	12 months	Wrong limits means a non compliant bid, which means automatic disqualification.	Municipal procurement example
Bid and performance bondsSurety instruments guaranteeing you will enter the contract and complete the work.	Surety provider	Per contract	Required above certain thresholds on construction work.	Municipal bidding
Health and safety policyWritten policy plus supporting documentation.	You write it	Reviewed yearly	Common prequalification requirement.	Ontario health and safety
Accessibility training recordsProof of AODA training where the contract involves public facing service.	Training provider	Per policy	Written into many municipal contract terms.	Municipal procurement example

19

Selling to provincial and federal government

Government procurement has its own front door at each level. Registration is free at all of them, but each one issues you a different identifier and expects a different profile kept current.

Ministry buyerFederal contracting officerSupply OntarioDepartmental procurement

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Ontario Tenders Portal registrationFree registration to receive alerts and bid on provincial opportunities.	Supply Ontario	Keep profile current	Provincial opportunities are published here. Without an account you never see them.	Doing business with OntarioOntario Tenders Portal
Procurement Business NumberYour permanent identifier in the federal procurement system, based on your CRA business number. It does not expire.	Public Services and Procurement Canada	Permanent	Required before you can register for federal sourcing tools.	Supplier registrationCanadaBuys registration
CanadaBuys supplier accountAn account on the federal procurement platform where tender and award notices are published.	Public Services and Procurement Canada	Keep profile current	Registration is free and open to suppliers worldwide, but you are invisible without it.	CanadaBuysRegistration checklist
Goods and services identification codesCategory codes that determine which opportunities you get notified about. Choose too narrow and you miss work, too broad and you drown.	You select them	Update as you grow	Getting these wrong quietly costs you opportunities for years.	CanadaBuys registration
Security screeningPersonnel and organisational screening for contracts touching sensitive information or locations.	Government of Canada	Per clearance terms	Screening takes months. Starting when the tender drops is far too late.	Doing business with Ontario
Vendor profile and banking detailsKept current in the payment system so invoices actually get paid on time.	Ministry or department	Update on change	Stale banking details are a common cause of late payment.	Doing business with Ontario

20

Selling to the City of San Francisco

For anyone expanding into the United States, San Francisco is a useful example of how different a municipal requirement set can look. Two of these have no Canadian equivalent at all.

Office of Contract AdministrationContract Monitoring DivisionDepartment buyer

What they ask for	Who issues it	How long it lasts	What happens if it lapses	Read the source
Registered bidder accountThe first step. Registration lets you view and bid on sourcing events before you are fully approved.	City and County of San Francisco	Keep profile current	You advance to fully compliant supplier status afterwards, which is what lets you actually be awarded contracts.	Become a supplier
Chapter 12B equal benefits declarationA declaration that you provide benefits equally to employees with domestic partners and employees with spouses. There is no Canadian equivalent.	Contract Monitoring Division	Per declaration	You receive a compliance notification by email after review. Without it you cannot be fully awarded contracts.	Become a city supplierSupplier compliance
Business tax registrationRegistration with the Treasurer and Tax Collector, required of anyone doing business in the city.	Treasurer and Tax Collector	Annual	You receive a business account number that links to your supplier record.	Business registration
Proof of insurance and bondsInsurance coverage, and in some cases payment and performance bonds.	Your broker and surety	Per contract	Requirements vary by contract type and are specified in each solicitation.	Become a supplier
Chapter 14B local business certificationOptional certification that helps small businesses headquartered in the region compete for city work.	Contract Monitoring Division	Per certification term	Optional, but a real competitive advantage if you qualify.	Become a supplier