Canadian Contractor Compliance Checklist: Province-by-Province Requirements

Contractor compliance requirements vary by province, trade, and project scope. What's required in Ontario differs from British Columbia, Alberta, or Quebec. A contractor working across provinces — or a property manager hiring vendors in multiple regions — needs a clear reference for what's required where.

This checklist covers the three pillars of contractor compliance across Canada: workers' compensation, general liability insurance, and trade-specific licensing. Use it as your contractor insurance verification checklist for any province.

Every Canadian province has a workers' compensation board. Contractors must be registered and in good standing before performing work. Here's what you need to know:

Ontario — WSIB: Mandatory for businesses with employees. Independent operators can apply for exemption. Clearance certificates valid for 90 days. How long is WSIB clearance valid? Exactly 90 days — set a renewal reminder every 80 days.

British Columbia — WorkSafeBC: Mandatory registration for all employers. Clearance letters confirm good standing. Valid until the date printed on the letter.

Alberta — WCB Alberta: Mandatory for most industries including construction. Clearance letters available online. Valid for 60 days.

Quebec — CNESST: Mandatory for all employers. Attestation de conformité required. Valid for 90 days.

Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic provinces: Each has a provincial WCB with similar registration and clearance requirements. The common thread: you cannot legally hire a contractor without confirming their workers' compensation status.

No Canadian province mandates general liability insurance by statute for all contractors. However, it's a universal commercial requirement — no property manager, GC, or commercial client will hire a contractor without it.

Standard minimums across Canada: - Routine maintenance and low-risk trades: $2M per occurrence - Construction, renovation, high-risk trades: $5M per occurrence - Large commercial projects: $10M+ (often achieved with an umbrella policy)

What to verify on every COI: - Named insured matches the contracting entity - Policy number is present and valid - Coverage limits meet your minimum requirements - Expiry date is in the future - Additional insured endorsement names your company (if required)

This vendor insurance compliance checklist applies nationally — the requirements are consistent across provinces even though the regulatory framework differs.

Trade licensing is the most fragmented area of contractor compliance in Canada. Requirements vary by province, municipality, and trade.

Electricians: Licensed in every province. Ontario uses ESA; BC uses Technical Safety BC; Alberta uses the Safety Codes Council. Always verify through the provincial authority.

Plumbers: Certified through provincial trade bodies. Ontario uses Skilled Trades Ontario. BC and Alberta have their own certification requirements.

HVAC: ODS certification for refrigerant handling is federal (Environment Canada). Provincial trade certification varies.

General contractors: Municipal licensing is common (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary all require it for certain work). Check the specific municipality.

Specialized trades: Asbestos, fire protection, demolition, and gas fitting have additional provincial requirements.

When verifying a contractor's trade licence, always check with the issuing authority — a licence number alone isn't enough. Confirm it's active and matches the individual or business performing the work.

Use this as your master checklist before any contractor starts work:

Workers' Compensation: - Contractor is registered with provincial WCB - Clearance certificate or letter is current (check validity period) - No outstanding penalties or arrears

General Liability Insurance: - COI on file with adequate limits ($2M minimum, $5M for high-risk) - Named insured matches the contract - Policy expiry date is in the future - Additional insured endorsement (if required)

Trade Licensing: - Required provincial trade certification is current - Municipal business licence (if required) - Specialized certifications (asbestos, ODS, etc.) as applicable

Documentation: - All documents are current versions (not last year's renewals) - Expiry dates tracked with renewal reminders set - Single source of truth established (live link preferred over PDF folder)

The easiest way to manage this checklist across multiple vendors: have each contractor set up a free CavaIt profile. Their live link covers the first three sections automatically. You check one link instead of three documents.