To check a contractor in Ottawa before hiring, verify four things in writing: the trade licence (ESA ECRA/ESA number for electricians, TSSA registration for gas and HVAC fitters, a City of Ottawa business or trade licence where required), a certificate of general liability insurance of at least $2 million, a valid WSIB clearance certificate, and at least two recent local references you actually call. All four checks are free and most take under ten minutes online. In 2026, Ontario law still does not licence general contractors or renovators — only specific trades — so anyone can legally call t...
The single biggest misconception in Ottawa is that "licensed contractor" means one thing. It doesn't. Ontario licences specific trades, not general renovators. Electrical work must be performed by a contractor holding an ECRA/ESA licence issued by the Electrical Safety Authority — the seven-digit number must appear on their truck, quotes, and advertising, and you can look it up free on the ESA website. Gas fitting, HVAC, boilers, and fuel appliances fall under the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), which registers contractors and certifies individual gas technicians (G1, G2, G3). Plumbing work is governed by the Ontario Building Code and typically performed under a licensed plumbing contractor. Meanwhile, general contractors, deck builders, painters, landscapers, and most renovators need no provincial licence at all — only a valid business registration, insurance, and WSIB. Knowing which category your project falls into tells you exactly what to ask for and what a legitimate answer looks like.
Separately from provincial trade licensing, the City of Ottawa licenses certain business categories under its Licensing By-law, and drain contractors and some specialty trades require a municipal licence. If a contractor is doing work in the City right-of-way or tying into City services, ask which municipal permits or licences apply and who is pulling them.
Never accept a verbal "yes, we're fully insured." Ask for a Certificate of Insurance issued directly by the contractor's insurance broker, showing general liability coverage — $2 million is the standard expectation for residential renovation work in Ottawa in 2026, and larger structural or multi-trade jobs often carry $5 million. Check the policy expiry date and confirm the named insured matches the legal business name on your quote, not a similar-sounding numbered company. Then request a WSIB Clearance Certificate. Clearance can be verified free through WSIB's online Clearance Certificate service using the contractor's legal name or account number, and it tells you whether their premiums are current. This matters because if an uninsured worker is injured on your property, you can be held liable for costs. Independent operators with no employees may be exempt from mandatory WSIB coverage in some cases, but in construction most are required to register — ask for their exemption paperwork if they claim otherwise, and confirm your home insurance policy covers the work being done.
A licence and insurance certificate tell you the contractor is legitimate today; references tell you whether they finish work. Search the business name on the Ontario Business Registry to confirm the corporation or sole proprietorship actually exists and see how long it has been registered — a company incorporated three months ago running a large ad budget deserves extra scrutiny. Check the Better Business Bureau and the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery's Consumer Beware List, which publishes convictions and complaints against Ontario businesses. Then read reviews critically across Google, HomeStars, and the contractor's own site: look for recent, detailed reviews that mention timelines, cleanup, change orders, and how problems were handled, rather than a wall of five-star ratings posted in the same week. Finally, ask for two or three references from jobs completed in the last 12 months in Ottawa neighbourhoods similar to yours, and call them. Ask whether the final price matched the quote, whether the crew showed up consistently, and whether they'd hire the contractor again.
Photos can be borrowed from anywhere online. A confident Ottawa contractor will usually arrange for you to see a completed project in person or connect you with a homeowner in Barrhaven, Kanata, Orléans, or the Glebe who will speak candidly about the experience.
Certain behaviours reliably predict trouble. Walk away from any contractor who demands a large cash deposit — deposits above roughly 10–15% of the contract value are unusual in Ottawa residential work, and cash-only requests avoid a paper trail. Be equally wary of a quote that is dramatically below the other bids, since it usually signals missing scope, unlicensed subcontractors, or a plan to recover margin through change orders. Other warning signs: a bid that arrives as a single lump-sum number with no breakdown; pressure to sign today for a "today only" price; an offer to skip the building permit or to bill without HST; no fixed business address or a phone number that only reaches voicemail; refusal to provide a written contract; and an unwillingness to show a WSIB clearance certificate. Door-to-door solicitation for roofing, driveway sealing, or duct cleaning after a storm is a classic Ottawa pattern worth declining outright. If a contractor gets defensive when you ask for licence or insurance documentation, that reaction is itself the answer.
Every renovation over a few hundred dollars in Ottawa should have a written contract, and it should be specific enough that a stranger could read it and know exactly what you're buying. At minimum it must include the contractor's legal business name, address, phone, and HST number; a detailed scope of work with materials named by brand, model, and grade; the total price with HST shown separately; a payment schedule tied to completed milestones rather than dates; start and substantial-completion dates; who pulls and pays for permits; a written change-order process requiring your signature before extra work proceeds; cleanup and disposal responsibilities; and the workmanship warranty length. Under Ontario's Construction Act, a 10% holdback applies to construction contracts and protects you against liens from unpaid subcontractors and suppliers — keep it until the lien period expires. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, most contracts signed in your home for more than $50 are direct agreements you can cancel within 10 days of receiving a written copy, for any reason. Never pay the full balance before the work is finished and inspected.
If your project needs a City of Ottawa building permit, the permit itself is a verification tool: the City's inspections independently confirm framing, electrical, plumbing, and structural work meets the Ontario Building Code. A contractor who wants to skip permits is asking you to give up that free oversight.
Run this before any deposit changes hands. One: ask which provincial licence the trade requires and get the number in writing — then verify the ECRA/ESA number on the Electrical Safety Authority site or the contractor registration with TSSA. Two: request a Certificate of Insurance emailed directly from the broker showing at least $2 million in general liability, and check the expiry date. Three: verify a current WSIB clearance certificate online using the legal business name. Four: look up the business on the Ontario Business Registry and check the Consumer Beware List. Five: call two recent local references. Six: compare at least three itemized written quotes on identical scope so you can see who is including permits, disposal, and materials. Seven: read the contract for the payment schedule, change-order clause, and warranty. Each step is free, and together they eliminate the overwhelming majority of renovation disputes in Ottawa. If a contractor passes all seven, you're hiring on evidence rather than a handshake.
Verify their trade licence (ESA for electrical, TSSA for gas and HVAC, City of Ottawa licence where required), request a Certificate of Insurance showing at least $2 million general liability, confirm a current WSIB clearance certificate, look up the business on the Ontario Business Registry and the Consumer Beware List, and call two recent local references. All of these checks are free.
It depends on the trade. Electricians must hold an ECRA/ESA licence you can verify free on the Electrical Safety Authority website, and gas or HVAC contractors must be registered with TSSA with certified G1/G2/G3 technicians. General contractors, renovators, deck builders, painters, and landscapers are not licensed in Ontario, so for those trades you verify business registration, insurance, and WSIB instead.
Ask for a WSIB Clearance Certificate and verify it yourself through WSIB's free online clearance service using the contractor's legal business name or account number. A valid clearance means their premiums are current and protects you from liability if a worker is injured on your property.
Two million dollars in general liability coverage is the standard expectation for residential renovation work in Ottawa in 2026, and $5 million is common on larger structural or multi-trade projects. Get the certificate from the broker, confirm the named insured matches the business on your quote, and check the expiry date.
Large cash-only deposits, quotes far below every other bid, lump-sum pricing with no breakdown, pressure to sign immediately, offers to skip the permit or avoid HST, no written contract, no fixed business address, and refusal to provide licence, insurance, or WSIB documentation. Door-to-door solicitation after a storm is another common warning sign.
Usually yes. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, most contracts over $50 signed in your home are direct agreements that you can cancel within 10 days of receiving a written copy, for any reason. Deliver the cancellation in writing and keep proof of when you sent it.