How to Verify a Contractor's Licence in Every Canadian Province

One of the most common and costly mistakes Canadian homeowners make is hiring a contractor without verifying their licence. An unlicensed contractor may be cheaper upfront, but they expose you to failed inspections, voided home insurance, legal liability, and potentially dangerous work. Verifying takes less than five minutes — here's how to do it in every province.

Why You Must Verify Before You Hire

In Canada, trade licensing is enforced differently across provinces, but the risks of hiring unlicensed are universal:

Your homeowner's insurance may deny claims for damage caused by unlicensed work
Unpermitted work can make your home unsellable without expensive remediation
You have limited legal recourse if something goes wrong
Safety hazards from substandard electrical, gas, or structural work can be life-threatening

Province-by-Province Verification Guide

Ontario

The Ontario College of Trades maintains a public directory of registered tradespeople at tradesontario.ca. Search by name or registration number to verify electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and other compulsory trades. For general contractors doing residential renovation work, the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) at hcraontario.ca covers new home builders and major renovators.

Alberta

The Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) maintains a Certificate Search at tradesecrets.alberta.ca. You can verify journeypersons and apprentices in all regulated trades including plumbers, electricians, gas fitters, and HVAC technicians. Alberta is a "compulsory certification" province for most trades, meaning unlicensed practice is illegal.

British Columbia

SkilledTradesBC (formerly Industry Training Authority) manages trade certification in BC. Their online registry at skilledtradesbc.ca allows you to verify any certified tradesperson in BC. Note that BC has recently made many more trades compulsory, so the stakes of hiring unlicensed are higher than ever.

Quebec

Quebec has a dual system. For construction trades (electricians, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), contractors must hold a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) at rbq.gouv.qc.ca — their online lookup tool lets you verify any construction contractor or enterprise. For residential renovation work, always confirm the RBQ licence number.

Manitoba

The Manitoba Apprenticeship program verifies tradespeople through the provincial government's website. For electrical work specifically, contractors must be licensed through Manitoba Technical Standards and Safety Authority.

Saskatchewan

Contact Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) to verify tradespeople. Their online certificate search covers all major trades operating in the province.

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland

Each Atlantic province has its own apprenticeship office. The Atlantic provinces also participate in mutual recognition agreements, meaning credentials from one province are generally recognized by others. Contact the provincial apprenticeship office or Department of Labour for each province to verify credentials.

How to Ask for Credentials Without Feeling Awkward

Many homeowners feel uncomfortable asking a contractor for their licence. Don't be — any reputable professional will hand over their credentials without hesitation. A simple approach:

"Before we proceed, could you provide your licence number and proof of insurance so I can keep it on file? It's just something we do for all contractors."

This framing is professional, non-confrontational, and completely reasonable. A contractor who balks at this request is telling you something important.

Beyond the Licence: What Else to Verify

Insurance: Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as an additional insured for the duration of the project
Business registration: Verify their business name at your provincial business registry
BBB standing: Check the Better Business Bureau for complaints
Reviews: Look for verified, moderated reviews — not just Google reviews which can be manipulated

Use Local Skilled Trades to Start With Verified Professionals

Every tradesperson on Local Skilled Trades who carries a Verified badge has had their credentials reviewed by our team before approval. It's the fastest way to start your contractor search with a pre-vetted shortlist.