How do I check an Ottawa abatement contractor's WSIB clearance?

Search the contractor's current clearance online through WSIB. The search shows whether they currently have a clearance certificate, and a clearance is valid for up to 90 days.

A householder who directly retains a contractor for exempt home renovation work does not have to obtain a clearance certificate, but you can run the search yourself at any point before or during the job. Whether abatement counts as exempt home renovation work is not something we can confirm, so checking the clearance is a reasonable step regardless.

A few other things worth confirming before work starts:

• Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, an agreement signed at your home is a direct agreement. If the total potential payment exceeds $50, it must be in writing, and you have 10 days to cancel after receiving the written copy. The 2002 Act is due to be replaced by the Consumer Protection Act, 2023, so check the current rules.
• The Construction Act generally requires a 10 per cent holdback. Get advice for your situation before releasing final payment.
• We found no company-level licence for asbestos abatement in Ontario. What exists is Type 3 training for individual workers and supervisors under O. Reg. 278/05, a Ministry of Labour inspector notice before Type 3 work begins, and WSIB registration.

For an asbestos job, before you sign, ask the contractor to confirm the Type in writing, show that workers and supervisors have completed the required training for Type 3 work if that applies, identify which disposal site has agreed to accept the waste under Ontario Regulation 347, and tell you whether a clearance air test is included in the scope.

Local contractors listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory reply by email to requests sent through the form on this page.