Required certification · Canada
WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ontario)
Ontario's workplace insurance board; construction businesses need coverage and hiring parties need clearance certificates
Market position
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) runs workplace insurance in Ontario. WSIB says people who own or run a construction business, with or without employees, must have WSIB coverage and register, with some exceptions. Under WSIB's construction clearance policy, a principal who directly hires a contractor must get a clearance certificate confirming the contractor is in good standing before work begins; without one, the principal can be liable for the contractor's unpaid amounts up to the labour portion of the contract.
Canada-specific note
WSIB covers Ontario only. A clearance certificate is valid for up to 90 calendar days and is renewable, and starting construction work without one is an offence for both the principal and the contractor. Householders who directly hire a contractor for exempt home renovation work on their own home are outside the clearance requirement.
Pros
- + Clearance certificates let a hiring party confirm a contractor is in good standing with WSIB
- + Clearances can be requested online through WSIB's eClearance service
- + The 2026 average premium rate fell to $1.23 per $100 of insurable payroll
- + Rates reflect the shared risk of your class and your own claims experience
Cons
- − Covers Ontario only
- − Mandatory for most construction business owners, including independent operators and sole proprietors, with or without employees
- − Clearances last up to 90 days, so they must be renewed on longer jobs
- − New contractors make an advance payment set by WSIB before their first clearance is issued
Typical Canada pricing
Premiums, not a flat fee: WSIB places each business in a class and sets its rate from the shared risk of that class and the business's own claims experience. The 2026 average rate is $1.23 per $100 of insurable payroll, and 2026 maximum insurable earnings are $121,700. Newly registered contractors make an advance payment, in an amount WSIB sets, before their first clearance certificate is issued.
Why this matters for Canada trades
Provinces and territories are responsible for apprenticeship training and trade certification; a Red Seal endorsement on a provincial or territorial certificate shows the holder passed the Red Seal exam but does not by itself certify anyone to carry on a trade. In Ontario, working in one of the 23 compulsory trades needs a valid Certificate of Qualification from Skilled Trades Ontario (or a provisional certificate or registered training agreement), only ESA-licensed contractors may do electrical work for hire, TSSA registers fuels contractors and certifies gas technicians, and WSIB says people who own or run a construction business must, with some exceptions, have WSIB coverage and register. The Canadian payroll tools listed here say they handle CRA remittances and Records of Employment; Quebec payroll adds Revenu Québec remittances, QPP, QPIP and RL-1 reporting, which not every tool covers.
Canadian trades vendor selection is shaped by provincial and territorial trade certification (with the interprovincial Red Seal endorsement), provincial safety regulators and workplace insurance boards such as Ontario’s ESA, TSSA and WSIB, CRA payroll remittances, GST, HST and PST (some provinces charge GST and PST separately), and separate Quebec payroll rules (Revenu Québec, QPP, QPIP). Several software vendors listed here publish prices in US dollars.
Frequently asked
Is WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ontario) a good fit for Canada trades?
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) runs workplace insurance in Ontario. WSIB says people who own or run a construction business, with or without employees, must have WSIB coverage and register, with some exceptions. Under WSIB's construction clearance policy, a principal who directly hires a contractor must get a clearance certificate confirming the contractor is in good standing before work begins; without one, the principal can be liable for the contractor's unpaid amounts up to the labour portion of the contract. WSIB covers Ontario only. A clearance certificate is valid for up to 90 calendar days and is renewable, and starting construction work without one is an offence for both the principal and the contractor. Householders who directly hire a contractor for exempt home renovation work on their own home are outside the clearance requirement.
What does WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ontario) cost in Canada?
Premiums, not a flat fee: WSIB places each business in a class and sets its rate from the shared risk of that class and the business's own claims experience. The 2026 average rate is $1.23 per $100 of insurable payroll, and 2026 maximum insurable earnings are $121,700. Newly registered contractors make an advance payment, in an amount WSIB sets, before their first clearance certificate is issued. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current Canada pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Other Canada vendors
Red Seal Program
Required certification
HRAI (Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada)
Required certification
TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority)
Required certification
ESA / ECRA (Electrical Safety Authority, Ontario)
Required certification
Skilled Trades Ontario
Required certification
Jobber (Canadian-founded)
Software