Home services in Ontario

Ontario at a glance

• Water Heater Service — Gas appliance work generally must be done by a TSSA-registered contractor using TSSA-certified gas technicians, and unsolicited door-to-door sales of furnaces, air conditioners and water heaters are not allowed.
• Plumber — Plumber is a compulsory trade: plumbers generally must hold a Certificate of Qualification and appear on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register, and some cities also license plumbing contractors.
• Heating & Air Conditioning — Gas appliance work generally must be done by a TSSA-registered contractor using TSSA-certified gas technicians, and unsolicited door-to-door sales of furnaces, air conditioners and water heaters are not allowed.
• Electrician — If you hire someone for electrical work in your home, it must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor, and almost all electrical work must be reported to the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).
• Movers — Under Ontario's carriage-of-goods rules, a mover's liability for damaged or lost belongings can be limited — often by weight — unless a higher value is declared on the contract.
• Furnace Repair — Gas appliance work generally must be done by a TSSA-registered contractor using TSSA-certified gas technicians, and unsolicited door-to-door sales of furnaces, air conditioners and water heaters are not allowed.
• Appliance Repair — Handling refrigerants in fridges and air conditioners requires an Ozone Depletion Prevention (ODP) certificate, and gas appliances are serviced by TSSA-certified technicians.
• Snow Removal — Under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act (s. 181), no one — including a snow plow contractor — may deposit snow or ice on a roadway without written permission from the Ministry or the road authority responsible for maintaining the road.
• Junk Removal — Under Ontario's refrigerant regulation (O. Reg. 463/10), fridges, freezers, air conditioners and other refrigeration equipment cannot be scrapped, recycled or sent to landfill until the required refrigerant notice has been affixed to the unit.

Rules change — check the category and city pages for details and official links before you hire.