Start. Run. Grow. Your Construction Business.
Incorporation. Operations. Pipeline. Quotes. Invoicing. Contracts. The whole back office, one platform.
You've been building everyone else's dream. It's time to build yours. Your name on the business. Your rules. Your reputation.
How It Works
Pick what kind of company to build : general contracting, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, concrete, framing, demolition, landscaping, engineering, or any AEC specialty.Set up your entire company in a few clicks : incorporation, CRA registration, WSIB, trade licensing, insurance, safety compliance, banking, payroll, and bid readiness.Bid on opportunities matched to you : 446,000+ open opportunities in Ontario right now. Someone is going to win them. Why not you?Deliver the job : drawings read and measured for you (takeoffs on scanned or vector sets), specs turned into work registers and submittal logs, code and conformance checks against the set, schedules that build themselves with what-if sandboxes, and your crew running the job from the same set, office to field.Invoice and get paid : invoices, change orders, and holdbacks from the same platform. AEC Stack earns a small percentage of invoices processed through it; there is no subscription.
Your company formed, your operations running, and projects matched to what you do. Takes minutes, not months.
Everything You Need to Go From Idea to First Bid
Incorporation: file your Ontario or federal articles, set up directors, share classes, and corporate structure
CRA Registration: get your Business Number, HST/GST, payroll accounts, corporate income tax
WSIB: register for workers' compensation and set up your rate group
Trade Licensing: ESA/ECRA, TSSA, HCRA/Tarion, Skilled Trades Ontario, municipal business licenses
Insurance: source CGL, builders risk, professional liability, equipment, commercial auto, umbrella policies
Safety Compliance: meet OHSA requirements, Working at Heights, WHMIS, COR certification
Operational Setup: set up banking, accounting, payroll, Construction Act obligations
Bid Readiness: build your prequalification package, bonding capacity, estimating setup, land your first contract
CRM & Pipeline: manage your clients, track deals, send quotes, collect on invoices
Project Delivery: takeoffs from your drawings (scanned or vector), spec-to-work-register extraction, submittal logs, code and conformance checks, CPM schedules with what-if sandboxes, crew management with field photos and notes
Adviser: ask questions, forward bid packages, manage your week from your truck
This Is How Much Opportunity Is Waiting For You
Right now. In Ontario. For people who do exactly what you do.
$262B+ in active projects: the size of the pie you're about to take a slice of446K+ open opportunities that someone is going to win100K+ professionals mapped across Ontario's construction industry11,000+ industry events where your next client is standing500K+ new leads entering the market every month
The construction market in Ontario alone is worth over $262 billion. There's more work than there are companies to do it. The only thing standing between you and your share is getting started.
Already Have a Business?
Upload your existing documents (incorporation papers, insurance certificates, licenses, registrations) and see exactly where you stand. What's in place, what's missing, what needs renewing. Close the gaps and get your full operation running on one platform.
How-To: Running a Contracting Business in Ontario
49 step-by-step walkthroughs of the outcomes that keep a contracting business alive: finding work, pricing jobs, invoicing, getting paid, holdback, and the paperwork in between. Each guide is downloadable as a complete kit.
Where work is starting : A live feed of Ontario employers who just pulled a building permit or won a contract, filtered to your trade. A permit is earlier than a job ad: read the signal like an estimator, track it in one click, and get a weekly heads-up by email.Find open Ontario tenders : Public tenders are scattered across MERX, Biddingo, Bids and Tenders and dozens of buyer portals, each with its own login. Get the live Ontario ones in one list: search the thing you build, read a record in a minute, and track a bid onto your pipeline board in one click.Start your business in Ontario : The eight setup stages in order, from incorporation through CRA, WSIB and licensing to bid ready: walk the three-step wizard to a live name check and an all-in filing price with government fees included, free and with no account, nothing filed until you authorize and pay.How much to charge : Price one real job end to end: every cost on its own line, markup you set on purpose, Ontario HST applied for you, holdback split into what you bill now and what waits, and one list of every quote out with its status and value. Demo business, no signup.Invoice and get paid on time : Build the invoice straight from an accepted quote, with HST at 13 percent and the 10 percent Construction Act holdback computed for you. Send it with a timestamped record, log partial cheques, and put every held-back dollar on a countdown.Get your 10% holdback back : Take the 10% off every invoice automatically, on the pre-tax value, so your client sees what is payable now. Record each release date once, and every held dollar lands in one tracker that turns red the day you are allowed to collect it.Sole prop or incorporate : Three paths priced on one screen: $100 for an Ontario sole proprietorship, $400 for an Ontario corporation, $300 federal, with the government filing fees inside each number. Fill the whole registration in, right to the review screen, before any account is needed.Get WSIB sorted : WSIB is the paper a site asks for before it asks anything else. See where it sits in your setup, what the clearance certificate costs before you meet the bill, and where the account number lives so you can answer the next general contractor who asks in under a minute.We file it for you : One checkbox hands over the Articles of Incorporation and the four CRA program accounts. See the exact wording you authorize, which steps stay yours, what the all-in price covers, and the one panel every number lands in afterwards.Hear about work early : Transmission lines, environmental filings, rezonings and agency capital plans are projects announcing themselves years ahead. Get them filtered to your trade and region, grouped by how far in front of the bid each one sits.What an hour costs you : The wage is roughly half what a worker costs. Add the employer side, the truck, the tools and the insurance, divide it across the hours you can actually invoice, and get a floor under your rate before the quote goes out.Change orders that get paid : The extra was agreed in a hallway and refused three months later. Raise it in a minute, send it to the client from your own business, and let them approve it where they read it, so the yes has a time stamp on it.Surviving net 60 : Materials and payroll go out weeks before the money comes in. Bill against a schedule of values as the work happens, see what is outstanding against what is genuinely late, and keep the holdback out of the number you think you have.When a client will not pay : Five steps in the order that costs least: check whether they ever opened it, send the reminder from your business, read the statutory dates, put it in writing, then pick the remedy that matches the amount.Prompt payment clocks : Ontario gives the payer 28 days to pay a proper invoice and 14 to dispute it, and gives you 7 to pay your own subs once you are paid. Put in one date and every deadline it sets is counted, with the section it comes from.Construction liens in Ontario : Sixty days to preserve, ninety more to perfect, and the clock starts on your last day on site rather than on your invoice. Get your date first, then decide whether a lien is the right instrument at all.Receipts out of the shoebox : Filing a $47 receipt costs more attention than the $47 is worth on the day, so it waits until January. Photograph it in the parking lot, check what was read off it, and claim the HST you paid instead of losing it.Did I make money this month : The bank balance is a mix of last month's invoices, next month's HST and a deposit on a job that has not started. Read the month, split it by job, and learn the difference between a job losing money and a job you have not invoiced yet.HST without the surprise : Nobody writes to tell you that you crossed the threshold. Register on time, charge it on the whole invoice, keep the collected money separate, and read your return on the CRA's own line numbers before you sit down with your accountant.Admin by email : Logging in to answer a one line question costs more than the question is worth, so it waits until night. Your business has an email address: ask it what is outstanding and the answer comes back with your own invoices, jobs and calls in it.Dealing with Skilled Trades Ontario : Nothing gets Skilled Trades Ontario to answer the phone faster. What you control is knowing your own expiry dates early enough to act, and building a dated paper trail while you wait rather than after you have lost.Finding a sponsor : Your hours only count if an employer signs you up, and almost nobody advertises the position. Work from the public record of who just pulled a permit in your trade and your city instead of a queue with no front.Challenging the C of Q : The assessment is a documentation exercise, and what stops people is a work history written in the wrong language. Get the hours, the scope and the people who will confirm them down while you still can.Provisional C of Q expiring : If you have just opened the notice and your stomach dropped, start here. Book the seat before you study, count backwards from the seat rather than forwards from today, and get your options from STO in writing.The bid-ready checklist : Incorporating is the starting gun, not the finish line. Ten stages generated for your trade, the next three things to do at the top, and a percentage that moves for the right reasons.What going out on your own costs : Two numbers decide this and only one gets discussed. The setup fees are hundreds. The gap between doing the work and being paid for it is thousands, and it is the one that closes businesses.Clearances and certificates : The request always arrives on a Friday for a Monday start. Keep every expiry in one place sorted by what runs out first, renew on the warning rather than the deadline, and let clients see the ones you choose.The licences your trade needs : There is no single contractor licence in Ontario, which is why every answer online contradicts another. Who regulates what, why your personal certificate is not the company licence, and the order that avoids dead time.Insurance without the guesswork : Twenty minutes of vocabulary before the call beats shopping three brokers with the wrong question. What each coverage actually does, what additional insured means, and the five questions that find the gap.Assumptions you can defend : Every argument about a quote is two people remembering a conversation. Two short paragraphs on the quote itself, scope and exclusions, turn that into a comparison of documents.Every job on one board : Ask a contractor what they are chasing and you get three jobs and a pause. The pause is where a quote sits for five weeks. One board with the money on each column, and a fifteen minute weekly habit.Charge for the estimate : Somebody wants a boiler sized or a panel schedule laid out, and what they are buying is your judgement. Put the design fee on the quote as its own line, credited against the contract, and make paying it a single tap.C of Q, then what : Your ticket lets you do the work. Something else entirely lets you sell it. Read the Last Mile guide for your code to the end, find out whether your trade needs a contractor licence, and look around a working business before you file anything.First public bid : Public work is not harder work, it is work with a filing cabinet attached. See what is actually open with closing dates, then find you already hold a controlled document library with the company profile and prequalification package in it.Run it from Claude : By year three the estimating has become the job and the billing waits for Saturday. Connect AEC Stack to Claude and the errands around the estimate happen by asking, from the van, with nothing changed until you confirm it.Going independent, priced : WSIB, CPP at both halves, income tax, HST after $30,000, insurance and plates all arrive together. Add up your real monthly overhead, run it through a six-month cash forecast, and get the number that has to go on top of your rate.Win rate and your price : A win rate is a score, not a diagnosis. Put the size of what you lose next to the size of what you win, read the reasons you lost, and check what the wins actually made before you come down on price.When they say no to an extra : You found the condition, somebody nodded, and now the answer is no with the gear already installed. Raise the extra in writing, get a refusal with a reason attached, and answer that reason with a linked revision instead of starting again.Marketing on schedule : Marketing slides at exactly the wrong moment: you are busiest when the pipeline is full, then it empties and you start from a cold account. A ready-to-post pack every morning, written from your own city, pipeline and won jobs.Bring your business : You registered something, started charging, got work. Then a builder asked for a certificate you did not have. Drop your documents in, have the numbers read out of them, and land on a compliance checklist with what you already satisfy already ticked.One place, not five tools : Contractors build their own spreadsheets because every app was missing the thing that makes construction different, and because a monthly bill for something that still needs a workaround is infuriating. Holdback, per-job profit and the T5018, in one place, with no monthly bill.Team access : What would fix a contractor’s admin is almost never a feature. It is a person: a bookkeeper, an office manager, a partner who already does the invoicing. Three roles, an email address, and an accountant export that means they never need a login at all.Send your own quote : Most contractors who price well already have a spreadsheet that took years to get right. Software arrives and asks them to abandon it. Upload the file instead, have the lines read out of it, and choose whether the client opens your document or the platform version.Brand, website, documents : The decision takes a sentence. The admin that follows takes a fortnight: a logo, a colour picked in a hurry, a website that never gets finished, and documents written the night before a builder asks for them. One press produces all three, in one brand.Know if they read it : An evening on a price, then silence, and no way to tell whether it landed in spam or was read and rejected. Send the proposal as a page instead of an attachment and it reports back: what they read, for how long, and what they skipped.Get on GC bid lists : There is no register to sign and no form to fill. Work arrives because somebody at a builder has your name in front of them. Find the person, send them something worth keeping, and be able to answer the prequalification package when it comes.One screen every morning : The worst part of running a contracting business is the twenty minutes before the work, spent reconstructing what happened yesterday. A briefing written each morning from your own invoices, deals and books, ranked so the top card is the one that matters.Books that stand up : The fear is being asked a question about your own business and not being able to answer it. The way out is records made as the work happens, by the system that raised the invoice, so there is nothing to reconstruct in March.Try it as a working business : An empty trial account tells you nothing. Pick your trade and land in a business partway through its year: money in play, an invoice fourteen days overdue, change orders on a live job, books that balance.
Last Mile to Certificate of Qualification: Ontario Apprentice Trade Guides
41 operator-level guides for Ontario apprentices closing in on their C of Q exam: exam prep, post-qualification union pathways, and the path to journeyperson status. Written from the apprentice's seat, not from STO's website.
309A Electrician : Closing out hours, booking the C of Q exam, exam prep, exam day, and the ESA / Master Electrician / LEC path that sits on top of the 309A certificate.309C Electrician (D&R) : Residential and rural scope, exam booking and prep, ESA Master Electrician path, the 309C → 309A upgrade route, and going owner-operator.306A Plumber : Closing out hours, booking the C of Q exam, exam prep, plus the post-cert plumbing layers — municipal Master Plumber licensing, backflow prevention, TSSA gas tickets, and the UA pathway.307A Steamfitter : C of Q exam prep and booking for the steamfitter trade, plus the regulatory layer — TSSA pressure piping, CWB and ASME welding qualifications, and the UA pathway into industrial mechanical contracting.308A Sheet Metal Worker : C of Q exam prep and booking for the sheet metal trade, plus the post-cert layers — SMACNA standards, TAB certification, CWB welding, and the SMART union pathway through commercial HVAC and architectural work.308R Residential Sheet Metal : C of Q exam prep and booking for the residential HVAC sheet metal trade, plus the TSSA gas-ticket pairing, the 308R → 308A upgrade route, and the path to owner-operator residential HVAC contracting.313A Refrigeration & A/C : C of Q exam prep, the Ozone Depletion Prevention (ODP) card, CSA B52, TSSA jurisdiction over industrial refrigeration, the refrigerant transition (CO2, ammonia, hydrocarbons), and the heat-pump market.313D Residential A/C : C of Q exam prep for the residential A/C and heat pump trade, plus the ODP card, manufacturer dealer programs, geo-exchange / IGSHPA certification, and the 313D → 313A upgrade route.427A Sprinkler & Fire Protection : C of Q exam prep, NFPA 13/14/20/24/25, NICET certification ladder, the Ontario Fire Code, the Office of the Fire Marshal, and the path to fire protection contracting.434A Powerline Technician : C of Q exam prep for utility powerline work, plus the utility employment landscape (Hydro One, LDCs, OPG, private contractors), live-line and helicopter specialty certifications, storm response, and the PWU/IBEW union pathways.339A Mobile Crane Op 1 : C of Q exam prep for mobile crane operation (>16,000 lbs), load charts, rigging, critical lifts, CSA Z150, the Ministry of Labour inspection process, and the IUOE Local 793 / OETIO union pathway that defines the trade.339B Tower Crane Op : C of Q exam prep for tower crane operation, the operational realities (cab life, signal-only lifts, wind limits), CSA Z248, climbing systems and erection, and the IUOE Local 793 / OETIO pathway that defines the trade.339C Mobile Crane Op 2 : C of Q exam prep for boom truck and picker truck operation (16,000–30,000 lb capacity), the owner-operator independent path, the 339C → 339A upgrade route, CDL pairing, and the IUOE Local 793 / OETIO pathway.403A General Carpenter : C of Q exam prep for the broadest construction trade — residential framing through commercial formwork through finish work — plus the voluntary-credential value question, mandatory safety tickets, HCRA residential builder path, and the UBC union pathway.451A Drywall, Acoustic & Lathing : C of Q exam prep for steel-stud framing, drywall installation, acoustic ceilings, exterior sheathing, and fire-rated assemblies — plus manufacturer certifications, the 453A finisher dual-credential path, and CDCO union dispatch.449A Roofer : C of Q exam prep for low-slope and sloped roofing, plus the manufacturer-certified installer ecosystem (Carlisle, GAF, Soprema, IKO, Firestone, Sika Sarnafil), Toronto Green Roof Bylaw work, solar PV integration, and the Roofers Union pathway.401A Brick & Stone Mason : C of Q exam prep for brick, stone, CMU, and specialty masonry, plus heritage / restoration market access, hardscape and SRW manufacturer certifications, silica control, and the IUBAC Local 2 union pathway.244G Concrete Finisher : C of Q exam prep for concrete placement, finishing, decorative, and polished concrete, plus the ACI certification ladder, decorative and polished concrete growth markets, and the OPCMIA Local 598 union pathway.426A Construction Millwright : C of Q exam prep for industrial machinery installation, plus the 426A vs 433A distinction, CWB welding qualifications, manufacturer training (Atlas Copco, Sandvik, ABB, Siemens), CSA Z460 LOTO, and the UBC Millwrights’ Locals union pathway.404C Painter (Commercial & Residential) : C of Q exam prep for residential, commercial, and institutional painting plus surface prep, MPI Skilled and Master Tradesperson certifications, lead/asbestos protocols, manufacturer training, and the IUPAT DC 46 union pathway.404D Painter (Industrial) : C of Q exam prep for industrial protective coatings — abrasive blasting, two-component epoxies and urethanes, immersion service, fireproofing — plus AMPP / NACE / SSPC certifications, manufacturer approved-applicator programs, and IUPAT industrial division pathway.452A Reinforcing Rodworker : C of Q exam prep for rebar placement, post-tensioning, and concrete reinforcement, plus the Ironworkers Union pathway, CSA W186 rebar welding, post-tensioning manufacturer certifications, and the Red Seal "Ironworker — Reinforcing" designation.420A Ironworker (Structural & Ornamental) : C of Q exam prep for structural steel erection, precast, mass timber, and ornamental ironwork, plus CWB welding qualifications, the Ironworker (Generalist) combo with 452A, and the Ironworkers Union pathway.636B HEO Excavator : C of Q exam prep for excavator operation across construction, mining, forestry, demolition, and pipeline work, plus GPS / machine control specialty, owner-operator paths, and the IUOE Local 793 / OETIO pathway.636A HEO Tractor Loader Backhoe : C of Q exam prep for TLB operation across residential, utility, landscape, and small commercial work, plus the most accessible HEO owner-operator path, year-round snow / construction revenue mix, and the IUOE Local 793 / OETIO pathway.453A Drywall Finisher & Plasterer : C of Q exam prep for taping, joint compound, plaster, and heritage restoration, plus GA-214 levels of finish, the 451A + 453A small-shop ownership combo, manufacturer certifications, and CDCO / OPCMIA union pathways.455A EIFS Mechanic : C of Q exam prep for exterior insulation finish systems, plus building science fundamentals, manufacturer approved-applicator programs (Sto, Dryvit, BASF/Senergy, Adex), and the path to commercial EIFS specialty contracting.448A Floor Covering Installer : C of Q exam prep for carpet, resilient, hardwood, and laminate flooring across residential, commercial, and institutional settings, plus ASTM moisture testing, manufacturer-certified installer programs, NWFA and CFI credentials, and accessible owner-operator paths.241A Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Setter : C of Q exam prep for ceramic, porcelain, large-format tile, marble, granite, terrazzo, and waterproofed wet-area systems, plus TCNA / TTMAC methods, Schluter / Mapei / Laticrete certified installer programs, NTCA CTI credential, and IUBAC Local 31.253A Heat and Frost Insulator : C of Q exam prep for mechanical insulation on pipes, ducts, vessels, and equipment plus the asbestos abatement specialty pairing, TIAC and manufacturer certifications, and the HFIAW union pathway into industrial insulation work.253H Hazardous Materials Worker : C of Q exam prep for asbestos, mould, lead, mercury, PCB, and biological hazard removal — plus Ontario Reg. 278/05 and 490/09 framework, Type 1/2/3 certifications, IICRC AMRT, EACO standards, and the LIUNA / HFIAW union pathway.244H Restoration Mason : C of Q exam prep for heritage masonry restoration — repointing with lime mortars, stone matching and dressing, Dutchman repairs, conservation principles — plus ACO and Ontario Heritage Trust training, manufacturer specialty programs, and the IUBAC heritage division.401R Refractory Mason : Apprenticeship completion guide for the industrial refractory trade — STO does not issue a C of Q for 401R. Covers logbook close-out, Apprenticeship Completion Certificate, industrial customer base (steel, cement, glass, petrochemical, power gen), and specialty career path.428A Construction Boilermaker : C of Q exam prep for boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, and structural plate work in industrial settings, plus ASME Section IX welding qualifications, CSA B51, TSSA pressure equipment, API inspector certifications, and the Boilermakers Local 128 union pathway.424A Architectural Glass & Metal : C of Q exam prep for storefront, curtain wall, entrance systems, skylights, and specialty glazing — plus Kawneer / EFCO / YKK AP manufacturer certifications, AAMA standards, high-rise specialty, and the IUPAT Glaziers union pathway.450A Construction Craft Worker : C of Q exam prep for the broad-skill construction labourer trade across residential, ICI, infrastructure, mining, and railway sites — plus specialty certification stacks (asbestos, scaffolding, mobile equipment), and the LIUNA Local pathway.637C Concrete Pump Operator : C of Q exam prep for boom pumps, line pumps, and placing booms — plus power line proximity rules, ACPA CPO certifications, manufacturer training (Putzmeister, Schwing, Concord, REED), and the most accessible specialty equipment owner-operator path.296A Native Residential Construction : Apprenticeship completion guide for the First Nations residential construction trade — STO does not issue a C of Q for 296A. Covers logbook close-out, Apprenticeship Completion Certificate, Indigenous trades organizations (AABO, CCAB), Indigenous procurement frameworks, and First Nations housing career path.244K Precast Concrete Erector : Apprenticeship completion guide for the precast concrete erection specialty trade — STO does not issue a C of Q for 244K. Covers logbook close-out, Apprenticeship Completion Certificate, CPCI / PCI standards, CWB welding pairing, the 420A / 244K relationship, and specialty erection career.244L Precast Concrete Finisher : Apprenticeship completion guide for the precast finishing specialty trade — under review by STO with no C of Q exam. Covers logbook close-out, the 244L scope, cross-trade certification path to 244G Cement Finisher, and the practical implications of the trade's under-review status.636C HEO Dozer : Closing out the 636C Heavy Equipment Operator (Dozer) apprenticeship — 2,260 hours, two levels of school, the C of Q exam, OHSA mobile equipment and Mines Regulation content, GPS / machine-control specialty, IUOE Local 793 / OETIO, and the Red Seal endorsement.
Idea to First Bid: Starting a Construction Business in Ontario
11 comprehensive guides covering incorporation, registration, licensing, insurance, compliance, and bid readiness for new construction businesses in Ontario.
Incorporation : Named vs numbered companies, Ontario vs federal incorporation, directors, share structure, and the step-by-step filing process.CRA Registration : Business Number, HST/GST, payroll deductions, corporate income tax: every CRA account your construction company needs.WSIB & Provincial : WSIB registration, rate groups, clearance certificates, EHT, and Ontario employer health obligations for construction.Trade Licensing : Skilled Trades Ontario, ESA/ECRA electrical licensing, TSSA, HCRA/Tarion, and municipal permits for construction trades.Insurance : CGL, builders risk, professional liability, equipment coverage, and umbrella policies. The full insurance stack for construction.Safety Compliance : OHSA duties, mandatory training, health & safety program, COR certification, and Ministry of Labour inspections.Operational Setup : Business banking, construction-specific accounting, payroll setup, trust obligations under the Construction Act, and day-to-day operations.Bid Readiness : Prequalification packages, bid documents, bonding, estimating, and how construction companies actually get work.ISO Compliance : ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, implementation roadmaps, and how management systems help you win larger contracts.Business Email : Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail, email forwarding — every option compared with step-by-step DNS setup instructions.Custom Domain : Register your own domain, point DNS to your AEC Stack website, and go from yourcompany.aecstack.com to yourcompany.ca.
Trade Playbooks — The Ontario Construction Trades, Mapped
43 construction trades and business types, each with a playbook: how to get into the trade (40 entry-path guides), licensing and certification requirements, a step-by-step "how to start a business" guide, and answers to common questions — for Ontario.
General Contracting — General contracting is not a certified trade in Ontario — there is no provincial "general contractor licence." What gates the work instead is municipal business licensing, building permits, and (for new homes) provincial home-builder licensing.
Become a general contractor .
How to start a general contracting business .
General Contracting questions .Residential Renovation — Renovation is one of the most accessible construction businesses to start because most cosmetic and non-structural work needs no provincial licence — but structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC scopes still require permits and certified trades.
Become a renovation contractor .
How to start a home renovation business .
Residential Renovation questions .New Home Building — Building new homes in Ontario is one of the few construction activities with a hard provincial licensing gate: you must be licensed by the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) and enrol homes with Tarion for warranty coverage.
Become a home builder .
How to start a home building business .
New Home Building questions .Commercial Construction — Commercial construction has no special provincial trade licence, but the prequalification bar — bonding, $5M insurance, COR safety certification, and references — is what actually gates entry to the work.
How to start a commercial construction business .
Commercial Construction questions .Industrial Construction — Industrial construction — plants, refineries, mines, power, and process facilities — is dominated by certified trades, owner safety qualification systems (ISN, Avetta, ContractorCheck), and heavy welding and pressure-equipment compliance.
How to start a industrial construction business .
Industrial Construction questions .Electrical Contracting — Electrical is a compulsory trade and the most tightly licensed construction business in Ontario. To operate you need an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) licence, which requires a designated Master Electrician.
Become an electrician .
How to start a electrical contracting business .
Electrical Contracting questions .Plumbing — Plumbing is a compulsory trade in Ontario. You need a 306A Plumber Certificate of Qualification to do the work, and many municipalities additionally require a Master Plumber licence to pull plumbing permits.
Become a plumber .
How to start a plumbing business .
Plumbing questions .HVAC & Refrigeration — HVAC/R is heavily regulated: the refrigeration and A/C mechanic trades (313A/313D) are compulsory, gas work needs a TSSA ticket, and handling refrigerant requires an ODP card.
Become an HVAC technician .
How to start a HVAC business .
HVAC & Refrigeration questions .Steamfitting — Steamfitter/pipefitter (307A) is a compulsory trade focused on industrial and commercial process and pressure piping — work that layers TSSA pressure-piping registration and ASME/CWB welding qualifications on top of the certificate.
Become a steamfitter .
How to start a steamfitting business .
Steamfitting questions .Sheet Metal Work — Sheet Metal Worker (308A) is a compulsory trade covering ductwork, architectural metal, and HVAC fabrication for commercial and industrial buildings; the residential installer stream is 308R.
Become a sheet metal worker .
How to start a sheet metal business .
Sheet Metal Work questions .Fuel Systems & Gas Fitting — Gas work in Ontario is regulated by the TSSA, not Skilled Trades Ontario. You need a gas technician/fitter certificate (G3, G2, or G1) scaled to the size of appliance you work on, plus a registered contractor.
Become a gas fitter .
How to start a gas fitting business .
Fuel Systems & Gas Fitting questions .Fire Protection & Sprinklers — Sprinkler & Fire Protection Installer (427A) is a compulsory trade. The business layers NFPA design standards, NICET certification, and Ontario Fire Code compliance on top of the trade certificate.
Become a sprinkler fitter .
How to start a fire protection business .
Fire Protection & Sprinklers questions .Elevator & Escalator — Elevating devices are among the most tightly regulated systems in Ontario. The mechanic trade is compulsory and the equipment is licensed and inspected by the TSSA throughout its life.
Become an elevating devices mechanic .
How to start a elevator business .
Elevator & Escalator questions .Concrete & Forming — Concrete work is not a compulsory trade in Ontario — there is no licence required to start — but ACI certification, the Cement Finisher (244G) credential, and silica-dust controls separate the credible operators.
Become a concrete finisher .
How to start a concrete business .
Concrete & Forming questions .Structural Steel — Structural steel erection is non-compulsory as a trade, but the work hinges on CWB welding certification and fall-protection/rigging compliance — the credentials owners and engineers actually check.
Become an ironworker .
How to start a structural steel business .
Structural Steel questions .Masonry — Masonry is a non-compulsory trade with a low licensing barrier to entry — the Brick & Stone Mason (401A) certificate is voluntary — so the differentiators are skill, silica controls, and restoration/heritage credentials.
Become a mason .
How to start a masonry business .
Masonry questions .Roofing — Roofing is non-compulsory — no provincial licence is required to start — which makes it accessible, but Working at Heights training is mandatory and manufacturer certifications gate the commercial warranty work.
Become a roofer .
How to start a roofing business .
Roofing questions .Waterproofing — Waterproofing — foundations, below-grade, decks, and building envelopes — is non-compulsory, but the completed-operations liability is severe, because failures show up as water damage years later.
Become a waterproofing contractor .
How to start a waterproofing business .
Waterproofing questions .Glazing & Curtain Wall — Architectural glass & metal technician (424A) is a voluntary trade, but curtain wall and storefront work is engineering-heavy and gated by manufacturer system certifications (Kawneer, EFCO, YKK AP).
Become a glazier .
How to start a glazing business .
Glazing & Curtain Wall questions .Insulation — Insulation spans residential spray foam and batt work through industrial mechanical insulation (253A) and EIFS exterior systems (455A) — none compulsory, but spray foam and EIFS rely on manufacturer applicator certification.
Become an insulator .
How to start a insulation business .
Insulation questions .Drywall & Plastering — Drywall is one of the most accessible construction businesses in Ontario — non-compulsory, low equipment cost — with the 451A (installer) and 453A (finisher) certificates voluntary but useful for commercial work.
Become a drywaller .
How to start a drywall business .
Drywall & Plastering questions .Painting & Finishing — Painting is the lowest-barrier construction business to start in Ontario — no licence, minimal equipment — but the industrial coatings niche (404D) is a credential-gated, higher-margin world of its own.
Become a painter .
How to start a painting business .
Painting & Finishing questions .Flooring Installation — Flooring — carpet, resilient, hardwood, tile — is non-compulsory and accessible, with manufacturer-certified installer programs and moisture-testing competency separating the warranty-grade contractors.
Become a flooring installer .
How to start a flooring business .
Flooring Installation questions .Demolition — Demolition is non-compulsory as a trade, but it is permit-, hazmat-, and notification-heavy: demolition permits, designated-substance (asbestos) surveys, and Ministry of Labour project notices all apply.
Become a demolition worker .
How to start a demolition business .
Demolition questions .Excavation & Grading — Excavation is non-compulsory but locate-and-safety-heavy: every dig needs utility locates through Ontario One Call, and trenching falls under strict O. Reg. 213/91 excavation and shoring rules.
Become a heavy equipment operator .
How to start a excavation business .
Excavation & Grading questions .Landscaping & Hardscaping — Landscaping and hardscaping is one of the easiest construction-adjacent businesses to start in Ontario — no trade licence — though pesticide application, tree work, and retaining walls bring their own certifications and permits.
Become a landscaper .
How to start a landscaping business .
Landscaping & Hardscaping questions .Road & Infrastructure — Roadbuilding and heavy civil work is non-compulsory as a trade but dominated by public tendering: MTO and municipal prequalification, bonding, traffic-control (book 7) compliance, and certified heavy-equipment operators.
How to start a road and infrastructure business .
Road & Infrastructure questions .Utility Installation — Underground and overhead utility work — water, sewer, gas distribution, telecom, and powerline — is non-compulsory broadly, but powerline (434A) is its own certified trade and utility-owner qualification systems gate the work.
Become a powerline technician .
How to start a utility installation business .
Utility Installation questions .Environmental Remediation — Environmental remediation — contaminated soil, hazardous materials, spill response, and abatement — is non-compulsory as a trade but among the most regulated construction activities, governed by the MECP and strict hazmat rules.
Become a remediation worker .
How to start a environmental remediation business .
Environmental Remediation questions .Framing — Framing crews build the structure — walls, floors, and roofs — for builders and GCs, usually at piece rates per square foot. No licence is required; speed, crew, and a builder relationship are the business.
Become a framer .
How to start a framing business .
Framing questions .Finish Carpentry & Trim — Finish carpenters install the visible woodwork — trim, doors, stairs, built-ins, wainscoting. It is precision craft sold on portfolio, with one of the lowest startup costs in construction and strong renovation demand.
Become a finish carpenter .
How to start a finish carpentry business .
Finish Carpentry & Trim questions .Cabinetry & Millwork — Cabinet and millwork shops manufacture and install kitchens, vanities, closets, and commercial casework. Unlike site trades, this is a shop business — premises, machinery, and manufacturing workflow — with showroom-grade margins.
Become a cabinetmaker .
How to start a cabinetry and millwork business .
Cabinetry & Millwork questions .Deck & Fence — Deck and fence builders sell a finished product directly to homeowners — one of the most popular first construction businesses because the sales cycle is short, the jobs are repeatable, and the season is long enough to stack them.
Become a deck builder .
How to start a deck and fence business .
Deck & Fence questions .Low-Voltage & Data Cabling — Low-voltage shops install structured cabling, networks, security cameras, access control, and AV — the rare "electrical" business you can build without the five-year 309A apprenticeship, because much of the work sits outside the licensed electrical scope.
Become a low-voltage technician .
How to start a low-voltage cabling business .
Low-Voltage & Data Cabling questions .Fire Alarm & Life Safety — Fire alarm businesses live on recurring revenue: the Ontario Fire Code requires annual inspection and testing of fire alarm systems, so every commercial building is a repeat customer. The gate is CFAA technician qualification on top of the electrical layer.
Become a fire alarm technician .
How to start a fire alarm and life-safety business .
Fire Alarm & Life Safety questions .Solar PV Installation — Solar PV businesses design and install rooftop and ground-mount systems — riding net-metering, rising power prices, and battery storage. It is an electrical contracting business with an extra layer nobody else has: utility interconnection.
Become a solar installer .
How to start a solar installation business .
Solar PV Installation questions .EV Charger Installation — EV charger installers put Level 2 and DC fast chargers into homes, condos, and fleets — a young, fast-growing electrical specialty where navigating rebate programs is as much the product as the wiring.
Become an EV charger installer .
How to start a EV charging installation business .
EV Charger Installation questions .Drain & Sewer Services — Drain companies brand as drain companies, not plumbers: camera inspections, flushing, clog emergencies, and trenchless sewer replacement. It is equipment-heavy, emergency-priced, and one of the most franchise-contested niches in the trades.
Become a drain technician .
How to start a drain and sewer business .
Drain & Sewer Services questions .Concrete Flatwork — Flatwork crews pour and finish driveways, garage pads, sidewalks, and slabs — production concrete for builders and homeowners. It is volume work where scheduling around weather and the ready-mix truck is the skill.
Become a concrete flatwork contractor .
How to start a concrete flatwork business .
Concrete Flatwork questions .Decorative & Polished Concrete — Decorative concrete sells finishes, not just slabs — stamped and exposed-aggregate exteriors, polished floors for retail and warehouses, overlays and epoxy systems. It is the craft-margin side of concrete, sold on portfolio.
Become a decorative concrete contractor .
How to start a decorative concrete business .
Decorative & Polished Concrete questions .Flat & Commercial Roofing — Flat/low-slope commercial roofing is a different business from residential shingles: membrane systems (TPO, EPDM, mod-bit), manufacturer-certified warranties, property-manager clients, and service contracts that recur — with a much higher barrier and ceiling than steep-slope.
Become a commercial roofer .
How to start a commercial roofing business .
Flat & Commercial Roofing questions .Hardscaping & Interlock — Hardscapers build the hard parts of landscapes — interlock driveways and patios, retaining walls, steps, and outdoor living spaces. It is where landscaping's margin lives: high tickets, portfolio-driven sales, and craftsmanship that fails publicly if the base prep is wrong.
Become a hardscaper .
How to start a hardscaping business .
Hardscaping & Interlock questions .Snow & Ice Management — Snow and ice management is contract revenue in the dead season — plowing, salting, and sidewalk crews under seasonal or per-event contracts. The business is won on reliability and lost on slip-and-fall liability, which Ontario law has recently made more manageable.
Become a snow and ice operator .
How to start a snow and ice management business .
Snow & Ice Management questions .
Profession Playbooks — The Ontario Built-Environment Professions
29 licensed and designated professions, each with a playbook: how to qualify (degree, experience, exams), the licence or designation, how to start a practice, and answers to common questions — for Ontario.
Architect — "Architect" is a legally protected title in Ontario — you cannot call yourself one, or offer architectural services to the public, without a licence from the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA). The path is a recognized degree, logged internship hours, and the ExAC exam.
How to become an architect .
How to start an architecture practice .
Architect questions .Professional Engineer — The P.Eng licence from Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) is what lets you call yourself an engineer, take responsibility for engineering work, and stamp drawings. One licence covers all disciplines — civil, structural, geotechnical, mechanical, electrical, transportation — with you responsible for working only within your competence. This is the shared credential; for the actual businesses, see the discipline playbooks (structural, civil, geotechnical, mechanical, electrical, transportation).
How to become a professional engineer .
How to start an engineering firm .
Professional Engineer questions .Ontario Land Surveyor — Only a licensed Ontario Land Surveyor (O.L.S.) can legally perform cadastral (boundary) surveys, prepare legal survey plans, and give professional opinions on property boundaries. It is a tightly held, reserved-scope profession regulated by AOLS under the Surveyors Act.
How to become a land surveyor .
How to start a survey practice .
Ontario Land Surveyor questions .Quantity Surveyor — Quantity surveyors are the cost experts of construction — estimating, cost planning, contract administration, and claims. The title is not legally reserved, but the recognized credential is the PQS (Professional Quantity Surveyor) from the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS).
How to become a quantity surveyor .
How to start a cost consulting practice .
Quantity Surveyor questions .Construction Project Manager — Construction project management is the most accessible of the built-environment professions — there is no licence and no mandatory degree. The recognized credentials are Gold Seal Certification (Canadian Construction Association) and the globally recognized PMP, both earned mainly through experience.
How to become a construction project manager .
How to start a project management consultancy .
Construction Project Manager questions .Interior Designer — In Ontario the title "Interior Designer" is legally reserved — only Registered members of ARIDO may use it. Becoming one means an accredited degree, thousands of supervised hours, and the NCIDQ exam.
How to become an interior designer .
How to start an interior design practice .
Interior Designer questions .Urban Planner — Urban planners shape how land is used — zoning, development approvals, official plans, and growth policy. The recognized credential is the Registered Professional Planner (RPP), a protected designation from the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI).
How to become an urban planner .
How to start a planning consultancy .
Urban Planner questions .Home Inspector — Home inspectors assess a property's condition for buyers and sellers. Home inspection is one of the most accessible built-environment businesses to start — it is currently unregulated in Ontario — but the recognized, legally protected credential is the RHI (Registered Home Inspector) from OAHI.
How to become a home inspector .
How to start a home inspection business .
Home Inspector questions .Landscape Architect — Landscape architects design outdoor and public spaces — parks, streetscapes, campuses, green infrastructure, and site plans. "Landscape architect" is a protected title in Ontario; you earn it through an accredited degree, mentored experience, and the LARE — and it is a different profession from the landscaping trade.
How to become a landscape architect .
How to start a landscape architecture practice .
Landscape Architect questions .Energy Advisor — Energy advisors run home energy evaluations — the EnerGuide rating that unlocks retrofit rebates and proves new-build performance. It is one of the most accessible standalone businesses in the built environment, riding the home-retrofit and energy-rebate wave.
How to become an energy advisor .
How to start a home-energy advising business .
Energy Advisor questions .Building Envelope Consultant — Building envelope (building science) consultants design and diagnose the parts of a building that keep water, air, and heat where they belong — walls, roofs, windows, and the details between. It is a high-value specialty riding the building-performance and restoration wave.
How to become a building envelope consultant .
How to start a building envelope consulting practice .
Building Envelope Consultant questions .Building Code Consultant — Building code consultants and BCIN designers prepare the drawings and code analysis behind building permits — additions, renovations, change-of-use, and small buildings. Outside of architects and engineers (who are exempt), you need a BCIN and the Building Code exams to do it as a business.
How to become a building code consultant .
How to start a building code consulting practice .
Building Code Consultant questions .Facility Manager — Facility managers keep buildings running — maintenance, operations, vendors, energy, space, and safety. It is an unregulated field where credentials (IFMA's FMP and CFM) signal competence, and facilities-management services are a real standalone business hiring the trades we already serve.
How to become a facility manager .
How to start a facilities management business .
Facility Manager questions .Structural Engineer — Structural engineers design the bones of a building — foundations, framing, and load paths — and stamp the drawings that prove it will stand. It is one of the most in-demand engineering businesses, working alongside architects, builders, and developers on nearly every project.
How to become a structural engineer .
How to start a structural engineering firm .
Structural Engineer questions .Civil Engineer — Civil (land development) engineers design what makes land buildable — grading, roads, stormwater, water and sewer servicing, and the municipal approvals behind them. It is the engineering business closest to development: developers and municipalities are the clients.
How to become a civil engineer .
How to start a civil engineering firm .
Civil Engineer questions .Geotechnical Engineer — Geotechnical engineers figure out what the ground can carry — investigating soil and rock, designing foundations, and advising on excavation, slopes, and retaining. Almost every building and road needs one, and the work pairs an engineering practice with drilling and field testing.
How to become a geotechnical engineer .
How to start a geotechnical engineering firm .
Geotechnical Engineer questions .Mechanical (Building Services) Engineer — Building-services mechanical engineers design the systems that make buildings habitable — HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection. As an MEP discipline, they work on the design side alongside architects, while the mechanical trades install what they specify.
How to become a mechanical engineer .
How to start a mechanical engineering firm .
Mechanical (Building Services) Engineer questions .Electrical (Building Services) Engineer — Building-services electrical engineers design power distribution, lighting, fire alarm, and low-voltage systems for buildings. The "E" in MEP, they design and stamp what the electrical trade installs — and increasingly handle EV charging, solar, and smart-building systems.
How to become an electrical engineer .
How to start an electrical engineering firm .
Electrical (Building Services) Engineer questions .Transportation Engineer — Transportation engineers design and study how people and vehicles move — road design, traffic signals, and the Traffic Impact Studies that almost every development needs. Municipalities, MTO, and developers are the clients.
How to become a transportation engineer .
How to start a transportation engineering firm .
Transportation Engineer questions .Environmental Consultant — Environmental consultants assess and clean up the relationship between projects and the land — Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments, contaminated-site work, Records of Site Condition, and designated-substance surveys. It is a distinct business from the remediation trade: consultants assess and sign off; contractors do the cleanup.
How to become an environmental consultant .
How to start an environmental consulting firm .
Environmental Consultant questions .Sustainability Consultant — Sustainability consultants help projects hit green-building and carbon targets — LEED and net-zero certification, energy modelling, and embodied-carbon analysis. It is a fast-growing advisory business riding building-performance codes, ESG, and decarbonization.
How to become a sustainability consultant .
How to start a green-building consulting practice .
Sustainability Consultant questions .Commissioning Provider — Commissioning providers verify that a building's systems actually perform the way they were designed — testing HVAC, controls, and electrical before handover and tuning them after. It is a quality-assurance business, required for LEED and increasingly demanded by owners and codes.
How to become a commissioning provider .
How to start a commissioning firm .
Commissioning Provider questions .Acoustics Consultant — Acoustics consultants manage sound and vibration — the noise studies that developments need for planning approval, and the room and building acoustics that make spaces work. It is a specialized, high-value niche with steady demand from developers and design teams.
How to become an acoustics consultant .
How to start an acoustics consulting firm .
Acoustics Consultant questions .Construction Materials Testing — Construction materials testing (CMT) firms are the quality control of the build — sampling and testing concrete, soils, asphalt, and steel in the field and the lab so engineers and owners know the work meets spec. It is a testing-and-inspection business that pairs naturally with geotechnical engineering.
How to become a materials testing technician .
How to start a construction materials testing business .
Construction Materials Testing questions .Building Condition & Reserve Fund Consultant — Building-condition consultants tell owners what shape a building is in and what it will cost to keep — Building Condition Assessments, Property Condition Assessments for transactions, and the Reserve Fund Studies that Ontario condos are legally required to commission. It is a building-engineering advisory business, not a real-estate one.
How to become a building condition consultant .
How to start a building-condition consulting practice .
Building Condition & Reserve Fund Consultant questions .Designated Substance & Hazmat Consultant — Designated-substance and hazmat consultants find what is hidden in a building before it is renovated or demolished — asbestos, lead, mould, silica, and other designated substances — and write the surveys the law requires before work starts. It is a distinct business from the abatement trade: consultants survey and specify; abatement crews remove.
How to become a hazardous materials consultant .
How to start a hazardous materials consulting practice .
Designated Substance & Hazmat Consultant questions .Geomatics & Drone Survey — Geomatics and drone-survey businesses capture the world as data — topographic surveys, drone mapping and volumes, 3D laser scanning, and GIS. It is the fast-growing, technology-driven side of surveying, distinct from the cadastral (legal boundary) work reserved to licensed Ontario Land Surveyors.
How to become a geomatics technologist .
How to start a geomatics and drone-survey business .
Geomatics & Drone Survey questions .BIM / VDC Consultant — BIM and VDC (Virtual Design & Construction) consultants run the digital backbone of modern projects — building information models, clash detection and coordination, 4D/5D, and scan-to-BIM. It is the technology-services business of construction, helping designers, builders, and owners deliver projects digitally.
How to become a BIM consultant .
How to start a BIM and VDC consulting business .
BIM / VDC Consultant questions .Heritage Consultant — Heritage consultants help projects navigate the past — Heritage Impact Assessments, Cultural Heritage Evaluation Reports, and conservation plans that development approvals increasingly require under the Ontario Heritage Act. It is a specialized advisory business at the intersection of planning, architecture, and history.
How to become a heritage consultant .
How to start a heritage consulting practice .
Heritage Consultant questions .
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is AEC Stack for? Anyone ready to start or run their own construction business. Tradespeople, project managers, engineers, entrepreneurs — if you have industry experience and want to be your own boss, this is built for you. No knowledge of incorporation, licensing, or compliance required.
What kind of business can I start? General contracting, subcontracting, specialty trades like electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, concrete, framing, demolition, landscaping, and more. Engineering firms, project management consultancies, construction technology companies. If it's in the built environment, you can build it here.
Already have a business? Upload your existing documents — incorporation papers, insurance certificates, licenses, registrations — and see exactly where you stand. What's in place, what's missing, and close the gaps yourself.
How is this different from hiring a lawyer and accountant? A lawyer helps you incorporate. An accountant files your taxes. Neither one gets you licensed, insured, compliant, bidding on work, and managing a pipeline. With AEC Stack you handle the full picture yourself — incorporation through operations, project matching, and team management — without needing to hire an office manager, compliance tracker, or bookkeeper.
Where is AEC Stack available? Ontario, Canada right now. Every regulation, license, and registration requirement is built deep for the province. Expanding across Canada.
What do I need to get started? Your area of expertise and your location. That's it. Read the 11 free guides at aecstack.com/guides to understand every step, or jump straight in.
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