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Trade Playbook

Demolition

No provincial trade licence required

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.

Demolition at a glance

Licence to do the work
Not required as a trade — but permits, surveys, and hazmat rules gate every job
Path in
Start as a labourer; hazmat tickets (253H scope) are the career accelerant
Regulated by
Municipality (demo permits) + Ministry of Labour (asbestos, Notice of Project)
Insurance baseline
$5M CGL + pollution liability with abatement scope
Union route
LIUNA locals

Where are you right now?

Learn it. Earn it. Own it. Pick the door that matches where you are.

Getting inBecome a demolition workerHow people actually enter this trade: sponsors, registration, hours, and school.Open Getting certifiedFinish your ticketAlready an apprentice? The Last Mile guide: closing out hours, booking the exam, exam day.Open Going out on your ownStart a demolition businessThe step-by-step from qualified tradesperson to incorporated, insured, bid-ready owner.Open Just lookingCommon questionsLicences, costs, timelines: the questions everyone asks, answered straight.Open

The licensing layer, explained

No provincial demolition trade licence, but the work is tightly governed: a municipal demolition permit, a mandatory designated-substance survey (asbestos, lead, mould) before work, abatement under O. Reg. 278/05 where needed, Ministry of Labour Notice of Project for larger jobs, and utility disconnections. Hazardous Materials Worker (253H) certification applies to abatement.

Certifications in this trade

Insurance to expect

Demolition carries collapse, adjacent-property, and pollution exposure. Expect higher CGL limits ($5M) and often pollution/environmental liability, especially with abatement scope.

Go to the source

The official pages that govern this trade. Bookmark these, they are the final word on requirements and fees.

Keep reading

253H Hazardous Materials WorkerIncorporationCRA RegistrationWSIB & ProvincialTrade LicensingInsuranceSafety ComplianceOperational SetupBid Readiness

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