Going out on your own
How to start a glazing business in Ontario
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).
Glazing & Curtain Wall at a glance
- Licence to do the work
- Not required — 424A is voluntary
- Path in
- Apprenticeship about 4 years, mostly through glazing contractors or IUPAT
- Regulated by
- Manufacturer system certifications govern commercial work
- Insurance baseline
- $5M CGL on high-rise work
- Union route
- IUPAT glaziers locals
The steps to start your glazing business
- 1
Incorporate your company
Most contractors incorporate (Ontario or federal) to limit personal liability, look credible to larger clients, and access tax advantages once profitable. You choose a named or numbered company, set directors and share structure, and file the articles. Budget roughly $400–$600.
Full guide: Incorporation - 2
Register your CRA accounts
Get a Business Number, then register for HST/GST (mandatory once you exceed $30,000 in revenue, and worth registering sooner to claim input tax credits), a payroll account if you will hire, and corporate income tax. This is free and done through the CRA.
Full guide: CRA Registration - 3
Register for WSIB
Construction is a mandatory WSIB sector. Independent operators and partners in construction generally must register even with no employees, and clients and general contractors will require a valid WSIB clearance certificate before letting you on site.
Full guide: WSIB & Provincial - 4
Handle glazing & curtain wall licensing & permits
Architectural Glass & Metal Technician (424A) is a voluntary trade. No provincial licence is required, but commercial curtain wall and storefront work relies on manufacturer system certifications and engineered shop drawings. You incorporate, carry insurance and WSIB, and certify on the systems you install.
Full guide: Trade Licensing - 5
Get insured
Carry Commercial General Liability (typically $2M, $5M for commercial/industrial work), plus tools and equipment, commercial auto, and — depending on scope — builders risk and professional liability. Many contracts and clients specify minimum coverage before you can quote.
Full guide: Insurance - 6
Set up health, safety & compliance
Meet your Occupational Health and Safety Act duties: a health and safety policy, required training (WHMIS, Working at Heights where applicable), and — for commercial and public work — often COR® certification. This is also where any trade-specific safety tickets live.
Full guide: Safety Compliance - 7
Stand up your operations
Open business banking, set up construction-specific accounting, and understand your trust obligations under the Construction Act (holdback, prompt payment, and adjudication). This is the back office that keeps you paid and out of trouble.
Full guide: Operational Setup - 8
Get bid-ready and win work
Assemble your prequalification package — incorporation and WSIB documents, insurance and bonding letters, safety program, key personnel, and project references — then quote, send proposals, and collect on invoices. This is where a construction business actually makes money.
Full guide: Bid Readiness
Insurance for a glazing business
High-rise glazing carries fall and falling-glass exposure plus building-envelope liability. Expect $5M CGL on commercial high-rise work.
Your launch checklist
The whole page in one list. Screenshot it, stick it on the dash of the truck.
- Incorporate your company
- Register your CRA accounts
- Register for WSIB
- Handle glazing & curtain wall licensing & permits
- Get insured
- Set up health, safety & compliance
- Stand up your operations
- Get bid-ready and win work
Glazing & Curtain Wall questions, answered
Do you need a licence? How much does it cost? See the FAQs.
Glazing & Curtain Wall overview
Licensing, regulators, and certifications at a glance.
Skip the paperwork. Let AEC Stack set it up
AEC Stack runs the whole process for a glazing business: incorporation, CRA, WSIB, permits, insurance, compliance, and the operations to win your first contract.
Start your glazing & curtain wall business