When you hire a cleaning company in Ontario, the contractor's workplace insurance can become your problem if it is not in order. A WSIB clearance certificate is the simple way to protect your business. This guide explains what the certificate is, why it matters, how to check it, and what else to ask a cleaning contractor before they start. If you manage a building in Durham Region, our janitorial services in Pickering and across commercial cleaning in Durham Region start with this paperwork.
What the WSIB is
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) runs Ontario's workplace insurance system under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. Employers in covered industries register with the WSIB and pay premiums. If a worker is injured on the job, the WSIB provides benefits, and in return the worker generally cannot sue the employer for that injury.
Most cleaning and janitorial businesses that employ workers are required to have WSIB coverage. The coverage follows the workers, which is why it matters to you when those workers are on your premises.
Why the hiring business should care
Under the Act, a business that hires a contractor is called the principal. If the contractor does not pay its WSIB premiums, the WSIB can hold the principal liable for the unpaid amount related to the work done for it. In other words, a contractor's unpaid premiums can turn into a bill for you.
A clearance certificate protects you. It confirms that, at the date it was issued, the contractor was registered with the WSIB and its account was in good standing. If you hold a valid certificate for the period the work was done, you are generally protected from that liability.
How to get and check a clearance certificate
You can ask the contractor to send you a clearance certificate, or you can look it up yourself through the WSIB's online clearance service using the contractor's business name or account number. Checking it yourself is the safest option, because you see the current status directly from the WSIB.
Every certificate has a validity period. Note the expiry date and get a new certificate before it runs out, for as long as the contractor works for you. For an ongoing cleaning contract, that means checking regularly, not once at signing.
- Ask for the certificate before work starts
- Check it yourself through the WSIB's online clearance service
- Make sure the legal business name matches your contract and invoices
- Record the expiry date and renew before it lapses
- Keep copies with your contract file
What a clearance certificate does not cover
A WSIB clearance certificate is about workplace insurance for the contractor's workers. It does not cover damage to your property, theft, or injury to your own staff or visitors caused by the contractor. That is the job of commercial general liability insurance.
Ask the contractor for a certificate of insurance showing commercial general liability coverage, the policy period and the limit. Many property managers also ask to be named as an additional insured. Bonding is a separate protection against theft by the contractor's employees and is worth asking about, especially for after-hours cleaning where crews hold keys.
Your own safety duties don't go away
When a cleaning crew works in your building, your premises become their workplace. The Occupational Health and Safety Act still applies. The contractor, as the employer, is responsible for training and supervising its workers, but you should tell the contractor about hazards in your building, such as restricted areas, chemicals stored on site, machinery, or areas under construction.
Cleaning products the crew brings in are hazardous products under WHMIS 2015. Ask the contractor for the safety data sheets for any product used on your site, and keep them where your own staff can find them.
Other questions to ask a cleaning contractor
Paperwork is the floor, not the ceiling. Before you sign, also ask how the contractor screens staff, who supervises the work, what happens when something is missed, and how keys, fobs and alarm codes are handled. A good contractor will answer all of this in writing.
Ask for a written scope that lists each area, the tasks and the frequency. Without it, you cannot hold anyone to a standard. Our guide on choosing a commercial cleaning company in Durham Region has a full checklist.
- Current WSIB clearance certificate
- Certificate of commercial general liability insurance
- Bonding or crime coverage for employee theft
- Staff screening and supervision
- Written scope with frequencies
- Safety data sheets for products used
- Key, fob and alarm procedures
A note on very small contractors
Some cleaners work alone as independent operators. Rules for whether a sole operator needs WSIB coverage depend on the industry and the business structure, and they can change. If a contractor tells you they do not need coverage, ask them to show you how the WSIB has confirmed that, and keep a record. When in doubt, contact the WSIB directly.
If the contractor uses subcontractors
Some cleaning companies send their own employees; others use subcontractors for part of the work, such as floor refinishing or window cleaning. Ask your contractor whether anyone other than their own staff will work at your site.
If they do use subcontractors, ask how they confirm those subcontractors have WSIB coverage and insurance. The safest approach is to require that everyone who works on your premises is covered by a valid clearance certificate, either the contractor's own or the subcontractor's, and to write that requirement into the contract.
Build a simple contractor file
For each cleaning or service contractor, keep one file with the contract and scope, the WSIB clearance certificate with its expiry date, the certificate of insurance with the policy period, any bonding confirmation, safety data sheets for the products used, and the key, fob and alarm records.
Set a calendar reminder a few weeks before each expiry date. When it comes up, check the WSIB clearance online again and ask for an updated insurance certificate. This takes minutes and keeps you covered for the whole contract, not just the first month.
- Contract and written scope
- WSIB clearance certificate and expiry date
- Certificate of insurance and policy dates
- Bonding or crime coverage confirmation
- Safety data sheets for products used on site
- Key, fob and alarm code records
What to put in the contract
Paperwork is easier to keep current when the contract requires it. A cleaning contract can say that the contractor will maintain WSIB coverage and commercial general liability insurance for the whole term, provide updated certificates when they renew, notify you if coverage lapses, and require the same of any subcontractor.
It can also give you the right to hold back payment or end the contract if the contractor cannot provide a valid clearance certificate. Ask your lawyer or insurance broker for wording that suits your business.
Common questions
Is a clearance certificate the same as proof of insurance? No. It shows the contractor's WSIB account was in good standing when the certificate was issued. Liability insurance is separate and has its own certificate.
Do I need a new certificate for every invoice? You need a valid certificate covering the period the work was done. For ongoing contracts, renewing it before each expiry date keeps you covered.
How we handle it
Bluestone Janitorial holds WSIB clearance and carries commercial general liability insurance, and our staff are police-checked. We provide our WSIB clearance certificate and certificate of insurance on request, before the first visit and when they renew; contact us to ask for them. See our janitorial services in Pickering or our Durham Region commercial cleaning page to get started.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check the current text of any regulation, or ask the responsible ministry or public health unit, before relying on it.