Property manager vendor requirements come down to a common baseline for every vendor, plus trade-specific credentials for the work that carries the most risk. In Ontario that usually means a certificate of insurance, a WSIB clearance and a signed agreement from everyone, then ESA, TSSA, pesticide or fire protection credentials depending on the trade. The right mix also depends on whether you manage commercial space, residential rentals or both.
Property manager vendor requirements: the baseline
Before looking at individual trades, set a standard that applies to every vendor who works on your properties, from the window cleaner to the roofing contractor. This page covers what to require. For the steps of collecting and approving it, see the property manager vendor onboarding checklist.
- Commercial general liability (CGL), commonly $2M per occurrence, with the owner and your management company named as additional insured.
- A WSIB clearance certificate for Ontario vendors with workers, or the equivalent document in other provinces, such as a WorkSafeBC or WCB Alberta clearance letter.
- Auto liability for vendors who drive onto the property, including service vans in underground garages.
- A signed service agreement that states your insurance minimums, notice of cancellation (often 30 days) and how subcontractors are handled.
- Expiry dates for everything, so each document has a renewal date you can track.
A WSIB clearance waives the principal's liability for a contractor's unpaid premiums for the period it is valid. Without one, you can be held liable for those amounts. Clearances are valid for up to 90 days, and WSIB asks principals and contractors to keep clearance records for at least three years.
Requirements by trade
Most building service contracts fall into a handful of trades. The table below reflects common practice in Ontario, except where a licence or registration is noted, which is a legal requirement for that work.
| Trade | Typical documents | Common CGL minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | ESA Electrical Contractor Licence, Master Electrician name, ESA notification for permitted work | $2M |
| Elevators and lifts | TSSA contractor registration covering the device class, certified mechanics | $5M |
| HVAC, boilers and gas | TSSA fuels contractor registration, certified gas technicians | $2M to $5M |
| Fire alarm and sprinklers | Technician qualifications (often CFAA certification for fire alarm), inspection reports | $5M |
| Roofing and exterior | Working at Heights training records, fall protection plan | $5M |
| Pest control | Pesticide operator licence, structural exterminator licence for each technician | $2M |
| Plumbing and backflow | Certified backflow tester credentials where your municipality requires testing | $2M |
| Cleaning, landscaping, snow | COI, WSIB clearance, auto liability for equipment and vehicles | $2M |
A few of these are worth explaining. Under Ontario's Elevating Devices regulation, no one may act as an elevating devices contractor unless registered with TSSA, and the owner must ensure the device is maintained by a registered contractor. That duty sits with the owner, so the registration is something you should check, not assume. Fuels contractors register with TSSA in a similar way and must use certified technicians on regulated equipment. Pest control businesses need an operator licence, which expires on December 31 of the year it was issued, and the people applying pesticides need an exterminator licence. For limits by trade in more detail, see how much liability insurance a contractor should carry.
Commercial properties: what changes
Office, retail and industrial buildings tend to have more contractors on site at once, more tenant fit-outs and more shared systems. Many commercial property managers add the following:
- Tenant contractors held to the same standard as your own vendors, with the landlord named as additional insured before any fit-out starts.
- Higher limits, often $5M or more, for work on roofs, base building systems and large sites.
- Professional liability from engineers and consultants who prepare building condition assessments or designs.
- Pollution liability for abatement, mould remediation or fuel tank work.
- Site rules on hot work permits, after-hours access and shutdowns of fire protection systems.
Fire protection deserves particular care. The Ontario Fire Code places the duty to maintain fire alarm systems on the building owner, who must ensure the person doing the annual tests and inspections is qualified. See who is responsible for fire alarm inspections.
Residential properties: what changes
In apartment buildings and other rental housing, vendors work inside tenants' homes. That raises the bar on conduct as well as paperwork.
- Unit entry. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord entering a unit to make repairs or do work generally needs to give written notice at least 24 hours ahead, stating the reason and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Your vendors should work within the notices you issue, not arrange their own access.
- Pest control. Bed bug and cockroach treatments are a regular part of residential management, so the operator and exterminator licences above matter here more than anywhere.
- Pools. A pool in an apartment building with six or more units is a Class B public pool under Ontario's public pools regulation, and the owner must designate a trained operator. If a vendor handles water treatment, confirm their training and their role in writing.
- Conduct. Many landlords ask for identification on site, a key control procedure and clear rules for working in occupied units.
Condominium corporations set their own standards through their boards. See condo contractor insurance requirements in Ontario.
Outside Ontario
If you manage across provinces, the baseline stays similar but the documents change. Workers' compensation clearances have their own names and rules, such as the WorkSafeBC clearance letter, the WCB Alberta clearance letter and the CNESST attestation de conformité in Quebec. Elevator, gas, electrical and pesticide licensing are also provincial, with different regulators. Keep one standard by trade, then note the provincial document that satisfies each line.
How to put this into practice
Write your requirements down by trade, attach them to every service agreement, and review them once a year with your insurer. When you need new vendors, the directory is a place to search by trade. Our contractor compliance checklist can help you set requirements by trade, and Vendorpass can track each vendor's documents and expiry dates across your properties.