Every guide, every question, one plain-English page each.
274 guides covering pay, tax, rights, regs, safety, paperwork and running a trade business. Written for site, not the bar.
Every guide answers one practical question a tradesperson, apprentice or small-firm owner is actually asking. They cite the law, they tell you what to do next, and they don't waste your time with preamble.
Not sure where to start?
I'm new to construction
Starting out, first day on site, cards, tax, insurance - the stuff nobody tells you.
I've got a problem right now
Not been paid? Customer dispute? provincial OHS regulator turned up? Find the guide for your situation.
I'm running my own business
Pricing, quotes, insurance, going commercial, employing people, business continuity.
Featured
Starting Out
Setting up as a self-employed tradesperson in Canada: your Business Number, CRA accounts, registering, and surviving year one.
15 guides
Tax & the CRA
Income tax, GST/HST, CPP, deductions, instalments and dealing with the CRA, in plain English.
18 guides
Getting Paid
Quotes, deposits, invoices, holdbacks, prompt payment, builders liens and what to do when a contractor will not pay.
13 guides
Contracts & Disputes
CCDC and plain small-works contracts, change orders, deficiencies, limitation periods, adjudication and small claims.
10 guides
Pricing & Getting Work
What trades actually charge, day rates, markup, quoting to win and the marketing and reviews that bring work in.
10 guides
Running the Business
The back office: business banking, bookkeeping software, card and Interac payments, accountants and the records the CRA will accept.
11 guides
Employment & Your Crew
Hiring, employment standards, minimum wage, CPP/EI source deductions, T5018, WCB and employee-versus-contractor.
12 guides
Health & Safety on Site
Your provincial OHS duties, the internal responsibility system, fall protection, silica, asbestos and the hazards that actually hurt people.
14 guides
Insurance & Bonds
Commercial general liability, builders risk, bonds, commercial auto, tool and equipment cover, theft, and what your policy will not pay out.
10 guides
Licensing & Certification
Who may legally do the work: contractor licensing, compulsory trades, Red Seal, electrical and gas permits province by province.
12 guides
Tenders & Public Work
CanadaBuys, provincial procurement, prequalification, bonding capacity and what a compliant public tender actually needs.
9 guides
Building Codes & Permits
The National and provincial building codes, the Canadian Electrical Code, permits, inspections and the cost of unpermitted work.
9 guides
Green & Electrification
Heat pumps, solar PV, EV chargers and the rebate programs driving the trade: the work, the certifications and what your client can claim.
10 guides
Your Trade
Trade-by-trade starter briefings: certification, kit, rates and the realities of each trade in Canada.
32 guides
Migration & Mobility
Coming to Canada to work in the trades: immigration pathways, foreign credential recognition, licensing on arrival and interprovincial mobility.
10 guides
Coming to Work in Canada
Thinking of moving to Canada to work in the trades? Demand by trade and province, what you will really earn, which immigration program fits your trade, getting a job offer from abroad, and getting your qualification recognised before you go.
18 guides
Working in Your Province
Province by province and city by city: liens, licensing, WCB, codes, by-laws and who to phone where you work.
24 guides
Health, Money & Life
The human side of the trade: mental health, money stress, your body, retirement and life's big moments.
32 guides
For Homeowners
Hiring a tradesperson safely in Canada: the checks, the licences, the WCB clearance and your consumer-protection rights.
5 guides
Popular Guides
Most-read guides on SiteKiln - start here if you're not sure where to begin.
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