TradesTally covers the side of running a trade business that nobody teaches you on the job site: the paperwork, the pricing and the compliance. That means WSIB clearances, GST/HST registration, T5018 slips, Ontario’s Construction Act (holdback, prompt payment and liens), licensing, estimating and getting paid.
It’s written for owner-operators and small crews, roughly 1 to 20 people, in concrete, foundations, framing, renovation and general contracting. We start with Ontario and add other provinces over time.
Who’s behind TradesTally
TradesTally is written by Kris, a working Ontario contractor. Kris deals with the same clearances, holdback, HST filings and quotes covered on this site, so the guides are written from the contractor’s side of the counter.
Disclosure: Kris’s company
Kris owns VB Concrete & ICF Structures, a concrete and ICF (insulated concrete form) contractor in Ontario. Where we use examples from that business, we remove client names and identifying details. TradesTally is a separate, independent publication, and our guides aren’t a pitch for the company.
How we write our guides
- We check rules against official sources (the Canada Revenue Agency, WSIB, Ontario’s e-Laws and other government sites) and link to them.
- Each compliance guide shows the date the rules were last checked. Thresholds, rates and deadlines change, so we update articles when they do.
- We don’t publish numbers we can’t back up with a source.
- Spot an error? Tell us through our contact page.
Not legal, tax or accounting advice
Our guides are general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Your situation may differ, so check with your accountant, lawyer or the relevant government agency before acting. See our Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure.
Related sites
For homeowner topics like foundations, basements and winterizing, see our sister site True North DIY. For personal finance, see FirstLoonie.