How to track subcontractor insurance, WSIB and CNESST documents
Ask every subcontractor for the same papers, check that each one is authentic and current, then record whether it is acceptable for your sites. Those are two different decisions, and ScopeMark keeps them apart.
The short version
Most compliance problems are not fraud. A certificate expired last month and nobody noticed, or the clearance on file belongs to a different business name, or one site manager accepted a document another would have refused. Tracking documents well means asking for the same things every time, knowing when each one runs out and keeping a record of who decided what.
This guide covers what companies usually ask for, how ScopeMark handles it and where the limits are. It is practical guidance, not legal advice. What you must collect depends on your province, your contracts and your insurer, so confirm the rules with your own advisers.
What companies usually ask a subcontractor for
| Document | What it shows | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of insurance | The subcontractor carries liability cover | Insured name, policy period, limits, and whether you are named as an additional insured where your contract requires it |
| WSIB clearance certificate (Ontario) | The business's WSIB account is in good standing | Business name, clearance date and the period it covers |
| CNESST attestation (Quebec) | The business is in good standing with Quebec's workplace safety board | Business name and the date it was issued |
| Workers' compensation clearance (other provinces, WCB) | The business's account with its provincial board is in good standing | Business name and validity date |
| Trade licence or certification | The person or business is qualified for the trade | Licence number, trade, holder and expiry |
Some clients also ask for safety programs, bonding letters or vendor-specific certificates. The principle is the same: decide the list once per type of work, then ask everyone for the same list.
Why one list is not enough
- Different work needs different papers. A roofer, an electrician and a sign installer do not carry the same licences, and the insurance you want for rooftop work is not what you want for a lobby repaint.
- Different provinces need different papers. Ontario work asks for a WSIB clearance. Quebec work asks for CNESST. Other provinces use their own workers' compensation board.
- Expiry dates arrive on their own schedule. A spreadsheet is fine until you have forty subcontractors and a few hundred dates.
Two decisions, kept apart
When a company says a subcontractor is "verified", it is usually mixing two questions. ScopeMark separates them on purpose.
ScopeMark Verified
Is this document authentic and current? This is an objective check of the paper itself. It is done once and travels with the subcontractor, so every company they work with sees the same result.
Company Approved
Does it meet our bar for our sites? This is your own risk decision, made per relationship. Two companies can look at the same certificate and decide differently, and that is fine.
ScopeMark never approves a document on a company's behalf, and a company's approval never changes whether the document itself was checked. If a subcontractor replaces a document with a new one, every company's earlier approval of the old paper is cleared, because they approved the old paper.
How it works in ScopeMark
- 1
List what you hire for
Your company lists the services it hires for, such as HVAC, electrical or signage. Each service has its own document rules. By default every service asks for insurance, with WSIB in Ontario and CNESST in Quebec, and you can change the list for each service.
- 2
Invite the subcontractor
The subcontractor accepts your invitation before you see anything about them. A pending invitation shares nothing in either direction.
- 3
They upload once
The subcontractor adds insurance, work-cover papers, licences and other certificates from their phone or the web. The file is stored privately, and an expired document cannot be submitted.
- 4
ScopeMark checks the paper
ScopeMark reviews each submitted document for authenticity and currency. A rejected document comes back with a written reason the subcontractor can read.
- 5
You approve or turn it down
For each document you record your own decision, with a note. If you turn one down, the subcontractor sees your reason and can send a better one.
- 6
See coverage and gaps
A compliance view shows which of your subcontractors cover each service you hire for, and what is missing or expiring, so you find the gap before the job starts.
What ScopeMark does not do
- It does not query a government registry. A check confirms the uploaded paper is authentic and current. It is not a live lookup with the board or insurer.
- It does not decide who you hire. Approval is yours, and nothing is approved automatically for you.
- It is not legal advice. It records what you decided and why. It does not tell you what your contract or province requires.
A simple routine that works
- Write the document list per type of work before you invite anyone.
- Ask for the documents before the bid, not after the award.
- Treat a name mismatch between the certificate and the company as a reason to ask, not to guess.
- Check expiry dates before each new job, not only at onboarding.
- Keep the reason when you refuse a document, so the next conversation starts from a written note.
Questions people ask
How do I verify a subcontractor's WSIB clearance in Ontario?
Ask the subcontractor for a current WSIB clearance certificate showing the business name that will do the work, and check the date it covers. In ScopeMark the subcontractor uploads the certificate and ScopeMark checks that it is authentic and current. You then decide whether it meets your bar for your sites.
What is the difference between ScopeMark Verified and Company Approved?
ScopeMark Verified means a document has been checked as authentic and current. Company Approved means your company has decided the document is acceptable for your sites. They answer different questions, so ScopeMark keeps them separate.
Does ScopeMark check CNESST certificates for Quebec work?
Yes. Quebec work asks for a CNESST attestation by default, and the subcontractor uploads it like any other document. ScopeMark checks that it is authentic and current, and your company records its own decision.
What happens when a subcontractor's document expires?
ScopeMark tracks each document's expiry date and sends expiry notices. An expired document cannot be submitted, and when a subcontractor replaces a document, companies' earlier approvals of the old one are cleared.
Does ScopeMark hold or move our money?
No. ScopeMark does not process payments between companies and subcontractors. The buyer pays directly, outside ScopeMark, and records the payment. ScopeMark's only revenue is its subscription.