Help and resources for hiring a plumber in Ontario
If you're hiring a plumber in Ontario or dealing with a dispute over one, these are the actual organisations worth knowing about: the province's licensing body, safety regulators, trade associations, and the consumer protection and legal aid channels that can step in when a job goes wrong. Each listing below comes from verified public information, so you can go straight to the source rather than guessing who to call.
Government & regulatory
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Skilled Trades Ontario
Administers apprenticeship and certification for plumbers as a compulsory trade in Ontario and issues the Certificate of Qualification. Consumers can verify a plumber's licence status through its Public Register.
Visit website → Phone: 647-847-3000, toll-free 1-855-299-0028 -
Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)
Regulates public safety in areas including fuels and gas fitting, relevant to plumbers who also perform gas line work, and provides a registered fuels-contractor lookup tool. Administers standards under the Technical Standards and Safety Act on behalf of the Ontario government.
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Tarion
Administers the mandatory new-home warranty in Ontario. The statutory warranty covers defects in a new home's plumbing delivery systems during the warranty period.
Visit website → Phone: 1-877-982-7466
Industry & professional associations
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Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH)
National not-for-profit trade association for the plumbing and heating industry, representing wholesalers, manufacturers, and contractor members, founded in 1933.
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Mechanical Contractors Association of Ontario (MCAO)
Provincial not-for-profit industry association representing unionized mechanical and plumbing contractors in Ontario, and can help identify member contractor firms across the province's regional zones.
Consumer protection
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Consumer Protection Ontario
Program of Ontario's Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement that explains consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act and handles or investigates complaints against businesses, including contractors.
Visit website → Phone: 1-800-889-9768 (toll-free), 416-326-8800 (Toronto area) Consumer Services Operations Division, PO Box 450, Toronto, ON M7A 2J6 -
BBB Serving Central Ontario (Better Business Bureau)
Not-for-profit that lets consumers research businesses including plumbers, read or file complaints, check accreditation, and access dispute-resolution services. Covers Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Barrie, Oshawa and Niagara.
Visit website → Phone: 519-579-3080 or 1-800-459-8875 151 Frederick Street, Unit 201, Kitchener, ON N2H 2M2 -
Competition Bureau Canada
Independent federal law-enforcement agency that investigates false or misleading advertising and deceptive marketing practices, such as bait pricing or false quotes, under the Competition Act.
Visit website → Phone: 1-800-348-5358 -
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)
National centre that collects reports on fraud and identity theft, including home-repair scams and fake contractors, and publishes fraud-prevention information for the public.
Legal help
This is general information, not legal advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your specific situation.
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Small Claims Court (Ontario Superior Court of Justice)
Hears civil claims up to $50,000, including consumer and contract disputes such as unresolved billing or workmanship disagreements with a plumber, and is designed to be usable without a lawyer.
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Legal Aid Ontario
Provincial legal aid organization that pays for a lawyer or provides referrals for qualifying low-income individuals with a covered legal issue, and operates a service finder to community legal clinics.
Visit website → Phone: 1-800-668-8258 -
Pro Bono Ontario
Free legal advice charity whose hotline specifically assists with consumer and contract-dispute questions, such as disputes with a contractor over home renovations, defective work, or unfair charges.
Visit website → Phone: 1-855-255-7256
Need a provider rather than a resource? Get plumbing quotes.