Alberta vetting guide · 2026 · Last updated: 2026-07-09

The vetting checklist: WCB, bonding, and insurance questions before you sign

Before you sign with a commercial cleaner or maintenance contractor in Alberta, verify five things: a WCB clearance letter (checked through WCB Alberta's online clearance system, not just taken on faith), a current certificate of insurance with limits that fit the job, bonding if they'll have keys or after-hours access, WHMIS training and background checks for the crew, and a municipal business licence. Every one of these can be confirmed in a day, most of them without the contractor's help. Here is the full checklist and how to actually run each check.

Why the paperwork matters more than the price

Our office cleaning cost guide covers what a fair Alberta quote looks like, but the coverage behind the quote is what protects you when something goes wrong. An uninsured cleaner who's injured on your site, or an unbonded one who walks out with a laptop, turns a $600-a-month contract into a five-figure problem. If a slip or injury is involved, liability can reach you directly — see who's liable when someone slips on your property.

1. WCB coverage — and how to actually verify it

If a contractor without WCB Alberta coverage is hurt on your property, you can end up liable for their premiums or their injury. Don't accept a verbal "we're covered." WCB Alberta lets you check the clearance status of any registered company yourself:

• Request a clearance letter online through a myWCB employer account or the myWCB mobile app, or use WCB Alberta's online request form without an account. The letter states whether the contractor has coverage and whether the account is in good standing.
• Check the dates. Get a clearance before you hire and again before final payment — an account in good standing in January can lapse by March. For ongoing contracts, WCB's Automatic Clearance Notification emails you if a contractor's status changes.
• Confirm the letter names the company you're actually contracting with, not a similarly named entity, and that the industry code matches the work (janitorial and cleaning is WCB code 89701).

2. Certificate of insurance

Ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) — the one-page summary a broker issues showing the policy, limits, and expiry. Three checks:

• Limits. Commercial general liability of $1–2 million is standard for smaller cleaning jobs, and up to $5 million for large contracts or higher-risk work like snow and ice.
• Dates and issuer. The certificate should be current and come from the broker, not a photocopy from the contractor's files. If anything looks off, a call to the broker listed on the certificate confirms it in minutes.
• Additional insured. For larger contracts, ask to be named as an additional insured — the contractor's policy then responds to claims against you arising from their work.

3. Bonding

A janitorial bond protects you against employee theft, which matters because cleaners typically work after hours with their own keys or codes. Ask whether the company is bonded, for how much, and whether the bond covers all staff who will be on your site. Bonding is cheap for the contractor to carry — a company that doesn't have it is telling you something.

4. The crew: WHMIS, background checks, references

• WHMIS training. Anyone working with or near hazardous products — which includes commercial cleaning chemicals — must have WHMIS education and training under occupational health and safety rules. Ask how the company trains staff and how often it refreshes.
• Background checks. For after-hours access, ask whether staff have criminal record checks and whether the same crew is assigned to your site consistently.
• References. Two or three current commercial clients of similar size, and actually call them. Ask what went wrong and how it was handled — every contractor has a missed visit; the response is the data.

5. Business licence

Alberta municipalities licence businesses separately, so a contractor working across the province may need more than one — Calgary and Edmonton both run their own licensing, and both let you look a licence up online. It's a thirty-second check that filters out fly-by-night operators, and it confirms the legal business name for your contract and clearance letter.

The checklist

• WCB clearance letter, verified through myWCB — before hiring and before final payment
• Certificate of insurance: current, broker-issued, $1–2M CGL (up to $5M for large or high-risk contracts)
• Janitorial bond covering all on-site staff
• WHMIS training for the crew, refreshed when products change
• Criminal record checks for after-hours staff
• Municipal business licence in your city, looked up online
• Two or three commercial references, called
• Everything above named in the written contract, with proof re-verified at renewal

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a contractor's WCB coverage in Alberta?

Request a clearance letter through WCB Alberta's online clearance system — via a myWCB account, the myWCB app, or the no-account request form. It confirms coverage and good standing. Check before hiring and again before final payment.

How do I know if my contractor is really insured?

Ask for a current certificate of insurance and, if in doubt, call the broker listed on it. Look for $1–2 million in commercial general liability for smaller jobs and up to $5 million for large contracts.

What does bonding actually cover?

A janitorial bond compensates you for theft by the contractor's employees. It matters most for cleaners and trades with after-hours access to your building.

What questions should I ask a commercial cleaning company?

Are you WCB-covered, insured, and bonded — with documents? Is your crew WHMIS-trained and background-checked? What's excluded from the quote? And can I call two current commercial clients?

Sources

• WCB Alberta — clearance letters
• WCB Alberta — coverage for contractors and subcontractors
• WCB Alberta Premium Rate Manual — Janitorial/Cleaning Services, industry code 89701
• CCOHS — WHMIS education and training

This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Requirements vary by municipality and contract — verify current rules with WCB Alberta, your insurer, and your city.