How do I report a contractor scam in Ontario?

If you've been scammed by a contractor in Ontario, you need to report it to multiple agencies to protect yourself and other homeowners - here's exactly how to do it in Ottawa and across Ontario.

Start by contacting the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services at 1-800-889-9768 or filing a complaint online at ontario.ca/consumer. They handle contractor fraud cases and can investigate unlicensed contractors operating illegally. This is your primary resource for consumer protection in Ontario.

For immediate concerns about unlicensed electrical or gas work that could be dangerous, contact the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) at 1-877-372-7233 or report online at esasafe.com. If gas work is involved, contact the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) at 1-877-682-8772. Both agencies take safety violations seriously and can shut down dangerous work immediately.

File a Police Report in Ottawa

Contact Ottawa Police Service at 613-236-1222 (non-emergency) to file a fraud report, especially if money was taken without work being performed or if the contractor used fake credentials. Get a police report number - you'll need this for insurance claims and other agencies. For amounts over $5,000, this becomes a more serious criminal matter.

Report to Professional Associations

If the contractor claimed to be licensed, verify their credentials and report false licensing claims. Check ESA licensing at esasafe.com/contractor-locator for electrical contractors, or TSSA.org for gas technicians. If they're falsely claiming membership in professional associations, report this fraud directly to those organizations.

Protect Your Property Rights

If work was started but not completed, or if there are liens threatened, contact a lawyer familiar with Ontario's Construction Act immediately. The 60-day lien period and holdback rules are critical to protecting your property. Don't ignore lien threats even from scam contractors.

Document Everything for Your Complaint

Gather all contracts, receipts, photos of work, text messages, and emails. Include copies of any permits that should have been pulled through the City of Ottawa (613-580-2424). If permits were required but not obtained, this strengthens your case significantly.

Financial Recovery Options

Contact your credit card company or bank if payments were made electronically - you may be able to dispute charges. If the contractor was supposed to have WSIB coverage, check wsib.ca to verify. Lack of proper insurance is another violation to report.

Warn Other Ottawa Homeowners

While you can't name specific contractors publicly without legal risk, you can share your experience on consumer review sites and warn neighbors about common scam tactics. The more information other homeowners have, the better they can protect themselves.

What to Watch For Next Time

Red flags include door-to-door solicitation, demands for full payment upfront, no fixed business address, pressure to sign immediately, and reluctance to provide proper licensing information. Always verify ESA and TSSA credentials independently, never trust just a business card or website claim.

The key is reporting to multiple agencies - consumer protection, safety authorities, police, and professional bodies. Each serves a different purpose in stopping contractor fraud and protecting other Ottawa homeowners from the same scam.