How to Start Your Own Plumbing Company in Canada

First, the order that actually works

You can't start a plumbing company before you're a plumber. In most of Canada that means: apprenticeship, then journeyperson certification, then the business. The paperwork at the end is the easy part — here's the full path.

Step 1: Get licensed (the 4–5 year part)

Plumbing is a compulsory trade in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI — you must be certified or a registered apprentice to do the work. In BC, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the territories, certification is voluntary but expected by employers, municipalities, and insurers.

British Columbia — SkilledTradesBC

• Register as an apprentice with SkilledTradesBC
• 6,300 hours of work-based training plus 30 weeks of technical training over 4 years
• Write the Interprovincial Red Seal exam (70% to pass) for certification

Ontario — Skilled Trades Ontario

• Register with Skilled Trades Ontario
• 9,000 hours total: 8,280 on-the-job + 720 in-school, over roughly five years
• Pass the Certificate of Qualification exam (trade code 306A) — this is your licence to work independently

Alberta — Apprenticeship and Industry Training

• Register through Tradesecrets (Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training)
• 4 periods of 1,560 on-the-job hours each, plus 8 weeks of classroom instruction per period
• Bonus: Alberta's program includes Gasfitter Class B, so you graduate with two journeyperson certificates

The Red Seal endorsement — earned by passing the interprovincial exam — lets you work in any province or territory without re-certifying. Get it.

Step 2: Register the business

Once you're a certified journeyperson, the paperwork is straightforward:

1. Choose a structure. Most one-truck operations start as a sole proprietorship — cheapest and simplest. Incorporate later when revenue or liability warrants it.
2. Register your business name with your province (Ontario: ~$60 through the Ontario Business Registry; BC: $40 registration + $30 name request).
3. Get a CRA business number — free through the CRA's Business Registration Online. You'll need it for taxes and payroll.
4. Register for GST/HST once your taxable revenue passes $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters (mandatory at that point; voluntary below it, which lets you claim input tax credits). See our guide to sole proprietorship and GST/HST registration.
5. Check municipal requirements. Most cities require a business licence for contractors — fees and rules vary by municipality.

Step 3: Get insured before your first job

Don't skip this. One burst pipe in a finished basement can erase a year's profit, and no customer should have to wonder whether you're covered.

• Commercial general liability (CGL): the standard ask is $2M in coverage. General contractors, property managers, and municipalities will often require proof before hiring you. Expect roughly $45/month for a basic $2M policy as a solo operator (quotes vary — get three).
• Commercial vehicle insurance for the work truck/van.
• Tools and equipment coverage — your livelihood rides in the back of the van.
• Workers' compensation (WSIB in Ontario, WCB elsewhere) the moment you hire anyone, including apprentices.

Step 4: Price like a business, not a side hustle

New plumbing companies most often fail on pricing, not plumbing. Your hourly rate needs to cover: your wage, vehicle, insurance, tools, accounting, slow weeks, and tax — then profit on top. Track every job's true cost for the first six months and adjust. Underpricing to "get your name out" just trains customers to expect unsustainable rates.

The numbers worth knowing

• Apprentice wages start around $22–$26/hour and scale with each year
• Licensed journeypersons earn roughly $90,000–$140,000/year before overtime in BC, Ontario, and Alberta
• Established solo plumbing businesses commonly clear $100,000+; larger operations with employees go well beyond that

Sources: Job Bank (Government of Canada), SkilledTradesBC, Skilled Trades Ontario, Alberta Tradesecrets.

Figures are approximate and move with the market — verify current wages and fees with the sources linked above.