How to Start an HVAC Business in Ontario, Canada (2026)

Ontario has the most-searched HVAC market in Canada, and also a licensing system that confuses people coming from the US contractor-license model. There's no single "Ontario HVAC license." Instead, the work is gated by two separate regimes — Skilled Trades Ontario for refrigeration and AC, and TSSA for anything that burns gas — plus the usual business registration, WSIB, and HST. Get the structure right and a non-technician can absolutely own and run the company. Here's how it actually works in 2026.

Two licensing regimes, not one

The first thing to understand: who needs to be certified depends on what kind of work you do.

• Refrigeration and air conditioning → governed by Skilled Trades Ontario (the 313A and 313D trades)
• Gas-fired equipment (furnaces, boilers, gas AC) → governed by TSSA (gas technician licences)

Most full-service HVAC companies touch both, which means you need certified people under both regimes. Let's take them in turn.

Refrigeration and AC: the 313A trade is compulsory

Ontario has two relevant trades:

• 313A – Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic
• 313D – Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic

313A is a compulsory trade. Per Skilled Trades Ontario, to legally perform 313A-scope work a person must hold a Certificate of Qualification (C of Q), a Provisional C of Q, or a Registered Training Agreement (apprenticeship), and their information must appear on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register. The C of Q must be renewed to stay valid, and the trade is part of the Red Seal program under the title Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic.

313D (residential AC) is treated as non-compulsory — a C of Q is available but not strictly required to perform 313D-scope work. In practice, insurers, builders, and inspectors still expect recognized credentials, so carrying certified staff is the smart play regardless. (Designations can change — verify the current compulsory/voluntary status on Skilled Trades Ontario before you open.)

The takeaway for an owner: any employee doing 313A-scope refrigeration/AC work must be a certified mechanic, a provisional holder, or an apprentice under supervision — and listed on the public register.

Gas work: TSSA gas technician licences (G3, G2, G1)

Anyone installing, servicing, or altering natural gas or propane equipment in Ontario needs a TSSA Gas Technician licence:

• G3 — entry level, works under supervision; training is ~180 hours (roughly $1,400–$1,800 tuition)
• G2 — the standard working level for residential and light-commercial gas equipment up to 400,000 BTU/h; works independently within that scope
• G1 — the top level, all gas-fired equipment including over 400,000 BTU/h; requires a valid G2, 4,000 hours of G2 field experience (including 500 hours on large systems under G1 supervision), and the G1 "GAP" course

Across all levels you generally need to complete an accredited program with at least 75% in every component, pass the TSSA exam at 75%+, and finish licensing within a year of completing the program.

Critically for the business: if you do any gas work, your company must register with TSSA as a fuels contractor and designate a licensed gas technician as the technical contact who assumes responsibility for the work. G2 is the standard for a residential shop; G1 if you take on larger commercial jobs.

ODP cards for refrigerant

Separate from trade certification, every tech who handles refrigerant (CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs) needs an Ozone Depletion Prevention (ODP/ODS) card — Canada's equivalent of the US EPA 608. It's typically a one-day course and exam through an approved provider, usually $200–$300 per person. Without it, a tech can't legally buy or handle refrigerant.

Registering the business

Your HVAC company needs to exist as a legal entity:

• Sole proprietorship / business name — registering an operating name through ServiceOntario is roughly $60–$80 for a 5-year term
• Ontario corporation — Articles of Incorporation filing is in the low hundreds, and with a NUANS name search and professional help, first-year setup commonly runs CAD $600–$1,500. Incorporation is usually worth it for the liability separation and for hiring.

You'll also need a CRA Business Number and the relevant program accounts. For HST, register once your taxable revenue exceeds $30,000 over four consecutive quarters (or in a single quarter) — though most HVAC startups register voluntarily on day one to claim input tax credits on the van, tools, and materials.

WSIB is mandatory

HVAC contracting is a Schedule 1 construction activity, so WSIB coverage is mandatory once you have workers, and you must register within 10 days of hiring your first employee. Some independent operators in construction must register even without employees, so confirm your specific classification with WSIB.

A few practical points:

• WSIB covers employees but not owners by default — owners can apply and pay for optional coverage for themselves.
• Premiums are (gross insurable earnings × rate) ÷ 100; 2025–2026 construction-class rates commonly land in the 2–7% of payroll range. Confirm your NAICS rate before budgeting.
• Reporting is monthly, quarterly, or annual depending on your insurable earnings.
• Commercial clients and property managers will demand a WSIB clearance certificate before awarding work, so this is also a sales requirement, not just a legal one.

Insurance norms

Beyond WSIB and commercial auto (legally required for business vehicles), Ontario HVAC companies typically carry commercial general liability of $2–$5 million per occurrence, plus tools/equipment (inland marine) coverage. Budget roughly CAD $650–$3,250/year for liability alone, with total first-year insurance (liability, auto, tools) commonly CAD $4,500–$12,000.

What a non-technician owner must do

Ontario cleanly separates owning a business from practicing a compulsory trade. There's no requirement that the owner hold a trade ticket. But:

• For 313A-scope work, you must employ at least one certified Refrigeration and AC Systems Mechanic (or apprentices under their supervision), listed on the public register.
• For gas work, you must employ a TSSA-licensed gas technician (G2 or G1) and register the company with TSSA as a fuels contractor.

Put the supervision structure in writing, give your licensed techs real authority over technical standards and permit sign-off (not just "on paper" status, which regulators scrutinize), and keep current copies of every C of Q, ODP card, gas licence, and your TSSA registration in a compliance file. This is the same "qualifying party" logic that applies across Canada and the US — covered in full in starting an HVAC business without being a technician.

What it costs to launch in Ontario

Between TSSA registration, gas certification, the 313A trade, and WSIB, Ontario sits at the higher end of Canadian startup budgets — typically CAD $25,000–$100,000+ for a lean solo or two-person launch including the van, tools, certifications, and insurance. Our full HVAC startup cost breakdown has the complete line-by-line in both CAD and USD.

Run the operation from one system

Ontario's compliance paperwork — WSIB clearances, TSSA registration, trade credentials, HST remittances — adds up fast, and that's before you've scheduled a single job. The owners who stay sane run scheduling, customer records, and invoicing from one place.

Fieldtics gives you that from the start. The free tier includes unlimited clients, job scheduling, a customer CRM, and a mobile app for your techs — no credit card required. When you're ready for invoicing, online payments, quotes, team scheduling, and expense tracking, the Professional plan is $29/month. If scheduling jobs and crews across the GTA is your first priority, start with HVAC scheduling software.

The bottom line

There's no single Ontario HVAC licence — there's the compulsory 313A trade for refrigeration/AC, TSSA gas tickets plus fuels-contractor registration for gas work, ODP cards for refrigerant, and mandatory WSIB once you hire. As an owner you don't need a trade ticket yourself; you need certified people and the right registrations. Get those in place, then build the operational backbone. For the complete cross-country picture, see our 2026 guide to starting an HVAC business.