Homeowner Guide· Updated November 2026· Reviewed by ProScore Editorial Team

How to Check a Contractor's Reviews and Complaints in Ontario

How to read a contractor's reviews, spot fake ones, and check complaint records in Ontario: the Consumer Beware List, BBB history and licensing registers.

To check a contractor's reviews and complaints in Ontario, read their reviews on more than one platform, starting with the 2, 3 and 4-star ones. Look for the warning signs of fake reviews. Then search the business on Ontario's Consumer Beware List, check its BBB complaint history, and look up its licence on the official register for its trade. Each check takes a few minutes and is free.

This guide covers how to read reviews, how to spot fake ones, where official complaint records live, and what to do if you need to complain yourself.

How Do I Read a Contractor's Reviews?

Read past the star average. Four things matter more:

•Volume. A 4.6 average from 120 reviews says more than a 5.0 from 6.

•Recency. What customers said this year matters more than what they said three years ago, especially if the business has changed owners or crews.

•Detail. Useful reviews name the job, the timeline and what went wrong or right. A review that says only "great work" tells you little.

•Replies. How a business answers a bad review shows how it will treat you if something goes wrong. A calm, specific reply that offers to fix the problem is a good sign. An angry or blaming reply is a warning.

Then compare platforms. A contractor rated well on Google Reviews and on other independent platforms is a stronger signal than one with a high score in a single place. For why the average alone can mislead, see why star ratings aren't enough.

How Can I Tell if Reviews Are Fake?

The Competition Bureau of Canada, which enforces the law against misleading advertising, publishes the warning signs of fake reviews:

•A sudden spike in very positive reviews, or a sudden dip in very bad ones

•Reviews bunched together in a short period instead of spread over time

•Reviewers with new profiles that have posted little else

•Different reviewers using the same language to describe the business

•Only 5-star reviews. Even good businesses get the occasional unhappy customer.

The Bureau's advice is to read the 2, 3 and 4-star reviews too, and to compare several independent sources. It has also warned that employees who review their own company must disclose that connection, and that the business can be liable if they do not. If you think you have found fake reviews, you can report them to the Competition Bureau.

Where Can I Check Complaints Against a Contractor in Ontario?

Three places hold records you can check yourself.

1. Ontario's Consumer Beware List. The province's Consumer Beware List names businesses that did not answer the ministry after two notices about a consumer complaint, and businesses charged or convicted under the Consumer Protection Act or other ministry laws. Entries stay on the list for 21 to 27 months. Search both the business name and the owner's name. A business that is not on the list has not been cleared; it means only that none of those things has been recorded against it.

2. BBB complaint history. A BBB profile shows complaints filed against the business, the business's response, and whether the customer considered it resolved. BBB says complaints stay on a profile for three years. Read how the business answered, not just how many complaints there are. A large company will have more complaints than a one-person business, and a business that answers each one and fixes problems is a better sign than one that ignores them.

3. The licensing body for the trade. Regulators keep public records for the trades they license:

•New-home builders: the HCRA's [public builder search](https://obd.hcraontario.ca/) shows each builder's licence status, along with charges, convictions and regulatory actions such as conditions on a licence.

•Electricians: check the licence number with the Electrical Safety Authority.

•Gas work: check the business on TSSA's contractor lookup.

Our contractor vetting checklist has the link for each register, along with the WSIB and insurance checks to run before you sign.

What Do Complaints Actually Tell You?

A complaint is one customer's account. It is not a finding that the business did anything wrong. Look for patterns instead of single incidents:

•The same problem, again and again. Repeated complaints about deposits taken and work not started, or jobs left unfinished, matter more than one dispute over a paint colour.

•No response. A business that ignores complaints, including the ministry's own notices, is telling you how it handles problems.

•Recent complaints. A cluster in the last few months matters more than one from years ago.

•Charges or convictions. These are decided by a court or regulator and carry more weight than any review.

How Do I File a Complaint About a Contractor in Ontario?

If you have a problem with a contractor yourself, Ontario's consumer complaint process starts with the business:

1.Tell the business first, by letter, email or phone, and say what went wrong. If you call, write down the date and what was said.

2.Keep your paperwork: the contract, invoices, payment records and every message.

3.File with the ministry if the business does not resolve it. Filing is free, online or by mail, and the ministry says it will contact you within 15 business days.

The ministry may not be able to help with events more than two years old, or if you are seeking damages beyond a refund of money already paid or the cancellation of an agreement. For larger losses, you may need legal advice. You can also leave an honest review: describe what happened and stick to facts you can support.

How Does ProScore Use Reviews and Complaints?

ProScore's Trust Index reads reviews across 10+ data sources and weighs them by how many reviews sit behind each rating. It reads the review text, not just the stars, and flags unusual rating patterns. It also checks public records: licences, WSIB registration, BBB standing and the Consumer Beware List. The result is a single score from 0 to 100, so you can see at a glance which contractors have a record worth relying on.

Your Review and Complaint Checklist

1.Read reviews on more than one platform, starting with the 2, 3 and 4-star ones.

2.Look for the warning signs of fake reviews: spikes, bunching, new profiles, repeated wording.

3.Search the Consumer Beware List for the business and the owner.

4.Read the BBB complaint history, and how the business responded.

5.Check the licence on the official register for the trade.

6.Call references from jobs like yours in the last year.

When you have a shortlist, compare general contractors across Ontario or contractors in your trade, then put them side by side with the compare tool.

FAQ

How do I check complaints against a contractor in Ontario?

Search the business and owner on Ontario's Consumer Beware List, read the business's BBB complaint history and responses, and check its licence on the official register for its trade, such as the HCRA builder search for new-home builders.

What is Ontario's Consumer Beware List?

It is a provincial list of businesses that did not answer the ministry after two notices about a consumer complaint, or that were charged or convicted under the Consumer Protection Act or other ministry laws. Entries stay on the list for 21 to 27 months.

How can you tell if contractor reviews are fake?

The Competition Bureau of Canada lists the warning signs: a sudden spike in very positive reviews, reviews bunched into a short period, reviewers with new profiles, different reviewers using the same language, and only 5-star ratings. Read the 2, 3 and 4-star reviews and compare several sources.

How long do complaints stay on a BBB profile?

BBB says complaints stay on a business profile for three years.

How do I file a complaint about a contractor in Ontario?

Tell the business about the problem first and keep your paperwork. If it is not resolved, file a free complaint with the Ontario ministry online or by mail. The ministry says it will contact you within 15 business days.

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