Do I need insurance to plow snow in Canada?

1. The law

Broker guides from getcertain and ThinkInsure say the same thing. Liability insurance for snow removal isn’t required by one national law the way auto insurance is. It’s required in practice by the people who hire you. KASE says the same for Ontario: no provincial statute requires general liability for snow contractors.

2. Your truck

This part isn’t optional. If you plow for money, the truck needs auto coverage for commercial use. Zensurance says a personal auto policy won’t cover a truck used for commercial plowing. Adding a plow blade is a modification your insurer needs to know about. In Ontario, KASE says commercial auto is legally required to drive a plow truck on the road.

Call your insurer or a broker before the first paid driveway, not after the first fender-bender.

3. City licences (Vaughan)

Some cities license snowplow contractors. The City of Vaughan is the clearest example we’ve found:

• The licence is $502 to start and $221 to renew. There’s a 20% discount for members of a City-approved association.
• You need at least $2 million in commercial general liability.
• You need a written contract before you take payment, and a written list of the by-laws and permits for the customer.
• A placard with your business name and licence number goes on the dashboard.

That applies to driveway routes too. Other cities have their own rules. Check every city you advertise and plow in.

4. Your clients

Property managers are where insurance really becomes mandatory. The Housing Services Corporation publishes sample snow contract wording, built with underwriter input (HSC). It asks for:

• $2,000,000 per occurrence in general liability.
• The property provider named as additional insured.
• Cross-liability and severability of interest.
• At least 30 days’ notice before the policy is cancelled or changed.
• You indemnify, save harmless and defend the provider.
• A certificate signed by an authorized agent, plus a certified copy of the policy.

Zensurance says commercial contracts commonly ask for $2M and some tenders want $5M. No certificate, no contract. See the commercial guide.

5. “I’ll skip it for driveways”

Some operators drop coverage when the premium eats the margin. You see it on r/legaladvicecanada and r/Snowplow. Commenters in those threads (not lawyers) make two points worth knowing:

• A hold-harmless clause with your customer doesn’t stop someone who never signed it, like a delivery driver or a visitor, from suing you after a fall.
• The homeowner’s insurer can pay the claim and then come after you to get its money back.

Zensurance puts it bluntly: “A single fractured wrist on a driveway you cleared can turn into a claim worth more than a decade of premiums.” We’re not lawyers. If you’re thinking about working without coverage, talk to a lawyer and a broker first. We won’t tell you to skip it.

6. Staff and workers’ comp

If you have employees, provincial workers’ compensation (WSIB in Ontario, WCB elsewhere) is separate from your liability policy. The rules depend on the province. Check with your provincial board.

Four questions

1. Does any city I plow in require a licence and minimum liability?
2. Does any client want a certificate before I start?
3. Do I drive a truck for paid work?
4. Do I have employees?

Yes to any of the first three means insurance isn’t really optional for you.

We may earn a flat fee if you request a quote. We’re not a broker. Disclosure