How to find and win public contracts in Ontario
Where Ontario's government, municipalities, school boards and hospitals post tenders, WSIB clearance certificates, the Buy Ontario rules and how to get started.
Short answer
Ontario government ministries post open competitions on Supply Ontario's Ontario Tenders Portal. Municipalities, school boards, hospitals, colleges and universities run their own processes, often on bids&tenders, MERX or their own sites. Construction work needs a WSIB clearance certificate before it starts. Pick a few buyers near you, register where they post, and watch for renewals.
Ontario is the largest public market in Canada. Hundreds of municipalities, dozens of school boards, more than a hundred hospitals, and the colleges and universities all buy trade and service work, on top of the provincial government. Most of them post in different places, so the first job is knowing where to look.
Where does the Ontario government post?
The Government of Ontario says vendors can find its open competitive procurements on Supply Ontario's Ontario Tenders Portal. Supply Ontario also runs vendor of record arrangements, which are pre-approved supplier lists for set categories of work. Register on the portal to download documents and submit bids.
Where do municipalities, schools and hospitals post?
The broader public sector buys on its own. Many Ontario municipalities post on bids&tenders or their own websites. School boards, hospitals, colleges and universities use a mix of commercial e-bidding portals, MERX and their own sites. Some hospitals buy through shared purchasing groups.
So list the buyers within reach of your base, then check each one's "bids" or "procurement" page to see where it posts.
What rules apply?
Ontario public bodies follow the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) for larger purchases. In the February 2026 figures, broader public sector buyers must openly compete goods and services from $139,000 and construction from $347,400. Below those amounts, each buyer's own policy decides, often invited quotes.
Ontario's government has also issued Buy Ontario procurement directives under the Buy Ontario Act, 2025, including one for municipalities. Read each tender for how they apply.
What is a WSIB clearance certificate?
A clearance from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) shows a business is registered and up to date. WSIB says clearances must be in place before any construction work begins and for the duration of the work. They're free and available online.
A principal who holds a valid clearance for a contractor is protected from that contractor's unpaid premiums. Working without one is an offence for both sides.
What do Ontario buyers buy?
The same kinds of work as anywhere else, at larger scale. Municipalities buy parks, roads, snow, facility cleaning and building repairs. School boards buy summer renovations, grounds, snow and custodial support. Hospitals buy cleaning, security, HVAC and building maintenance around the clock. Colleges and universities buy campus services and capital projects.
Ontario's size means there is plenty of smaller work too. A board or a mid-sized town may tender one school's roof or one arena's refrigeration service, and those jobs suit local crews.
Where should a crew start in Ontario?
- Pick a region you can serve well, close to your base.
- List the buyers there: municipalities, school boards, hospitals, colleges.
- Register on the portals they use, including the Ontario Tenders Portal.
- Get your WSIB clearance and insurance certificates ready.
- Ask about supplier lists for work below the posting thresholds.
Where to go next
The skills are the same everywhere: how to read a tender, how to write an RFP proposal and how to price a multi-year contract. Browse Toronto and the GTA to see who's posting now.
What to do next
Sources
Rules and forms change. Check the official page before you rely on a detail here.