Licensed & Insured in Ontario
Being "licensed and insured" sounds like a checkbox, but it covers a few different things that actually matter once someone is digging on your property, building a retaining wall, or running machinery near your foundation. In Ontario, landscaping itself doesn't require a single blanket provincial license the way electrical or plumbing work does, but reputable companies carry business registration, WSIB coverage for their crews, and commercial general liability insurance. Some also hold specific certifications for pesticide application, arborist work, or interlocking installation, which do require provincial licensing or accreditation. This category gathers 63 landscapers across Ontario who carry that kind of documented coverage.
What to check before you sign a contract
- WSIB clearance certificate: ask for one directly from the company, not just a verbal assurance. This protects you if a worker is injured on your property.
- Liability insurance amount: $2 million is common for residential work; larger commercial jobs often call for more.
- Proof it's current: insurance lapses. A quick call to the broker listed on the certificate confirms it's active, not just a certificate from two years ago.
- Scope match: a company insured for lawn care and planting isn't necessarily covered for retaining walls, drainage work, or tree removal. Confirm the coverage fits the actual job.
Our scoring weighs verified licensing and insurance alongside review consistency, responsiveness, and how well a company's project history matches what it advertises. For the full ranked list, see the best landscapers guide. If you want the details on how we score and verify these factors, our methodology page breaks it down.
Find licensed & insured for your project
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All licensed & insured, ranked by score and relevance
82 businesses. The order weighs each business's overall score by how much of its reviewed work is licensed & insured, so a lower-scored specialist can rank above a higher-scored generalist. Filter and sort below, or open the full map view.
Enquiries submitted through our forms may be shared with partner providers who can do the work, and we may receive a referral fee. Our rankings and scores are based on our published scoring method only and are not affected by referral fees.
Common questions about licensed & insured
- How much does it cost to hire a licensed and insured landscaper in Ontario?
- Basic lawn maintenance often runs $40 to $80 per visit depending on lot size, while larger projects like patios, retaining walls, or full yard redesigns can range from a few thousand dollars into the tens of thousands. Insured companies sometimes quote slightly higher than uninsured operators because coverage and WSIB premiums are built into overhead, but that cost buys real protection if something goes wrong.
- How often do I need to renew or check a landscaper's insurance?
- You don't renew it, they do, but you should ask for a current certificate at the start of every season or before any new project, since policies typically renew annually and coverage can lapse without notice.
- What should I expect during a first project with an insured landscaping company?
- Expect a site visit or quote request, a written estimate outlining materials and labor, and a contract that references their insurance and any warranty on hardscaping work. Reputable companies won't hesitate to provide a WSIB clearance certificate when asked.
- How can I judge the quality of a landscaping company beyond their insurance status?
- Look at consistency across reviews over time rather than a handful of five-star ratings, ask to see photos of completed projects similar to yours, and check whether they specialize in the type of work you need (hardscaping, planting design, drainage) rather than offering everything at once.
Guides to choosing licensed & insured
- Do you need a licensed and insured landscaper in Ontario
What licensing and insurance actually mean for a landscaping company in Ontario, why it matters, and how to verify it before you hire.