How did Ontario Bill 118 affect snow plow contractors?

Bill 118 amended the Occupiers' Liability Act, requiring slip-and-fall claimants to provide written notice of an injury to the occupier or contractor within 60 days of the incident, significantly reducing groundless historical claims.

What is Ontario One Call and is it mandatory?

Yes. Before any digging, post-hole drilling, or excavation in Ontario, you must contact Ontario One Call (1-800-400-2255) to obtain utility locates. Hitting a line without active locates can lead to total insurance claim denials.

Does my personal Ontario truck insurance cover snowplow plowing?

No. Personal auto policies in Ontario strictly exclude commercial snowplowing or salt spreading. Operating a commercial plow requires a commercial auto policy with the attachment fully declared.

Ontario trade insurance

Insurance for Landscaping & Snow Removal in Ontario

Secure year-round protection for Ontario landscaping and snow plowing. Protect your business against severe winter slip-and-fall slip lawsuits.

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Landscaping & Snow Removal in Ontario illustration

Commercial Liability & Risk Guide for Landscaping & Snow Removal in Ontario

In Ontario, landscaping and snow removal businesses navigate a high-risk operational climate. While summer lawn care and hardscaping in the GTA carry standard property risks, winter snow plowing is an exceptionally high-liability class. Ontario courts handle thousands of parking lot slip-and-fall personal injury lawsuits annually. Recent changes to Ontario's Occupiers' Liability Act require faster notifications, but having precise GPS plowing records and high-limit commercial slip-and-fall insurance from RIBO-licensed brokers remains your ultimate shield.

Risks specific to Ontario

Working in Ontario brings its own climate, market, and regulatory risks:

Severe winter freeze-thaw cycles in Ontario creating persistent black ice slip hazards.
High frequency of Ontario slip-and-fall personal injury litigation.
Underground utility damage during summer trenching and grading (requiring Ontario One Call locates).
Theft of expensive landscape trailers and skid-steers in Ontario municipal areas.

Rules and requirements to know

Insurers and clients in Ontario will expect you to meet these:

Ontario Occupiers' Liability Act (including Bill 118 60-day written slip-and-fall notice rules).
Ontario One Call (underground utility locate rules).
WSIB mandatory coverage requirements for landscaping crews.

Example claim

How a claim could happen

“A visitor slips on an icy patch in a London, Ontario retail parking lot that your company plowed and salted. A lawsuit is filed seeking $280,000 in damages for long-term joint injuries, naming both the property manager and your snow removal firm.”

How coverage respondsThe commercial insurance team utilizes your digital GPS log files to negotiate a shared settlement, fully covering the legal costs and payout liability under CGL.

Official resources

Landscaping & Snow Removal Contractors in other provinces

Common questions: Landscaping & Snow Removal in Ontario

How did Ontario Bill 118 affect snow plow contractors?: Bill 118 amended the Occupiers' Liability Act, requiring slip-and-fall claimants to provide written notice of an injury to the occupier or contractor within 60 days of the incident, significantly reducing groundless historical claims.
What is Ontario One Call and is it mandatory?: Yes. Before any digging, post-hole drilling, or excavation in Ontario, you must contact Ontario One Call (1-800-400-2255) to obtain utility locates. Hitting a line without active locates can lead to total insurance claim denials.
Does my personal Ontario truck insurance cover snowplow plowing?: No. Personal auto policies in Ontario strictly exclude commercial snowplowing or salt spreading. Operating a commercial plow requires a commercial auto policy with the attachment fully declared.