Overview: Roofing Contractors
Winter decides when a Canadian roof gives up. Snow melts over a warm attic, freezes again at the cold eave, and backs up under the shingles until a stain shows on the ceiling. Roofing companies chase that leak, fix what the wind lifted, and strip and rebuild whole roofs. Repair makes sense while the shingles have life left. Once every slope curls, patching just delays the bill.
Ontario doesn't license roofers, so the province tells homeowners to check references and complaint records instead. What it does require is working at heights training for workers on construction projects who use fall protection. In Quebec, a roofer needs a licence from the Régie du bâtiment. Alberta requires a prepaid contracting licence when a roofer signs you up at home and takes a deposit.
Ontario's roofing guide also lists what a contract should hold: an itemized price, start and finish dates, who cleans up, how the garden is protected, who pays for damage to your property or a neighbour's, and the warranties. It suggests a small down payment and warns against cash deals with no receipt.
Our listings show what each company states on its own website. Open your province, then your city, to find roofers who work there.
Frequently asked questions
Does home insurance pay for ice dam damage?
Often for the sudden part. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says standard policies commonly cover sudden and accidental water damage from ice dams, but damage that keeps happening counts as maintenance. A basic policy might not cover ice dams at all, and many insurers sell water cover as an add-on. A roof that failed from age or neglect isn't covered. Read your wording before winter.
What is the difference between a tear-off and an overlay?
A tear-off strips the roof to the deck, so soft boards get replaced and the eave membrane goes straight onto clean wood. An overlay nails new shingles over the old ones. It's cheaper today, but it hides the deck, adds weight under a winter of snow, and gives that membrane nothing sound to stick to. Ask which one the price assumes.
How does an insurance claim after a storm work?
Call your insurer early and take photos before any tarp goes up. An adjuster looks at the roof, and the policy pays for sudden storm damage, not old age. Keep the receipts for any emergency repairs. Walk away from any roofer who offers to cover your deductible or asks you to sign the claim over to them.
Which warranty actually protects me?
Two are in play. The shingle maker covers product defects, usually on a sliding scale. The installer covers the work, and nearly every leak on a young roof comes down to workmanship. Ask how long that promise runs and whether a buyer inherits it if you sell. Ontario's roofing guide tells owners to write the warranties into the contract itself.
Someone knocked and said my roof is damaged. Now what?
Slow down and ask for photos of the damage they say they saw, which is what Ontario's roofing guide suggests. A contract signed at your door in Ontario comes with ten days to cancel, though you pay for any work already done. Get a second quote from an established local firm. Never let a stranger up the ladder alone.
