For contractors
Win it, build it, get paid
The registry is built from public awards. These are the steps and rules that get a civil firm onto it, and paid once it is there.
Get on the record
Firms appear here when a public owner publishes a civil construction award in their name. Federal work is advertised and awarded on CanadaBuys; provinces, municipalities and utilities use their own portals and services such as MERX, bids&tenders and Biddingo. Open federal civil tenders and every provincial portal →
Bid it right
Public tenders are usually won on price among compliant bids, so compliance is the first test: forms signed, addenda acknowledged, bid security in the required form. Bidding on public tenders → · Bid, performance and payment bonds →
Price it from real numbers
Benchmark unit rates against published tender averages and check quantities before you bid. 2026 unit price index → · Takeoff calculators →
Get paid on time
Several provinces and the federal government now set payment timelines for construction and give contractors a fast dispute route through adjudication. Holdback rules still apply. Prompt payment by province → · Holdbacks →
Build it safely
Trench protection depths, locate notice and spoil setbacks differ by province. Trench safety by province → · Call before you dig →
Fix your record
If an award is missing, attributed to the wrong entity, or your firm is listed under an old name, send a correction. We check every change against the published award notices before we make it.