Landscaping & Snow Removal in Ontario Insurance
Secure year-round protection for Ontario landscaping and snow plowing. Protect your business against severe winter slip-and-fall slip lawsuits.
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.
Specific Ontario Risk Factors
Operating in Ontario exposes Landscaping & Snow Removal Contractors to unique climate and localized liabilities:
- 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.
Provincial Safety & Legal Compliance
To operate safely and avoid extreme liability claims in Ontario, you must comply with these governing standards:
- 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.
Ontario Claims Audit
“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.”
Official Resources
To learn more about standard business insurance policies and consumer definitions in Canada, you can read the official Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) Guide to Business Coverage.
Landscaping & Snow Removal in Ontario Insurance FAQs
- 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.