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Construction in Ontario

HR software for construction companies in Ontario

Construction teams of 10–150 in Ontario need HR software that understands provincial rules — minimum wage of $17.60/hr, the 10 statutory holidays observed here, and the compliance particulars below. WalnutsHR handles all of it in one workspace, priced in CAD.

Last reviewed: April 2026

ON min wage

$17.60 /hr

Stat holidays 2026

10

WalnutsHR

$10 CAD/emp/mo

What construction companies in Ontario deal with every week

  • Remote job-site time tracking: crews scattered across three sites can't punch a time clock; mobile capture matters.
  • Trade certifications and red seal tracking: journeyman, apprentice levels, ticket expiries — all affect both billing rates and site access.
  • Subcontractor vs employee classification: the single most-audited area in construction payroll, and misclassification triggers back CPP/EI plus penalties.

Ontario specifics for construction companies

  • The Employment Standards Act (ESA) applies to most employees in Ontario.
  • Ontario's general minimum wage is $17.60/hr until September 30, 2026; it increases to $17.95/hr on October 1, 2026.
  • Working for Workers Four Act introduced job-posting pay-transparency rules.
  • Federal employees (banks, telecom, airlines) are covered by the Canada Labour Code instead.

Governing body: Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

How WalnutsHR handles it

  • Mobile time tracking that works from a phone in the field, with job-site and project tagging for cost allocation.
  • Certification records for every tradesperson with expiry reminders, so a lapsed red seal doesn't delay a safety audit or billing cycle.
  • Subcontractor records kept cleanly separate from employees, with their own documents and payment flows, so your CRA audit trail is defensible.

Try the payroll calculator

Pre-filled for a median construction salary in Ontario. Adjust any of the inputs.

Your details

Estimate

2026 tax year · paid biweekly

Net pay per period

$2,081

Annual take-home: $54,106 of $70,000

DeductionPer periodAnnual
Gross pay$2,692$70,000
CPP / QPP$152$3,957
EI / QPIP$43$1,123
Federal tax$290$7,532
Provincial tax$126$3,283
  • • Estimated using 2026 tax brackets.
  • • Assumes only the basic personal amount; other TD1 credits (spousal, dependants, disability, tuition) would further reduce tax.
  • • Does not include RRSP contributions, taxable benefits, or pension adjustments.
  • • For official deductions, use CRA's Payroll Deductions Online Calculator (PDOC).

FAQ for construction companies in Ontario

How does time tracking work on a job site with no office?+
Employees clock in and out from their phone, with optional geo-tagging to the job site. Timesheets are reviewed and approved by the foreman before flowing to payroll.
Can we track tickets and red seal certifications?+
Yes — each trade cert lives on the employee's profile with ticket number, issuing body, and expiry. Reminders fire before expiry. A missing or expired ticket flag shows up on the safety audit report.
How do we handle subcontractors vs employees?+
They're separate record types. Subcontractors have their own paperwork (contract, GST/HST registration if applicable, insurance certificates) and get paid via invoice, not payroll. That separation is what matters most for a CRA audit.
What about project-based cost allocation?+
Each timesheet entry can be tagged with a job number, so payroll cost rolls up per project. Useful for cost plus contracts and for comparing estimated vs actual labour across jobs.

Related reading

Start a free trial for your construction team in Ontario

Canadian-region primary storage; cross-border processing is disclosed,ON-aware employment standards, bilingual EN/FR, and a 30-day free trial.

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