How verification works

Foothills Trades labels every listing with its verification status, so you can see at a glance what has and has not been checked. Right now, no listing on this site is verified.

The three statuses

Not yet verified: We have not checked a trade certificate for this listing. It does not mean the contractor is unqualified, only that we have not confirmed it.
Certificate claimed: The contractor told us they hold a certificate, but we have not checked it yet. It is still shown as "Not yet verified".
Verified [date]: We checked a certificate on the date shown. The label always carries that date. A label without a date is not a verification.

What is a trade-certificate check?

In Alberta, people who qualify in a designated trade, such as plumber, gasfitter or electrician, hold a journeyperson certificate for that trade. Electrical contractors also need a separate Master Electrician certificate to take out electrical permits. Alberta has no single HVAC certificate; heating and cooling work falls under several related trades. Each trade page lists the certificates that apply.

A certificate check confirms that a named person holds a certificate in a particular trade. It does not confirm a company's insurance, municipal business licence, permits, pricing, or the quality of its work.

Verification needs the contractor's consent

We only verify a listing when the contractor, or the certified person working for them, agrees and gives us the certificate details: their name as it appears on the certificate and the certificate number. We then check those details against official sources. We do not guess, scrape, or buy certificate numbers, and we do not check anyone without their consent.

Every verified label carries a date

Credentials can lapse and staff change. A verified label shows the date of the most recent check so you can judge how current it is. Our site will not publish a verified label without a date.

Listings are re-checked

Verified listings are re-checked on a regular schedule. If a re-check fails or cannot be done, the listing goes back to "Not yet verified" until it is resolved. Municipal licence status and after-hours flags are separate from certificate verification and are labelled on their own.

Always do your own checks

For any job, ask the contractor about their trade certificate, permits, insurance and warranty. For permit and inspection questions, contact the municipality. See the permits page for each town.