A Canadian Notice of Completion is a formal legal document issued by a property owner or client to formally confirm that a construction contractor has achieved substantial completion or final completion of construction work performed under a construction contract in Canada. This notice serves as the official record of the completion date and triggers several important legal and contractual consequences under Canadian construction law.

Under provincial construction lien legislation, the notice of completion is closely tied to the concept of substantial performance. In Ontario, the Construction Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. C.30, as amended by Bill 142 in 2018) defines substantial performance as when the improvement is ready for use or is being used for its intended purpose, and when the cost of completing the remaining work is not more than 3% of the first $500,000 of the contract price, 2% of the next $500,000, and 1% of the balance. The formal publication of a certificate of substantial performance in a designated construction trade newspaper triggers the lien period for general contractors.

The notice of completion triggers the statutory lien period, during which unpaid subcontractors and suppliers may preserve their lien rights by registering a claim against the property title. In Ontario, this lien period is 60 days. In British Columbia under the Builders Lien Act (S.B.C. 1997, c. 45), the period is 55 days. In Alberta under the Builders' Lien Act (R.S.A. 2000, c. B-7), the period is 45 days. Once the lien period expires without any liens being preserved, the statutory holdback (typically 10% of each progress payment) becomes eligible for release.

The notice also marks the commencement of the contractual warranty period, during which the contractor remains responsible for repairing defects in workmanship and materials at no additional cost. It provides a mechanism for documenting any remaining punch list or deficiency items that the contractor must complete or correct, and establishes deadlines for their resolution.

A Canadian Notice of Completion is needed whenever a construction project reaches the point of substantial or final completion and the property owner must formally acknowledge this milestone. This notice is essential for residential renovation projects, commercial construction, industrial facility construction, institutional building projects, and infrastructure development across all Canadian provinces and territories.

The notice is required to formally trigger the statutory lien period under provincial construction lien legislation, which is a prerequisite for the eventual release of the statutory holdback. Without a formal notice of completion, the lien period may not begin running, leaving the holdback indefinitely frozen and preventing the contractor from receiving the retained funds. In Ontario, a certificate of substantial performance must be published in the Daily Commercial News or other designated trade newspaper to trigger the lien period for the general contractor.

Property owners need this notice to formally transition the project from the construction phase to the warranty and maintenance phase. The notice establishes the date from which the warranty period runs, ensuring that both parties have a clear record of when the contractor's warranty obligations begin and end. Without this formal record, disputes about the expiry of the warranty period may arise years after the work was completed.

Contractors need the notice to trigger the holdback release process and to establish the date of substantial completion for accounting, bonding, and insurance purposes. The notice also provides documentation that may be required by surety companies for performance bond release, by lenders for construction loan disbursement, and by insurance companies for transitioning from builder's risk insurance to permanent property insurance.

Municipal authorities may require evidence of completion as part of the occupancy permit process. The notice of completion, combined with final building inspections and code compliance certifications, supports the owner's application for an occupancy permit from the local building department.

A comprehensive Canadian Notice of Completion must identify the property owner or client and the contractor with full legal names, entity types, and mailing addresses including province and postal code. Include the project site address, a description of the construction work performed, the original contract title and effective date, and the date of substantial completion.

The notice must clearly specify the completion type, distinguishing between substantial completion (where the work is ready for its intended purpose but minor items may remain) and final completion (where all work has been fully completed, including punch list items). This distinction is critical because it determines the starting point for the statutory lien period and the warranty period under provincial construction lien legislation.

If punch list or deficiency items remain, the notice must document these items in detail and establish a deadline for their completion. The contractor is typically required to complete all punch list items at no additional cost to the owner, and failure to do so may result in the owner deducting the cost of remediation from amounts due.

Statutory holdback release provisions must address the total holdback amount retained, the applicable lien period (60 days in Ontario under the Construction Act, 55 days in BC under the Builders Lien Act, 45 days in Alberta under the Builders' Lien Act), and the earliest date the holdback becomes eligible for release. Emphasize that the holdback cannot be released until the lien period expires and no construction liens have been preserved or perfected against the property.

Include a construction lien notice section informing subcontractors and suppliers of their lien rights and the applicable timeframes for preserving those rights. Include warranty commencement provisions specifying the warranty period duration, start date, and expiration date. Include contact information for follow-up inquiries and a governing law clause referencing the applicable Canadian province and federal laws. The notice should be signed by the property owner with the date of issuance.