1 in 4 Canadians Know Someone Who's Been Burned by a Renovation. Here's What the Data Says.

A CTV News/Nanos Research poll released in July 2026 found that 26.7 per cent of Canadians have experienced, or know a family member or friend who experienced, a home renovation where payment was taken but work wasn't completed. That's roughly one in four people with a direct connection to this problem.

The number isn't shocking if you've spent any time reading local news. But it does confirm something that scattered anecdotes can't: this isn't a one-off risk. It's a pattern, and the pattern has identifiable causes.

How Many Canadians Have Experienced Renovation Fraud

Nanos Research conducted the poll exclusively for CTV News as part of a broader investigation into home renovation disputes across Canada. Nationally, 71 per cent of respondents said they hadn't experienced issues with unfinished work. Another 12.3 per cent said they knew someone who had. The remaining respondents reported direct personal experience.

A second question in the same poll asked Canadians how well governments are doing at shielding homeowners from unethical or fraudulent contractors. According to Nanos, 39.1 per cent rated government performance as poor or very poor. Only 5.2 per cent rated it as good or very good.

Those two numbers sit side by side for a reason. When more than a third of the country thinks the system isn't working, and more than a quarter has first- or second-hand experience with the consequences, the gap between what exists and what's needed becomes measurable.

Why Renovation Disputes Keep Happening Across Canada

CTV's W5 investigative unit spent months documenting cases across Ontario where homeowners paid for renovation work that was never finished. The stories varied in scale, from basement apartments to full home renovations, but the structural failures were consistent.

When you look at what went wrong across these cases, the same structural gaps show up repeatedly. Not personality failures — process failures. The five most common ones are below.

Five Renovation Mistakes That Lead to Unfinished Work

No written scope before quoting. When a project isn't defined on paper before a contractor starts pricing it, the homeowner has no baseline for comparison. Two quotes for "a basement renovation" could mean two entirely different projects. Without a written scope that specifies dimensions, finishes, materials, and deliverables, comparing bids is meaningless.

No permit verification. CTV's Calgary reporting documented a case where construction began before the city issued a building permit. Provincial regulations across Canada prohibit permit-required construction from starting before official approval. When a homeowner doesn't verify that permits have been pulled, there's no municipal oversight of the work, and no recourse if it doesn't meet code.

Front-loaded payment schedules. According to Service Alberta, a clearly itemized payment schedule should be part of every contractor agreement. Provincial consumer protection agencies across Canada consistently identify front-loaded payment schedules - where 50 per cent or more is paid before work begins - as a documented risk factor in renovation disputes. A reasonable structure ties payments to milestones: a modest deposit, a progress payment at a defined stage, and final payment on completion.

No insurance or WCB verification. WCB Alberta advises homeowners to request a clearance letter before hiring a contractor and before releasing each payment. A clearance letter confirms whether the contractor has Workers' Compensation Board coverage and whether their account is in good standing. Without one, the homeowner may be liable for premiums if a worker is injured on their property.

No business licence check. Most municipalities maintain searchable databases of licensed contractors. The City of Calgary, for example, publishes a public inquiry tool where homeowners can verify whether a contractor holds a valid business licence. Service Alberta advises that prepaid contractors, those who accept payment before completing work and negotiate away from their business location, must be licensed and post security through the province.

How Renovation Fraud Affects Licensed Contractors

Reputable contractors don't benefit from an industry where one in four Canadians has a negative association with renovation work. The CTV/Nanos poll doesn't distinguish between licensed, insured professionals and unlicensed operators working out of a pickup truck. When trust in the category erodes, it raises the bar for every contractor trying to win a job on merit.

A structured procurement process, where homeowners define scope, verify credentials, and tie payments to milestones, actually works in favour of good contractors. It filters out the operators who can't produce a licence, a WCB clearance, or a detailed quote against a written scope. The contractors who survive that filter are the ones homeowners should be hiring.

CMHC's 2025 Mortgage Consumer Survey found that more than 70 per cent of Canadian homeowners plan to renovate within five years. That's a substantial pipeline of work. The question is whether homeowners enter that pipeline with a process in place, or without one.

How to Verify a Contractor Before You Sign

The Alberta government publishes a detailed guide on hiring contractors through Alberta.ca. Service Alberta advises homeowners to get written estimates that include a complete description of the work, material specifications, start and completion dates, itemized costs, guarantee statements, and payment terms. The guide also recommends verifying that tradespeople hold valid pocket certificates issued by the province.

Before signing anything, you can verify a contractor's business licence through your municipality's public database. You can request a WCB clearance letter through WCB Alberta's online portal. You can ask for proof of public liability and property damage insurance. And you can ask for references from recent clients.

None of these steps require special knowledge. They require a process. Write the scope, verify the credentials, structure the payments, and compare bids against the same baseline. That's how you turn a 26.7 per cent risk into a manageable one.

buy better® was built to help homeowners do exactly that. Our SafeSelect Contract Risk Review checks your contractor quote or contract before you sign - flagging missing milestones, vague scope, absent permit clauses, and other common risk indicators. If you want support at every stage, our DIWY (Do It With You) service puts a real advocate alongside you from first quote to final payment.

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This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional construction advice. buy better® does not provide price quotes, cost benchmarks, or contractor recommendations. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your project.

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