Building permits are public records — in Toronto through the City of Toronto's open data portal, and in New York City through the Department of Buildings (DOB) open data. The address, work description, permit type, and status are all explicitly made available to the public. There's no grey area here. Using it to identify potential clients is no different from reading a job board.
That said, how you make contact matters. Not because of the data source, but because you're showing up at someone's home or mailing to their address, and the way you present yourself determines whether you get the job.
For residential permits, door knocking outperforms everything else. Not cold door knocking — targeted door knocking, where you already know there's a project in progress.
Keep it short and respectful. Something like: "I'm a licensed plumber and I work a lot in this area — I wanted to leave my card in case you're still sourcing trades." That's it. You're not pitching. You're not quoting on the spot. You're just making yourself visible at exactly the right moment.
Don't mention you've been monitoring permit filings. It's not dishonest to leave it out — and for most homeowners, the idea that a contractor found them through a permit database feels unexpected in a way that doesn't help you. Let the timing speak for itself.
If you're covering multiple neighbourhoods or boroughs and want to reach permit addresses at scale, a simple postcard works. Not a flyer — a postcard. Your name, trade, licence number, and a single line about the area you serve.
"I've done drain work on a dozen homes in East York — if you're planning any plumbing, I'd be glad to quote."
You don't need to reference the permit in the copy. You're a local tradesperson who works in the area. That framing is accurate and it's all you need. One well-written postcard beats a glossy flyer every time.
In Canada (CASL). Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation is stricter than most contractors realize. It requires explicit or implicit consent before you send a commercial electronic message to an individual. A permit filing does not constitute consent. If you don't have an existing business relationship with the homeowner and they haven't given you their contact information directly, you cannot email them a solicitation. Phone calls fall under separate CRTC telemarketing rules.
In the United States (CAN-SPAM & TCPA). The CAN-SPAM Act governs commercial email — it requires a clear opt-out, a valid physical address, and honest subject lines, but unlike CASL it does not require prior consent for a first message. Calls and texts are a different story: the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) restricts autodialed or pre-recorded calls and texts to mobile numbers without consent, with significant per-violation penalties. A permit being public does not override the TCPA.
The constant across both countries: door knocking and direct mail are the lowest-risk, highest-converting channels, and they aren't covered by anti-spam email law. When in doubt about email or phone outreach, lead with those — and consult a lawyer about your specific outreach program.
Commercial permit leads work differently. The permit applicant is often a property manager, a developer, or the owner of record — not a homeowner you can knock on a door for. NYC permits actually publish the owner name directly, which is a head start; Toronto permits don't, so you confirm ownership separately.
Public property records help you confirm who to contact: in Ontario, MPAC's About My Property tool; in New York City, the ACRIS property records system and the DOB's own building profile pages. None give you a phone number, but they confirm ownership. For commercial property managers, LinkedIn is genuinely useful — search the company name or building address and you'll often find the facilities manager or property contact directly.
Reach out within the first week of the permit being filed or issued. After two weeks, the homeowner has almost certainly already spoken to contractors, possibly locked someone in. After a month, you're following up on a job that may already be underway.
The leads that convert are the ones you act on fast. Everything else — your pitch, your card, your postcard design — is secondary to showing up in the right window.
Nova Essentials surfaces new permit filings daily across Toronto and New York City, filtered by trade and area, so you can identify and act on relevant leads before the window closes.
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