Building permits in Toronto are public records. The address, work description, permit type, and status are all published through the City of Toronto's open data portal. There's no grey area here — this data is explicitly made available to the public. 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 wards or 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 neighbourhood 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.
Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation applies here, and it's stricter than most contractors realize. CASL 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.
Door knocking and direct mail are not covered by CASL. Phone calls fall under separate CRTC telemarketing rules. But email to a personal address without consent is a compliance risk — and it's not worth it when door knocking and mail both work better anyway.
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.
MPAC's About My Property tool is publicly accessible and lets you look up assessment and ownership information by address. It won't give you a phone number, but it confirms ownership details that help you figure out who to contact. 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, filtered by trade type, so you can identify and act on relevant leads before the window closes.
Start Free Trial →