Asbestos and hazmat abatement covers the removal of hazardous materials that have to come out of a building before demolition or renovation can legally proceed: asbestos insulation, tile, and drywall compound; mould; lead paint; contaminated soil; and sometimes old fuel tanks or PCB-laden ballasts. In Toronto this work is tightly regulated. Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act (O. Reg. 278/05) sets out three types of asbestos operation based on risk, and any building built before the early 1990s is likely to need a pre-demolition hazmat survey before a demolition permit will even be issued. This category lists 12 firms in the Toronto area that handle this work, ranging from small crews doing Type 1 removals in houses to larger operations equipped for full commercial and industrial abatement.
What to look for before you hire
- Licensing and worker training: crews doing Type 2 and Type 3 asbestos work need documented training under O. Reg. 278/05, and the company should carry the insurance and WSIB coverage to match.
- A written hazmat survey: a contractor should test before they quote, not guess. Ask whether they do their own sampling or work from a third-party survey, and get the report in writing.
- Containment and disposal plan: proper abatement means negative-air containment, sealed disposal bags or bins, and manifested transport to an approved landfill or facility. Ask where the waste is going.
- Clearance documentation: once the work is done, you want air clearance testing (for asbestos) and a closeout report before demolition crews or trades move back in.
- Scope fit: a two-person crew that's great at a residential vermiculite job may not be the right pick for a commercial floor tile removal spanning multiple units. Match the contractor's typical project size to yours.
How our scoring works
We rank the 12 contractors in this category on factors like review volume and rating, responsiveness, how long they've operated in the Toronto market, and the breadth of hazmat services they actually offer (asbestos vs. mould vs. lead vs. full multi-hazard capability). See the full methodology for how each score is built, and check the ranked guide to Toronto demolition contractors if your project also needs teardown or structural work after abatement is complete.
