What should I look for in a CCDC construction contract in Ontario before I sign it?
Most CCDC risk sits in the supplementary conditions, not the standard form — review changes to payment, delay, indemnity, insurance, dispute resolution and Construction Act compliance before signing.
CCDC standard forms are drafted to allocate risk in a balanced way, but almost every Ontario project amends them through supplementary conditions. That is where the exposure is created, so the standard form and the supplementary conditions must be read together, clause by clause.
The provisions worth the most attention are payment and certification timelines and whether they align with the Construction Act's prompt payment regime; changes, change directives and how disputed extras are priced; delay, extension of time and whether delay damages are recoverable or waived; indemnity and limitation of liability; insurance and bonding obligations and who names whom as additional insured; and the dispute resolution ladder, including whether adjudication rights have been preserved.
Also confirm the holdback mechanics, the definition of substantial performance and the notice requirements for claims. Missed contractual notice is a common reason a valid claim fails.
Source: Construction Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.30 · CCDC standard forms
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