BC, Alberta and Ontario
How do I search tribunal and court decisions for a business name?
Tribunals and courts publish their decisions, and the exact business name is the search key. What you find is a public record to read in full, not a conclusion about anyone.
The free steps
1. Start with the exact name on the quote
Write down the business name exactly as the quote prints it, including Ltd., Inc. or a number. A trade name, a numbered company and a sole proprietorship can all be registered under other words, so if a search shows nothing, ask the contractor which name and number appear on their registration or licence before you read anything into it.
2. Search public tribunal and court decisions for the business name
Search the Civil Resolution Tribunal's decisions and CanLII for the exact business name. A decision names the parties and what the tribunal found; read it rather than the headline, and remember that a business with many years of work may appear once for reasons that have nothing to do with you.
Official source: CRT decisions (Civil Resolution Tribunal; checked 2026-10-20).
3. Search public tribunal and court decisions for the business name
Search Ontario's Consumer Beware List for the business name, then CanLII for tribunal and court decisions. A listing or a decision is a public record to read in full, not a conclusion.
Official source: Search the Consumer Beware List (Government of Ontario; checked 2026-07-15).
4. Search public tribunal and court decisions for the business name
Search CanLII for Alberta court and tribunal decisions under the exact business name. A decision names the parties and what was found; read it in full before drawing anything from it.
Official source: Canadian court and tribunal decisions (CanLII; checked 2026-10-20).
5. Read the decision, not the headline
A decision names the parties, what each said, and what the tribunal or court found. A business with many years of work may appear once for reasons that have nothing to do with you, and may have been the one who was owed money. Read it through before drawing anything from it.
6. Mind the similar names
A decision under a similar name may be a different business entirely. If the record does not carry the registration number or an address that matches, treat it as a record under a similar name that you could not tie to this business.
Questions people ask
Does Jay search court records?
Yes, for the public tribunal, court and enforcement records each province publishes, with the source and the time checked, and a similar-name record is reported as exactly that, never as a finding about the business.
Or ask Jay
Jay does these steps for you and writes up what the records show, with the source and date for each finding. The $39 Full Check (no tax added) also reads your quote and insurance papers, and a person reviews every Full Check before it goes out. The $19 Quick Check is opening soon.
Order a Full CheckSee a sample Full Check
Three quotes. One Jay check. Then the deposit.
Information, not a verdict. A record that is not found is not evidence of wrongdoing, and nothing here is legal, insurance or safety advice.
Published 2026-10-20; sources last checked on the dates shown beside each step.