Licenses and Insurance: Poly-B Plumbing in North Bay
Poly-B Plumbing is a licensed and insured plumbing contractor in North Bay. The owner, Paul Bosse, is a Red Seal journeyman plumber (306A), a compulsory trade in Ontario, and the company is licensed for plumbing, wells, septic and backflow prevention. Poly-B carries up to $5 million in liability insurance and provides copies of its licence and insurance certificate on request to homeowners, property managers and insurers. Poly-B does not do gas or propane work and does not send unlicensed workers into a home or business.
Service hours
- Monday to Thursday7:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Friday7:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Saturday and SundayClosed
Emergency service is available during business hours only. Members of the $49-per-month plan get priority scheduling.
What licensed means for a North Bay plumber
Plumber is one of Ontario’s compulsory trades. Under Skilled Trades Ontario rules, a person cannot work as a plumber unless they hold a Certificate of Qualification or are a registered apprentice under one. The Red Seal endorsement on top of that certificate means the holder passed the interprovincial exam and can work anywhere in Canada. Paul Bosse holds both, has been in the trade since 2003 and is a second-generation plumber. When Poly-B Plumbing quotes a job in North Bay, the person doing the work is licensed to do it, not a helper sent under a licence held by someone else.
Plumbing in North Bay also runs through the City’s building department. Work that alters drainage or supply systems needs a plumbing permit and an inspection, and only a licensed contractor can pull that permit in their own name. That matters at resale: an unpermitted bathroom or an uninspected sewer replacement is the kind of thing a home inspector finds and a buyer’s lawyer asks about.
Credentials at a glance
| Credential | What it covers | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Red Seal journeyman plumber (306A) | Certificate of Qualification with interprovincial Red Seal endorsement | The legal requirement to work as a plumber in Ontario, plus the national standard on top |
| Licensed for plumbing | Repairs, installations and new-construction rough-ins to the Ontario Building Code | Poly-B can pull permits and book inspections in its own name |
| Licensed for wells | Well pumps, pressure tanks and the line from the well to the house | Rural North Bay properties on wells get a licensed tradesperson, not a general handyman |
| Licensed for septic | Septic-side plumbing, sewage pumps and connections to the tank | Off-grid and cottage systems are handled within the licence |
| Licensed for backflow prevention | Backflow device testing and installation | Commercial and multi-unit owners can meet municipal cross-connection requirements |
| Liability insurance up to $5 million | Damage arising from Poly-B’s work on your property | A flood caused by a plumbing mistake is covered by the plumber’s policy, not yours |
Proof on request
Insurers, property managers, condominium boards and general contractors often need a plumber’s paperwork before work begins. Poly-B Plumbing supplies a copy of its trade licence and a current certificate of insurance on request. Ask when booking and the documents arrive with the written quote, so a compliance checklist never holds up a repair. For a commercial job or a light commercial build, the certificate can name the property owner as an additional insured where the policy allows.
Covered for every job type Poly-B takes on
The licence and the policy cover the full scope Poly-B Plumbing offers in North Bay and the surrounding communities:
- Residential plumbing repairs: leaks, drains, water heaters, sump pumps, fixtures and sewer lines
- Plumbing installations: water heaters, fixtures, well pumps, water softeners and backwater valves
- New-construction rough-ins and finish plumbing for custom homes and additions
- Light commercial construction and commercial service for restaurants, clinics, offices and rental buildings
- Well and septic service on rural and cottage properties
- Drain cleaning and backflow testing under the maintenance program
- Renovation and retrofit projects, including re-pipes of older North Bay homes
What the licence does not cover is stated just as plainly. Gas and propane work is regulated by the TSSA and Poly-B refers it to a licensed gas technician, handling the water side of the same appliance. Poly-B also does not run an after-hours emergency service; urgent calls are prioritized Monday to Thursday 7 am to 7 pm and Friday 7 am to 5 pm.
What unlicensed or uninsured work can cost a North Bay homeowner
An uninsured handyman who floods a finished basement leaves the homeowner to claim on their own policy, with the deductible and the premium increase that follow. Some home insurers ask, after a water claim, whether the work was done by a licensed contractor. Unpermitted plumbing can also stall a sale: the buyer’s inspector notes it, the lawyer asks for proof of permits, and the seller pays a licensed plumber to open the wall and do it again. The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest job. Poly-B Plumbing’s process exists so that none of this happens: licensed work, permits where the code requires them, a written flat-rate quote, and documentation afterward.
How to check any Ontario plumber
Ask for the Certificate of Qualification number and check it in the Skilled Trades Ontario public register. Ask for a certificate of insurance dated this year, and phone the broker on it if the job is large. Ask whether the plumber pulls the permit in their own name. Poly-B Plumbing answers all three on the first call, and the same questions asked of any other North Bay contractor will sort the licensed from the rest in five minutes.
Sources: Skilled Trades Ontario, Plumber (306A); Ontario Building Code, O. Reg. 332/12, Part 7 Plumbing.
What North Bay customers say
“Always done great work and had them out to our houses more than one time.”Dave Melanson, Google review
“Paul is such a professional and you are always updated on when he is coming.”Wayne Macchiusi, Google review
Licensed plumbing across the North Bay area
Licensing and insurance questions from North Bay
Can I see the licence and insurance before you start?
Yes. Ask when booking and Poly-B Plumbing sends a copy of the trade licence and the current certificate of insurance with the written quote.
Is Poly-B licensed to work on my well or septic system?
Yes. Poly-B is licensed for plumbing, wells, septic and backflow prevention, which covers well pumps, pressure tanks, sewage pumps and the plumbing connected to a septic tank.
Does Poly-B do gas water heaters or furnaces?
The water side of a gas water heater, yes. Gas lines, burners and gas valves are TSSA-regulated work and are referred to a licensed gas technician. Poly-B does no furnace work.
Do you pull the permit, or do I?
Poly-B pulls the plumbing permit in its own name with the City of North Bay building department when the work requires one, and books the inspections.
What does the liability insurance cover?
Damage arising from Poly-B’s work on your property, up to $5 million. It does not replace your own home insurance for unrelated events, but it means a plumbing mistake is the plumber’s claim, not yours.
Book a licensed, insured plumber in North Bay
Monday to Thursday 7 am to 7 pm, Friday 7 am to 5 pm. Ask for the paperwork and it comes with the quote.
Call 705-345-6616 Request a free online quote
Poly-B Plumbing, 1107 Yellek Trail, North Bay, ON P1B 8G5.