COR · Alberta
Do I need COR to bid on work in Alberta?
Short answer: not by law — but usually yes in practice. Here's exactly who requires it, what counts if you're a small employer, and what to do if you need it and don't have it yet.
Quick answer
COR is not legally required under the Alberta OHS Act — it's a voluntary certification. But most major owners (like Suncor and CNRL), municipalities, school boards, and general contractors require COR before you can bid or come on site. If you have 10 or fewer workers, SECOR is the accepted equivalent. So the real question isn't "is it mandatory" — it's "do the people I want to work for require it?" For most Alberta contractors chasing serious work, the answer is yes.
Who actually requires COR to bid
Major owners & operators
Suncor, CNRL, and most large industrial owners require COR (or SECOR for small employers) before you're on their approved contractor list.
Municipalities & public bodies
Cities, school boards, and many public tenders list COR as a required bid criterion — set in the tender, not by provincial law.
General contractors
Most GCs won't let a subcontractor on site without a current certificate — it's how they manage prime-contractor liability.
Prequalification platforms
ISN, Avetta, and ComplyWorks often score or gate your profile on whether you hold COR/SECOR.
Requirements vary by owner and contract. Always check the specific bid or prequalification criteria — we can help you read them.
Which path is yours?
More than 10 workers
You're on the COR path. See how we build an audit-ready program and prepare you for the audit.
10 or fewer workers
SECOR is the usual certificate at your size — often in-house, with scoped team help when you want it. Here's what it covers, how we help, and the path to COR when you grow.
Not sure which?
Compare COR vs SECOR side by side and see which one fits your operation today.
Common questions
Need COR for a bid you're chasing? Let's map it out.
Tell us the job you're chasing and where you are today. We'll lay out a credible path to a certificate that holds up — no guesswork, no overpromising.