My roofer took a deposit and disappeared in Calgary, what now?

A contractor who takes a deposit and vanishes has likely broken Alberta's consumer protection law, and you have real legal tools to use right now.

What the Law Says

Under the Alberta Consumer Protection Act, any roofing contractor who collects money before the work is finished is a prepaid contracting business and must hold a prepaid contracting licence issued by Service Alberta. Your written contract must include the contractor's name and address, a detailed description of the work and materials, the total price, payment terms, start and completion dates, and a statement of your cancellation rights. If any of that is missing, or if the contractor had no licence, your cancellation and refund rights extend up to one year from the date you signed.

Even if the contract looks complete, you had 10 days from receiving your written copy to cancel for any reason. If the work did not start within 30 days of the contract date, that also extends your right to cancel. A refund is owed within 15 days of a valid cancellation notice.

What to do, in order:

On the practical side, your roof may still need attention. If a storm caused the original damage, contact your insurer now and explain that your contractor has not performed. The insurer can direct you to the scope of work they approved and help you understand what a replacement contractor needs to match. Do not let a second contractor start until you have a written contract that spells out the full scope, the product, the decking allowance, the eave protection, the payment schedule tied to milestones, and a holdback you release only after the work passes your inspection.

Before signing with anyone new, confirm their prepaid contracting licence on Service Alberta's site and request a WCB-Alberta clearance letter showing their account is in good standing. If they cannot produce both, walk away.

Storm season in Calgary brings out operators who collect deposits from multiple homeowners and then disappear or go bankrupt under the volume. The tools above exist precisely for this situation, so use them promptly.

When you are ready to line up a new roofer, use our form to reach local ones and check each licence before paying anything.