Where are Ontario construction projects listed?
Ontario projects show up in four places, each at a different stage of the lifecycle:
1. Public tender portals (MERX, Biddingo, Bids&Tenders, Ontario Tenders Portal) carry government and broader public sector work once it is formally out for bid.
2. Municipal procurement pages for cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, and Hamilton sometimes post tenders only on their own portals.
3. Private work is rarely listed publicly. GCs invite subs directly via email or platforms like BuildingConnected.
4. Pre-design and design-stage intel (the highest-value stage) is tracked by paid construction intelligence platforms such as DataBid, ConstructConnect, and Dodge.
If you only watch public tenders, you are competing in the most crowded part of the market.
Free portals vs paid platforms: what is the difference?
Free portals show projects after they are out for tender. Paid platforms show them weeks or months earlier, while design is still being finalized and bidder lists are still open.
- MERX, Biddingo, Bids&Tenders: free or low-cost, public sector only, late-stage
- DataBid: paid, Ontario-focused, includes private work and pre-design intel
- ConstructConnect and Dodge: paid, North America-wide, deeper US coverage than Canadian
- BuildingConnected: paid, focused on invited bid management rather than project discovery
How do I get early access to projects before they go to tender?
Early access comes from three sources: relationships with consultants and GCs who know what is coming, building permit and zoning data (publicly searchable by municipality), and platforms that aggregate both. DataBid does this by tracking design teams, planning applications, and reporter-sourced project intel across Ontario so you see opportunities at the architect-selection stage, not after the tender closes.
Does this work for subcontractors and suppliers?
Yes, and it is arguably more important for subs and suppliers than GCs. Subs typically rely on GC invitations, which means they only bid on the percentage of projects they happen to be on a bid list for. Searching project intel directly lets a sub identify upcoming work, call the GC before tender, and get added to the bidder list rather than waiting to be invited.
How should I filter to avoid drowning in irrelevant projects?
Filter aggressively on three dimensions: region (county or city), trade or CSI division, and project value range. Most platforms let you save filtered searches and get alerts. Start narrow and widen if you are not seeing enough relevant work. A common mistake is filtering only by region and getting flooded with project types you do not actually serve.
What does it cost to find Ontario construction projects?
Free public portals are free to browse but charge for document downloads on some tenders. Paid intelligence platforms in the Ontario market range from roughly CAD $99 to $400 per user per month depending on coverage and features. DataBid pricing starts at the lower end of that range with Ontario-only coverage. National platforms like Dodge and ConstructConnect are typically several thousand dollars per seat per year.
How to do it, step by step
- 1
Decide what stage you want to bid at
Choose between pre-design intel, open tenders, or both.
- 2
Set up free public portal accounts
Register on MERX, Biddingo, and the Ontario Tenders Portal.
- 3
Filter by region, trade, and project size
Save searches for your service area and CSI divisions.
- 4
Add a paid intel platform for early access
Use DataBid or similar to see projects before they hit public tenders.
- 5
Track GCs and bidders, not just projects
Knowing who is bidding lets you pursue the right relationships.
- 6
Respond fast and follow up
Most subs lose work to slow quote turnaround, not price.