IWSCC Certified Suppliers are Canadian companies. They must do business in Canada, be legally registered with the CRA, and owned by Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.
IWSCC Certified Suppliers must be 51% or more Veteran-Owned or Disabled-Owned. In other words, one or more Veterans or Disabled Persons must have majority control of the business.
IWSCC Certified Suppliers must complete our application and pass our review process.
Certification is a paid service: it costs $500 per year. There’s no cost to apply, and we only collect fees if your application is approved.
IWSCC collects a range of information to confirm that your business meets our requirements. This means we collect information related to your business and the owners’ personal identity.
The documents you’ll need depend on the type of company you own. Before getting started with your application, we recommend reviewing these checklists to get things ready in advance and make your application easier.
Sole Proprietor Checklist
Solopreneurs who own 100% of their business have the shortest list of documents:
- A copy or scan of your Master Business License: This helps us confirm that your business is legally registered, active, and is in fact a sole proprietorship.
- A copy or scan of your Photo-ID: The owner of the business must be a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident of Canada. Your Photo-ID helps us confirm this.
- Documents confirming that your are a person with a disability or Veteran:
- To confirm your status as a Person with a Disability, we recommend using our IWSCC Physician’s Form. This form is completed by your doctor or other healthcare professional to confirm that you live with a permanent disability.
- To confirm your status as a Veteran, we recommend submitting a copy or scan of your Veteran Service Card (VSC). This ID-card is issued by the Canadian Armed Forces, and you can learn more about getting one here.
Our application will also ask you for a range of information about your business without requiring supporting documents. Getting this information ready in advance, or considering what your answer might be will help make your application easier. This includes:
- Your business’ Legal Name and any Operating Names
- Your 9-digit Business Number (BN) provided by the CRA when you registered your business
- A written description of your business (150 – 250 words)
- A selection of Industry Categories to help describe your business at-a-glance
- The staff size of your business (answered as a range, not an exact number)
- The Canadian Service Area of your business by province / territory
- Whether you deliver your products in-person, remotely / virtually, or both
- The revenue amount your business reported last year OR a business plan for businesses less than 1 year old
- (Optional) the NAICS codes for your business; the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is a series of number codes that help identify your core goods or services to potential buyers. They are mostly relevant to exporters to the USA and Mexico, and are not required to certify or market your business.
Our application can be rigorous, and is designed to maintain the integrity of our community. While completing your application you can save and return later, and if you’d like to ask questions about the application or the information we collect you can contact us at info@iwscc.ca.
Corporation Checklist
Corporations with mixed ownership need several supporting documents to confirm the structure of their company and the Veteran / disability status of the individuals who own a majority of the company:
- A copy or scan of your Articles of Incorporation
- A copy, scan, or diagram of your Corporate Ownership Structure including any parent(s), trust(s), and personal shareholder(s)
- A copy or scan of your Shareholder’s Register or Ledger
- *Photo-ID: proof of the owners’ Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Residence
- *Documents confirming that your are a person with a disability or Veteran*:
- To confirm your status as a Person with a Disability, we recommend using our IWSCC Physician’s Form. This form is completed by your doctor or other healthcare professional to confirm that you live with a permanent disability.
- To confirm your status as a Veteran, we recommend submitting a copy or scan of your Veteran Service Card (VSC). This ID-card is issued by the Canadian Armed Forces, and you can learn more about getting one here.
*Note: In cases where multiple Veterans / Persons with Disability own a majority of your company, Photo ID and Veteran / Disability Status documents must be provided for each of those individuals.
Our application will also ask you for a range of information about your business without requiring supporting documents. Getting this information ready in advance, or considering what your answer might be will help make your application easier. This includes:
- Your business’ Legal Name and any Operating Names
- Your 9-digit Business Number (BN) provided by the CRA when you registered your business
- A written description of your business (150 – 250 words)
- A selection of Industry Categories to help describe your business at-a-glance
- The staff size of your business (answered as a range, not an exact number)
- The Canadian Service Area of your business by province / territory
- Whether you deliver your products in-person, remotely / virtually, or both
- The revenue amount your business reported last year OR a business plan for businesses less than 1 year old
- (Optional) the NAICS codes for your business; the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is a series of number codes that help identify your core goods or services to potential buyers. They are mostly relevant to exporters to the USA and Mexico, and are not required to certify or market your business.
Our application can be rigorous, and is designed to maintain the integrity of our community. While completing your application you can save and return later, and if you’d like to ask questions about the application or the information we collect you can contact us at info@iwscc.ca.
Partnership Checklist
Businesses owned in partnership need several supporting documents to confirm the structure of the partnership and who owns a majority of the company. Note: IWSCC does not certify 50/50 partnerships where only one owner is a Veteran or person with a disability; Veterans or persons with a disability must own 51% or more of the business to qualify.
- A copy or scan of your Partnership Agreement
- A copy or scan of your Partnership Registration Document
- *Photo-ID: proof of the owners’ Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Residence
- *Documents confirming that your are a person with a disability or Veteran*:
- To confirm your status as a Person with a Disability, we recommend using our IWSCC Physician’s Form. This form is completed by your doctor or other healthcare professional to confirm that you live with a permanent disability.
- To confirm your status as a Veteran, we recommend submitting a copy or scan of your Veteran Service Card (VSC). This ID-card is issued by the Canadian Armed Forces, and you can learn more about getting one here.
*Note: In cases where multiple Veterans / Persons with Disability own a majority of your company, Photo ID and Veteran / Disability Status documents must be provided for each of those individuals.
Our application will also ask you for a range of information about your business without requiring supporting documents. Getting this information ready in advance, or considering what your answer might be will help make your application easier. This includes:
- Your business’ Legal Name and any Operating Names
- Your 9-digit Business Number (BN) provided by the CRA when you registered your business
- A written description of your business (150 – 250 words)
- A selection of Industry Categories to help describe your business at-a-glance
- The staff size of your business (answered as a range, not an exact number)
- The Canadian Service Area of your business by province / territory
- Whether you deliver your products in-person, remotely / virtually, or both
- The revenue amount your business reported last year OR a business plan for businesses less than 1 year old
- (Optional) the NAICS codes for your business; the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is a series of number codes that help identify your core goods or services to potential buyers. They are mostly relevant to exporters to the USA and Mexico, and are not required to certify or market your business.
Our application can be rigorous, and is designed to maintain the integrity of our community. While completing your application you can save and return later, and if you’d like to ask que
Ready to join Canada’s National Community for Veteran-Owned and Disabled-Owned Businesses? Use the button below to access our application.
Still wondering if Certification is right for your business? We’re here to help. Find our Certification FAQ at the bottom of this page, email us any time at info@iwscc.ca, or visit our Contact Form and we’ll connect you with the right person on our team.