Free Canadian sources
- Google Maps. Search a trade and a city, open every listing and note the ones with no website button. The six steps.
- Corporations Canada. The federal corporation search lists federally incorporated companies.
- Provincial registries. Most businesses register with their province instead, for example through the Ontario Business Registry or Quebec's Registraire des entreprises. Sole proprietorships often appear only there.
- Yellow Pages and Facebook. YellowPages.ca profiles and Facebook pages with no website link are leads.
The rules for contacting them
Email and messages: CASL
Canada's anti-spam law asks businesses to “obtain consent before sending commercial electronic messages”. Consent can be implied when a person has conspicuously published their email address, hasn't said they don't want unsolicited messages, and your message is relevant to their business or role (section 10(9) of the Act). Every message must identify you, give your contact details and include a way to unsubscribe.
Sources: Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation, S.C. 2010, c. 23; Government of Canada, fightspam.
Calls
Telemarketing in Canada is governed by the CRTC's Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules, including the National Do Not Call List. Check the CRTC's rules before you call. This page is a summary; take legal advice for your own case.
Scan a postal code
NoSite Leads scans Canadian postal codes with a radius of 1 to 25 miles and lists every business with no website listed, with phone numbers and addresses. A scan of up to 50 businesses is CA$2.49, and you see the price before you pay. Start a scan or see a sample list first.
Questions
Can I cold email a business in Canada?
Only with consent under CASL, but consent can be implied when the business has published its email address without saying it doesn't want messages, and your message relates to its business. Every message must say who you are, how to reach you and how to unsubscribe.
Where do I find new Canadian businesses?
Corporations Canada's federal search and the provincial registries list new companies. Pair a registry with Google Maps and check each name for a website.
Does NoSite Leads cover Canada?
Yes. Enter a Canadian postal code and a radius of 1 to 25 miles. A scan of up to 50 businesses costs CA$2.49, shown before you pay.