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Google Ads · 2026

Google Local Services Ads in Canada: Eligible Trades, Costs and How They Differ From the US

Which trades can run Local Services Ads in Canada, what a lead costs, how they compare with regular Google Ads, and what's different from the US version you read about online.

Evan Striemer Founder, Debut Marketing
  • 6 min read
A contractor holding a phone with a booking app on a framing site

Key facts

  1. 36 home services qualify in Canada. Including roofers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, painters, flooring, carpenters, general contractors, landscapers and tree services.1 In the US, about 190 kinds of business qualify.2
  2. You pay per lead, not per click. A Local Services Ads lead typically costs about $59, about half of a lead from Google search ads.38
  3. "Google Guaranteed" is gone. Since October 20, 2025, every ad shows one blue Google Verified badge, and the money-back guarantee has ended.9
  4. Bad leads are credited automatically. Google reviews leads and credits invalid ones on its own, in Canada as well as the US.10
  5. Canada moves into Google Ads later. Local Services Ads are becoming pay-per-lead Performance Max campaigns inside Google Ads: US accounts from August 2026, non-US accounts in 2027.11

Local Services Ads are the listings at the very top of Google with a "Google Verified" badge, a star rating and a call button. You don't pay for clicks. You pay when someone calls, messages or books you through the ad.

Most of what you read about them online is written for the US, where the rules and the list of trades are different. This guide is for Canadian contractors, from Google's own Canadian pages, checked on October 4, 2026.

Which trades can run Local Services Ads in Canada?

Google lists 36 home services for Canada.1 Here is how they line up with the trades we market. If yours is a "no", regular Google search ads are the way to show up at the top.

Most trades we market can run Local Services Ads in Canada; builders, excavation and demolition can'tOur trades and the Google Local Services Ads categories they fall under in Canada, October 2026.
Trade Google category in Canada Eligible?
Roofers RoofingYes
Plumbers Plumber, Drain expert, Sewage systemYes
Electricians ElectricianYes
HVAC HVAC, Home insulationYes
Painters PainterYes
Flooring Flooring proYes
Carpenters CarpenterYes
General contractors and renovators General contractor, HandymanYes
Landscapers Landscaper, Lawn care, Fencing pro, Pool contractorYes
Arborists Tree servicesYes
Concrete contractors Foundations pro (foundation work only)Partly
Home builders None. New home building isn't a categoryNo
Duplex and multiplex builders NoneNo
Excavation NoneNo
Demolition NoneNo
Chart: Debut Marketing. Data: Google (2026)1.

The full Canadian list: Appliance repair, Carpenter, Carpet cleaning, Countertop pro, Drain expert, Electrician, Fencing pro, Flooring pro, Foundations pro, Garage door, General contractor, Handyman, Home inspector, Home insulation, Home security, Home theater, House cleaning, HVAC, Junk removal, Landscaper, Lawn care, Locksmith, Moving services, Painter, Pest control, Plumber, Pool cleaning, Pool contractor, Roofing, Sewage system, Siding pro, Snow removal, Tree services, Water damage restoration, Window cleaning, Window repair.

What this means for contractors: new home builders, excavation and demolition companies can't run Local Services Ads in Canada. Concrete contractors can only list foundation work. For everyone else on the list, Local Services Ads are usually the cheapest calls Google sells.

How are Local Services Ads different from Google Ads?

Both put you at the top of Google, but they work differently. Local Services Ads are simple and cheap per lead, with little control. Search ads take more work and cost more per lead, but you choose the searches, the towns and the page people land on.

Local Services Ads charge per lead and sit at the very top; search ads charge per click and give you controlGoogle Local Services Ads compared with Google search ads for a Canadian contractor.
Local Services Ads Google search ads
Where it shows At the very top, with the Google Verified badgeBelow Local Services Ads, above the map
You pay for Each lead: a call, message or bookingEach click
Typical cost About $59 a leadAbout $11 a click, $121 a lead
Keywords None. Google matches you to searchesYou choose them, and block the ones you don't want
Landing page Your Local Services profileAny page on your website
Needs Screening, a licence where required, insurance, reviewsAn account and a budget
Best for Calls in the trades that qualifyEvery trade, and the jobs and towns you choose
Chart: Debut Marketing. Our analysis of 15 sources381222.

What this means for contractors: if your trade qualifies, run both. Local Services Ads catch the "plumber near me" calls; search ads go after the jobs and towns you want most, like "furnace replacement Burnaby" or "metal roof Calgary".

What does a Local Services Ads lead cost in Canada?

A Local Services Ads lead typically costs a contractor about $59, compared with about $121 for a lead from Google search ads.381216 Plumbing runs higher and electrical lower:

A Local Services Ads lead costs about $59Typical Local Services Ads cost per lead, with the range across sources. Canadian dollars.
Trade Typical cost per lead Range across sources
Plumbing $80$73 to $92
Electrical $55$49 to $60
All contractors $59$40 to $84
Chart: Debut Marketing. Our analysis of six sources38.

Google sets the price for each lead based on your trade and area; you set a weekly or monthly budget. New advertisers in Canada can get sign-up credits in Canadian dollars.1 See our cost per lead guide for every trade.

How Local Services Ads in Canada differ from the US

If you've read a US guide, here is what's different here.

Canada gets Local Services Ads for home services only; the US gets them for about 190 kinds of businessHow Local Services Ads in Canada differ from the United States, October 2026.
Canada United States
Categories 36 home servicesAbout 190, including lawyers, financial planners, real estate and health care
Badge Google VerifiedGoogle Verified
Money-back guarantee Ended October 20, 2025Ended October 20, 2025
Automatic credits for bad leads YesYes
Booking leads and jobs Not offeredOffered
Moving into Google Ads (Performance Max) From 2027, with other non-US accountsFrom August 2026, in phases
Licence checks Provincial licences where your trade needs oneState licences where your trade needs one
Chart: Debut Marketing. Data: Google (2026)12911.

How to get verified in Canada

  1. Sign up on Google's Canadian Local Services Ads page with your business name, service type and area.
  2. Pass screening. Google checks your business registration and identity. Depending on your trade and province, it also checks your licence, your insurance and, for some trades, background checks on the owner and the people who go to customers' homes.23
  3. Get reviews. Some categories need reviews before the ad shows. Your Google Business Profile reviews count.
  4. Set your budget and your hours, and go live with the Google Verified badge.

While you finish screening, Google may run "pre-badge" ads that sit below verified businesses.2

How to get more from Local Services Ads

  • Answer every call. Google ranks businesses that respond, and missed leads hurt your position.2
  • Keep your hours honest. Ads show when you say you're open. Calls at 9 pm you can't take are wasted.
  • Turn off job types you don't want. Google no longer credits leads for services you don't offer, so set them up right.
  • Rate your leads. Rating a bad lead in the app helps Google credit it and learn.10
  • Keep reviews coming. Your rating and review count show on the ad, and they decide who gets the call.

Should you run Local Services Ads, Google Ads or both?

If your trade qualifies, start with Local Services Ads for steady calls and add search ads for the jobs you want more of. If your trade doesn't qualify, search ads are the only way to the top of Google. Either way, the business behind the ad decides the result: fast replies, good reviews and a website that backs you up. Our Google Business Profile and local SEO work feeds both.

Questions contractors ask

Are Google Local Services Ads available in Canada?

Yes, for 36 home services, including roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, painting, flooring, carpentry, general contracting, landscaping and tree services.

Can general contractors use Local Services Ads in Canada?

Yes. "General contractor" and "Handyman" are both on Google's Canadian list. New home builders, excavation and demolition are not.

How much do Local Services Ads cost in Canada?

You pay per lead. A lead typically costs a contractor about $59, depending on your trade and area. You set the budget.

Is Google Guaranteed still available in Canada?

No. Since October 20, 2025, Google Guaranteed, Google Screened and License Verified by Google are all one blue Google Verified badge, and the money-back guarantee has ended.

Can I dispute a bad lead?

Google now credits invalid leads automatically. If it misses one, rate the lead in the app and say what was wrong.

Do I need reviews to run Local Services Ads?

For some categories, yes. Your rating and review count also show on the ad, so more recent reviews win more calls.

Are Local Services Ads better than Google Ads?

They're cheaper per lead, but you get less control. Most contractors whose trade qualifies run both.

How we put this together

Everything about eligibility, badges, credits and screening comes from Google's own pages, read on October 4, 2026. The Canadian list of eligible services is from Google's Canadian Local Services Ads page. Lead costs are Debut Marketing's typical figures from our 2026 benchmarks, in Canadian dollars. Google changes these programs often; check the current list before you plan a campaign.

Cite this page

Striemer, E. (2026, October 4). Google Local Services Ads in Canada: Eligible Trades, Costs and How They Differ From the US. Debut Marketing. https://debutmarketing.ca/google-local-services-ads-canada

The numbers on this page are Debut Marketing's 2026 findings. We combined our own campaign data with the studies, ad platforms and agencies listed under Sources, took the typical figure for each number and put it in Canadian dollars. You're welcome to use them: please credit Debut Marketing and link to this page.

Sources

  1. 1 Google (2026). Local Services Ads: eligible home services in Canada. Google's Canadian Local Services Ads page, with the list of home services eligible for the Google Verified badge.
  2. 2 Google (2026). Getting started with Local Services Ads (United States and Canada versions). Google Local Services Help: how leads work, pre-badge ads and requirements, by country.
  3. 3 SearchLight Digital (2026). Google Local Service Ads Benchmarks, February 2026. 888 US contractors, $6.72 million in Local Services Ads spend and 126,650 leads. The Google search comparison is January 2026: 816 contractors, $14.9 million in spend. US dollars.
  4. 4 99 Calls (2026). Google LSA Cost Per Lead by Industry: 2025 vs. 2026. Local Services Ads campaigns managed by 99 Calls, April to June of each year.
  5. 5 Watson & Co. Marketing (2026). Home Services Marketing Benchmarks 2026. $2.1 million USD in managed ad spend across 30+ home service clients, 2025 to 2026.
  6. 6 Niagara Stands Out (Port Colborne, ON) (2026). Google Local Services Ads for Contractors: Pay-Per-Lead Guide (Canada 2026).
  7. 7 Richey Consulting (2026). How Much Does Concrete Contractor Advertising Cost? (2026 Benchmarks).
  8. 8 LeadsuiteNow (2026). Flooring Contractor Lead Generation: Strategies for More Installs in 2026.
  9. 9 Google (2025). Google Verified makes it easier to find trusted local businesses. Google's announcement of the Google Verified badge, which replaced Google Guaranteed, Google Screened and License Verified by Google on October 20, 2025.
  10. 10 Google (2026). About automated Local Services Ads lead credits. Google Local Services Help: automatic lead credits, available in the United States and Canada.
  11. 11 Google (2026). Local Services Ads transition to Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals. Google Ads Help: the move of Local Services Ads into Google Ads, US accounts from August 2026, other countries in 2027.
  12. 12 LocaliQ (2026). Search Advertising Benchmarks for Every Industry (2026 data). US Google Ads campaigns; home and home improvement compared with all industries. US dollars.
  13. 13 AgencyAnalytics (2026). Google Ads Benchmarks by Industry. Medians from 150,000+ campaigns run by marketing agencies on the AgencyAnalytics platform.
  14. 14 99 Calls (2026). Best Home Service Niches for Google Ads in 2026. 100+ Google Ads campaigns and 2,600+ leads managed by 99 Calls in 2026.
  15. 15 SearchPod (North Vancouver and Toronto) (2026). How Much Do Google Ads Cost in Canada? (2026 Breakdown).
  16. 16 Consultus Digital (Toronto) (2026). How Much Do Google Ads Cost in Canada? 2026 Guide.
  17. 17 LocaliQ (2025). 2025 Home Services Search Ad Benchmarks. 3,211 US Google search campaigns, April 2024 to March 2025. Medians, US dollars.
  18. 18 B&G Collective (2026). Google Ads for Remodelers: Real Costs From Live Accounts. Three remodeling accounts, February to July 2026.
  19. 19 MarketingFlow (Toronto) (2026). How Much Do Google Ads Cost in Canada? A Complete 2026 Pricing Guide.
  20. 20 Brand Butter (Atlantic Canada) (2026). Google Ads in Canada 2026: Cost, CPC, and Strategy.
  21. 21 Playbook Digital (Oakville, ON) (2026). Google Ads for Plumbers: 2026 Cost and Strategy Guide.
  22. 22 Boomy Marketing (Toronto) (2026). Costs for Google Ads (2026).
  23. 23 Google (2026). Understand the screening and verification process. Google Local Services Help: background, licence, insurance and registration checks by country.

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