Neither is a legal requirement, but both come up constantly in hiring. On tools, the usual split is that you bring your own hand tools and the employer supplies power tools, equipment and consumables.

How much you’re expected to arrive with depends on the trade: labourers, general help and most equipment-operator roles need nothing, while carpenters, electricians and finishing trades are generally expected to show up with a working kit. Ontario law doesn’t clearly assign who pays for personal protective equipment — the employer has to make sure it’s worn and meets CSA standards, but the cost is usually settled by the employment contract or collective agreement. In practice most sites supply the hard hat and high-vis and expect you to own your safety boots. Ask before your first day rather than after.

Two things worth knowing about the money: registered apprentices can claim the $600 Ontario Tools Grant after completing Level 1, and employed tradespeople — apprentices included — can deduct up to $1,000 a year on their federal return for new tools their employer certifies they need for the job. Only the portion above the year’s Canada employment amount counts, so keep your receipts.

On a vehicle: no posting requires a driver’s licence unless driving is part of the role, like the DZ and AZ positions you’ll see on the board. But construction sites move, most start between 6 and 7 a.m., plenty sit well outside transit routes, and you’re often carrying tools. A lot of Ontario postings ask for reliable transportation for exactly that reason, and being able to get yourself to a site widens the range of work you can realistically take.