ArtBuild template ArtBuild template · All of Canada
Contract payment terms review
Note what your contract says about invoices, due dates, holdback and disputes.
- Version
- 2026.1
- Last updated
- October 24, 2026
Prepared by ArtBuild to help you organise your paperwork. It is general information, not legal advice, and it has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Check the rules for your province or territory before you act.
Part of the Unpaid Construction Payment Recovery Kit: start with its guide, and download the whole kit there.
Download editable Word (.docx)
Record the actual agreement
Read the signed agreement together with incorporated schedules and changes. Copy short relevant wording accurately, record its location and distinguish what the document says from the reviewer's interpretation. This worksheet does not declare a clause valid or invalid.
- Project address, province or territory
- Residential or commercial; public or private owner
- Your legal entity and contract tier
- Counterparty legal entity
- Contract title, date and version
- Incorporated documents and order of precedence
- Reviewer name and role
| Topic | Clause / page | Exact requirement or factual gap |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice contents and delivery | [enter] | [required information, recipient and evidence] |
| Payment trigger and due date | [enter] | [event and calculation convention] |
| Certification or approval | [enter] | [person, process and evidence] |
| Holdback | [enter] | [basis, amount and release conditions] |
| Changes and extras | [enter] | [authorization and billing requirements] |
If a clause depends on owner payment, record the exact wording and facts. Do not treat pay-when-paid and pay-if-paid as equivalent or decide enforceability in this worksheet.
Resolve ambiguities before relying on a date
| Review question | Evidence / answer | Owner / action |
|---|---|---|
| Was the required invoice delivered? | [receipt, portal or email record] | [enter] |
| Is certification documented? | [certificate and date or missing] | [enter] |
| Are deductions explained? | [credit, set-off or disputed charge] | [enter] |
| What notice method is specified? | [address, recipient, service method] | [enter] |
| What dispute process is named? | [negotiation, adjudication, court or arbitration] | [enter] |
| Are statutory rules potentially relevant? | [jurisdiction and source to verify] | [qualified reviewer] |
Fictional interpretation issue
A contract says "payment after certification" but the project folder has only a progress report. Record the missing certification and request confirmation. Do not start a fixed-day calculator from the report date unless the applicable trigger is verified.
- Operational conclusion supported by documents
- Terms still uncertain or inconsistent
- Official source and provision to be checked
- Legal reviewer and jurisdiction
- Confirmed date basis, if supplied by reviewer
- Next review date and responsible person
Public procurement terms, consumer transactions, insolvency and changes in law may affect the analysis. Keep this review with the exact contract version used.
Before you act: this document is general information prepared by ArtBuild to help you organise facts and paperwork. It is not legal advice and has not been reviewed by a lawyer for your situation. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time. Check the official source for your project, and for deadlines, liens, court or insolvency steps, speak with a lawyer licensed where the project is located.