Saskatchewan Prompt Payment & Adjudication Guide
Saskatchewan added prompt payment and adjudication to The Builders' Lien Act, in force since March 1, 2022. Saskatchewan is notable for its short lien and holdback windows, among the tightest in the country, so deadline discipline is especially important.
Tiercord tracks the Builders' Lien Act prompt-payment clocks for your Saskatchewan projects and surfaces the province's distinctively short lien-filing window alongside them.
Builders' Lien Act (Prompt Payment Amendment)
SS 1984-85-86, c. B-7.1 (am. SS 2019, c. 2)
March 1, 2022
Operative today
Saskatchewan Construction Dispute Resolution Office (SCDRO)
Saskatchewan prompt-payment deadlines at a glance
Each clock below runs from the event its own section names, computed in Saskatchewan's local time with statutory rollover for the province's holidays. Every row cites the section it comes from, where the province has one.
| Clock | Value | Statute |
|---|---|---|
Owner payment due Days from a proper invoice until the owner must pay or deliver a notice of non-payment. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.4 | 28 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.4 |
Notice of non-payment window Window to dispute an invoice. Miss it and the amount is generally payable in full. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.4 | 14 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.4 |
Deemed-proper review window This province has no deemed-proper-invoice provision. | No statutory rule | Not applicable |
Pay your subcontractors After being paid, days to pass payment down to subcontractors. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.5 | 7 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.5 |
Pay subs even if unpaid If the owner has not paid, subs must still be paid by this day when you are the contractor billing the owner, or 42 days when you are a subcontractor paying your own subcontractor, or the matter referred to adjudication. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.5 | 35 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.5 |
Undertaking to adjudicate When refusing to pass payment down, the payer must undertake to refer the dispute to adjudication within this window. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.5 | 21 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 5.5 |
Adjudication referral window A dispute cannot be referred to adjudication once the contract is complete. There is no grace period after completion, so refer before the work finishes or the remedy is gone. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 21.21 | Until the contract is complete | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 21.21 |
Adjudicator determination Days for the adjudicator to issue a binding determination after receiving the claimant's documents. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 21.5 | 30 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 21.5 |
Comply with determination Days to pay an amount ordered by an adjudicator. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 21.7 | 10 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 21.7 |
Holdback retained Percentage of each payment retained as statutory holdback to protect lien claimants. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 34, Sections 43 | 10% | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 34, Sections 43 |
Holdback release period Period that must run before holdback may be released. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 34, Sections 43 | 40 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 34, Sections 43 |
Lien filing window Days to preserve or register a construction lien before the right expires. SK Builders' Lien Act Section 49 / Section 50 | 40 days | SK Builders' Lien Act Section 49 / Section 50 |
Go deeper on Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan prompt-payment FAQ
Who administers adjudication in Saskatchewan?
The Saskatchewan Construction Dispute Resolution Office (SCDRO) is the authority that administers construction adjudications in the province.
Why are Saskatchewan's deadlines worth watching closely?
Saskatchewan has some of the shortest lien and holdback windows in Canada, which leaves less room to recover if a deadline slips.
When does the prompt-payment clock start?
It starts when a proper invoice is received by the payer. If the invoice is missing required information, it may not qualify as a proper invoice and the clock may not start until the defect is cured.
What happens if a notice of non-payment is late?
A late notice is generally treated as if no notice was given, so the full invoiced amount becomes payable, usually with interest from the date payment was due.
Track Saskatchewan deadlines automatically
Track reviewed Saskatchewan payment and security dates, prepare the applicable documents, and keep the supporting records together.