She stamped it with a red ink date stamp.

For Alex, it meant that bureaucracy, when ignored, is a silent contract killer. But with patience, proof, and a face-to-face conversation, even a small business owner could get the golden ticket.

Alex’s stomach dropped. He had just paid his quarterly premium two weeks ago. How could he owe money? He called the WSIB hotline. After 22 minutes of hold music (a tinny flute rendition of "Clair de Lune"), he got Brenda.

Buried on page fourteen of the RFQ, in a dense block of legal text, was the requirement: "Bidder must provide a valid WSIB Clearance Certificate prior to contract award."

Employer: Alex’s WireWorks Status: CLEARED Valid Until: [Date 60 days from now]

"I show a balance of $447.23," Brenda said.