Slices vs bundles
There are two top-level product types:
Single-vertical, single-city products
A slice targets one buyer persona with one type of data in one city. Example: the Aged-Permit HVAC Slice (Calgary) delivers only HVAC permit records that have been open for 90+ days — filtered, scored, and formatted for HVAC service contractors. Price range: $49–$99/mo per city. Best for: businesses with a narrow, well-defined service offering who want the lowest cost entry point.
Multi-product persona packages
A bundle combines 3–7 related slices that share a buyer persona, delivered as a single subscription at 30–50% off the sum of individual slices. Example: the Commercial GC Bundle includes the DP Pipeline, Active Fitout Master, MEP Volume Heatmap, GC Activity Leaderboard, and Inspection Failure Alerts — everything a commercial general contractor needs in one weekly drop. Price range: $149–$499/mo. Best for: businesses with broader scope who want the full picture for their persona.
The strict-subset rule
Every cheaper product is a strict subset of every more expensive product that contains it. What this means in practice:
- If the $49 HVAC Slice is inside the $249 Commercial GC Bundle, then every row in the slice also appears in the bundle — the bundle always has more rows and more context, never fewer.
- If you upgrade from a slice to a bundle, you don't lose any rows you were previously receiving — you gain more.
- There's no situation where the cheaper product has a column or row that the pricier bundle is missing.
This rule exists to make every upgrade decision straightforward: paying more always gets you strictly more data, never just different data.
Product categories
Trade slices (single-trade, single-city)
The most focused products. Each targets a specific trade or service type and filters the data to only show permits and licences relevant to that trade. Examples: HVAC slice, bin rental slice, equipment rental slice, medical/dental buildout hitlist. These are the right starting point for a contractor who serves one trade in one city.
Macro feeds (high volume, broad coverage)
Products that deliver a high volume of leads across multiple trade types — designed for materials suppliers, wholesalers, and procurement teams who need breadth rather than depth. Examples: MEP Volume Heatmap (electrical + plumbing + HVAC), Active Fitout Master (all commercial fitout permits). Typical first delivery: 120–2,250+ rows.
Pre-tender pipeline
Development permits, planning applications, and early-stage commercial projects — the intelligence that helps you know a project is coming before the tender is issued. Best for: architects, GCs, MEP design firms, and anyone who needs to be in front of an owner or developer before the formal bid process starts.
Watch products (event-triggered)
Products that fire when a specific event occurs: inspection failure, federal contract award, property tax appeal, business closure/churn. Used for time-sensitive outreach — the event is the trigger, and timing is the edge. Examples: AHS Failed Inspection Radar, Federal Contract Awards Watch, Chronic Complaint Hitlist.
Directories (one-time)
Large, structured datasets of a specific business category — not weekly drips. Examples: Alberta Realtor Directory (8,000+ realtors), AGLC Liquor Licensee Directory, AHS Continuing Care Directory. Delivered once at signup; re-pulled quarterly to catch additions and deletions. Best for: list-building, direct mail, or B2B marketing to a specific profession.
Federal slices
Data from Government of Canada open data: federal contract awards, CIHR/NRC research grants, T3010 charity returns, job bank postings, lobbyist registry. Included in every subscription at no extra charge as a supplementary feed. Best for: IT/security/facilities vendors to government, non-profits, and federal contractors.
Whale lists
Projects with $5M+ construction value only. Low volume (5–15 rows per delivery), high exclusivity cap (3 subscribers per vertical). Used by enterprise-level vendors, equipment dealers, and major-account sales teams. Price reflects the lead quality, not the row count.
How to choose
The fastest path: go to shovelradar.com/trades/, find your trade, and the page recommends the 2–3 most relevant products for your trade type. Or browse by city at /cities/ if geography is your primary filter. Every product page links to a downloadable sample — download 2–3 samples before subscribing to confirm the data is what you need.
Not sure which product fits? Email matthew@shovelradar.com with your trade and city. We'll tell you which product has the most relevant rows for your situation, usually within a few hours.