No. In Alberta the choice of contractor is yours unless your policy explicitly says otherwise, and almost none do. Insurers suggest preferred vendors, and a suggestion is all it is. Worth knowing: preferred vendors work on volume rates negotiated with the insurer, which can quietly pull scopes toward lean. You are allowed to hire the company whose incentive is your house, not their referral pipeline, and your claim gets processed the same way.
What your insurer actually needs is work documented and priced to industry standards. Nonstop Restoration estimates in Xactimate, the platform adjusters themselves use, follows IICRC standards, and delivers the cause-of-loss documentation, photos, moisture logs, and monitoring records the file requires. That is why independently chosen contractors get claims approved smoothly. The file speaks the insurer’s language even though the loyalty sits with you.