How an electrical service upgrade works with Toronto Hydro

Who does what

A service upgrade replaces the equipment that brings power into your home: often the mast or underground entry, the meter base, the main cable and the panel. Three groups are involved, and it helps to know where each one's job begins and ends.

1. Your licensed electrical contractorSizes the service, files the ESA permit, books the utility, does the work on your side of the meter and arranges the inspection.
2. The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)Receives the notification of work, inspects the installation, and issues the Certificate of Acceptance when it passes.
3. Toronto HydroOwns the meter and the supply to your house. It disconnects power before the work and reconnects it afterwards.

North York and the rest of the City of Toronto are served by Toronto Hydro. The steps below apply anywhere in the city.

Before you call: what to have ready

A few details make the first conversation faster and the site visit more useful:

• A photo of your panel with the door open, so the size and type of the main breaker are visible.
• A photo of the meter and where the wires come into the house, outside.
• A list of what you want to add, such as a charger, heat pump, hot tub or suite.
• Any letter or form from your insurer that mentions the panel or wiring.
• Dates that don't work for a day without power.

None of this is required, but it helps us arrive with the right questions.

Step 1: site visit and load calculation

Everything starts at the house. We look at how the service comes in, whether overhead or underground, and at the meter, panel and grounding. We ask what you run now and what you plan to add.

The load calculation turns that list into a service size. It accounts for heating and cooling, cooking, laundry, any EV charger and any second unit. Sizing for what's coming, not just what's there today, avoids a second upgrade a few years later.

Step 2: a fixed, written quote

After the visit, you get a fixed, written price. It should list what's included: panel, meter base, mast or underground work, grounding and reconnecting existing circuits. It should also cover the ESA permit and Toronto Hydro's own charges. We don't publish prices, because the house decides the work.

If you're upgrading because of a new load, the quote is also the moment to confirm the plan for that load. A charger circuit or heat pump circuit is easier to add while the new panel goes in.

Step 3: the ESA permit

Before work starts, we file a notification of work with ESA. This is what most people mean by an electrical permit. In Ontario it's filed by the licensed electrical contractor, not by the homeowner, when a contractor is doing the job.

The permit ties the work to our licence, ECRA/ESA 7016430, and sets up the inspection. It's also what lets ESA authorize Toronto Hydro to reconnect a new or altered service.

Homeowners in Ontario can take out a permit for work on their own home, but they then take on responsibility for it. A service upgrade involves the utility, the main supply and the grounding. It's a job for a licensed contractor.

Step 4: booking the disconnect and reconnect

Your side of the meter can't be worked on safely while it's live, and only Toronto Hydro removes its meter and cuts its supply. So we book the disconnect and reconnect with Toronto Hydro and schedule our crew around that appointment.

Toronto Hydro calls a temporary disconnect and reconnect an isolation request. Asking for a bigger service is a separate service upgrade request. We make whichever requests your job needs.

If the service size is increasing, Toronto Hydro reviews the request. It decides whether its own equipment, such as the line to your house, needs changing too. The timing of those steps is set by Toronto Hydro, so we confirm the date with you once it's booked rather than guessing in advance.

Step 5: disconnect and reconnect on the power-off day

On the day, Toronto Hydro disconnects the supply. Our crew removes the old equipment and installs the new meter base, mast or service entry, main cable, grounding and panel. Each existing circuit is then reconnected to the new panel and labelled.

Outside, the old mast or service entry comes off and the new one goes up. Where cable passes through the wall, the opening is sealed against water and drafts. If the meter base moves, we leave the wall around it tidy.

Most of the day is spent without power, and the work is usually done on site in one day. Bigger jobs, such as an underground service or a panel that has to move, can take longer. We tell you which applies before the date is set.

• Fridge and freezer

  Keep the doors closed and they'll hold their temperature for most of a day.

• Sump pump

  Many North York basements rely on one. If heavy rain is forecast, talk to us about timing.

• Work and school

  Plan for no internet, lights or outlets while the power is off.

• Medical equipment

  If anyone relies on powered equipment, tell us when you book so we can plan around it.

Step 6: the ESA inspection

ESA inspects the new installation. The inspector checks that the service, grounding and panel meet the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. How the inspection lines up with the reconnection depends on the job and on ESA's schedule.

If the inspector asks for a correction, we make it. That's part of our job, not an extra.

Step 7: reconnection

Toronto Hydro reconnects the service once ESA has authorized the connection. The meter goes back in and the main breaker is switched on. Circuits are brought back one at a time while we check that everything works.

Before we leave, we walk you through the new panel. You'll know where the main breaker is, how circuits are labelled and where there's spare room.

Step 8: the Certificate of Acceptance

When the work passes inspection, ESA issues a Certificate of Acceptance. Keep it with your house papers. Insurers, buyers and future contractors may ask for it, and it shows the upgrade was permitted and inspected.

Our work is also covered by our 1-year workmanship warranty.

Questions people ask along the way

Do I need to be home on upgrade day? Someone needs to give us access to the panel and the meter. Many people stay home, though without power it's not the most comfortable day. We'll confirm what access we need when we book.

What if you find something unexpected? Old houses sometimes hide a damaged cable or a circuit that can't safely go back as it was. If that happens, we show you, explain the options and price any extra work before doing it.

Will my lights and outlets work the same afterwards? Yes. Your existing circuits are reconnected to the new panel. What changes is the capacity behind them and the room for new circuits.

Can I add a surge protector or charger circuit at the same time? Often, yes, and it's easier while the new panel is going in. Mention it at the site visit so it's in the quote.

Upgrading in North York

In North York, upgrades tend to fall into two groups. Postwar homes in areas like Newtonbrook and Willowdale often move from an original 60 or 100 amp service to 200 amps. New custom homes are designed with a large service from the start. For those, Toronto Hydro is part of the plan from the beginning of the build.

To start, see our North York panel upgrade page or send a request with photos of your panel and meter.