Scarborough · Toronto Hydro service area
Scarborough panel upgrades for growing households
Many Scarborough bungalows and backsplits now house two households, one upstairs and one in the basement. That changes what the electrical service has to carry. We work out the real load, then upgrade the panel and service to match.
Two households, one service
When the basement becomes a home
Wexford, Bendale and Scarborough Village were built up with brick bungalows and split-levels from the 1950s and 60s. They were wired for one family with modest needs. Today many of them hold a second family or a tenant downstairs. That means a second kitchen, a second laundry and often separate heating or cooling.
A legal second unit is built under a City of Toronto building permit, and the electrical side is filed separately with ESA. One of the first questions is whether the existing service can carry both units. In homes still on their original 100 amps, the honest answer is often no.
Further north, the subdivisions of Agincourt, L'Amoreaux and Malvern went up from the late 1960s into the 1980s. Many of those homes have more capacity to start with. Even so, a suite plus central air and an electric car can fill a panel to the last space.
By type of home
Where Scarborough panels usually stand
| Home type | Where it's common | What the upgrade usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Post-war bungalow | Wexford, Bendale, Scarborough Village, Cliffside | 100 or 60 amps up to 200, space for a suite's circuits or sub-panel |
| Backsplit or side-split | Across the older south and centre | Panel in the garage or lowest level, long runs to the upper half-levels |
| 1970s and 80s two-storey or semi | Agincourt, L'Amoreaux, Malvern | A full panel replaced, room for central air, a charger or a suite |
| Deeper lots with detached garages | Guildwood, Birch Cliff, Cliffside | A feed to the garage, outdoor circuits, space for a generator |
With Toronto Hydro and ESA
How we schedule a Scarborough upgrade
If a suite is being built, we fit the upgrade into the renovation so the new circuits are only installed once.
Load calculation
We add up the main house, the planned suite and anything else on the way, such as a heat pump.
Written price
A fixed price that includes the equipment, the labour, the ESA filing and the Toronto Hydro request.
Utility appointment
We book the disconnect and reconnect with Toronto Hydro and confirm the date with you.
Upgrade day
Power off in the morning, new service and panel installed, every circuit traced and labelled.
Inspection and reconnection
ESA authorizes the connection, Toronto Hydro restores power, and you get the Certificate of Acceptance.
What's included
Ready for the suite, and what comes after
- A load calculation for both unitsKept on file for your designer and the inspection
- 200 amp panel and main breakerWith spaces left for future circuits
- Meter base and service entranceReplaced where needed
- Suite sub-panel, if plannedFed and labelled so each unit is clear
- Grounding and bondingBrought up to current requirements
- ESA filing and inspectionEnding with the Certificate of Acceptance
The suite's own wiring, alarms and lighting are covered on our basement and legal suite page. If a car charger is in the plan, see EV chargers in Scarborough.
Questions
Panel upgrades in Scarborough: questions
Our Wexford bungalow is getting a basement apartment. Will 100 amps be enough?
Sometimes, but it's tight. Two kitchens, two sets of laundry and two households running appliances at once add up quickly. We do a load calculation for both units together. If 100 amps can't carry it, we upgrade the service before the suite's walls close.
The panel in our backsplit is in the garage. Can it stay there?
Often it can. Many Scarborough split-levels have the panel in the garage or the lowest level. We check clearances and the route of the incoming service. If moving the panel suits a renovation better, we include it in the price and the Toronto Hydro request.
Does the basement suite need its own panel?
Many suites get a sub-panel fed from the main panel, so the tenant can reset their own breakers. Whether that's required or simply sensible depends on the layout and your designer's drawings. We plan it with the load calculation.
How much does a panel upgrade cost?
It depends on the house. The biggest factor is whether the hydro service to your house is overhead or underground, followed by where the meter and panel sit and how much wiring needs to move. The utility matters too: Toronto Hydro charges a fee for the disconnect and reconnect, which Alectra and Hydro One customers usually don't pay. Send us photos of your panel and meter for a first idea, and we give you a fixed written quote after a site visit.
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