Toronto · Toronto Hydro service area
EV charger installation in Toronto
In Toronto, where you park decides how your charger is installed: a laneway garage, a rear parking pad, a front pad or a condo spot. We plan the circuit route for your setup, check the panel and file the ESA permit.
Toronto parking
Four common setups, four different installs
Few Toronto houses have a two-car garage beside the kitchen. More often, the car sits in a detached garage off a rear lane, on a parking pad at the back of the lot, on a front yard pad, or in a condo's underground parking. Each of those changes how far the circuit travels, whether the charger needs to be weather-rated, and who else has to approve it.
| Where you park | How the circuit gets there | Things to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Laneway or rear garage | From the house panel to the garage, usually underground across the yard | Trench route, yard restoration, optional garage sub-panel |
| Rear parking pad | Along the back wall to an exterior charger | Weather-rated charger, cable management, lighting |
| Front yard pad | Through the front wall or basement to an exterior charger | Only on a legal pad; placement near the front door or porch |
| Condo parking | From the building's electrical room to your spot | Board approval, metering and billing, common elements |
The panel
Older Toronto panels and EV chargers
A Level 2 charger is one of the largest single loads a house can have, and many older Toronto homes still run on a 100 amp service or less. We do a load calculation before recommending anything. The answer is usually one of three: the panel has room and the charger goes on its own circuit; a load management device lets the charger use capacity when the house isn't; or the service needs upgrading first.
If you're in a semi or row house with a fuse panel, the charger is usually the trigger for a panel upgrade in Toronto, and doing both together saves a second visit.
Detached homes in Leaside, North Toronto and the Beaches with a 200 amp service and an attached or rear garage are usually the simplest Toronto installs. Even then, we check how full the panel is and what else is planned, such as a heat pump or a basement kitchen, so the charger doesn't use up the last of the capacity.
Condo owners
For condos downtown and in midtown, we work with your property manager on the electrical side and propose an installation the board can approve. Buildings planning chargers for several owners can read our property managers page. Businesses with staff or customer parking can see our commercial electrical page.
Questions
EV chargers in Toronto: questions
Can I install a charger if I only have street parking?
Not at home. A home charger has to be on your own property, and running a cable across the sidewalk to the street isn't allowed. If you have a legal parking pad, a garage or a condo spot, we can usually make it work.
My garage is at the back, off the lane. How does the power get there?
We run a circuit from the house panel to the garage, usually underground across the yard or along an approved route, then mount the charger inside. If the garage needs more than the charger, such as lighting and outlets, we may feed it with a small sub-panel instead.
Do I need a panel upgrade for an EV charger?
Not always. A Level 2 charger needs its own 240-volt circuit, usually 40 to 60 amps. We do a load calculation on your home first. If your panel has room, we install the charger on its own circuit. If it doesn't, the options are a panel or service upgrade, or in some homes a load management device that lets the charger share capacity. We'll tell you which applies.
Is your work guaranteed?
Every job comes with our 1-year workmanship warranty. Products carry their own manufacturer warranties on top of that, and standby generators can be covered by extended manufacturer warranties.
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