Toronto · Toronto Hydro service area
Electrical panel upgrades in Toronto's older homes
Century semis, row houses and pre-war detached homes are where Toronto's oldest panels live. We replace fuse boxes and undersized panels with modern 200 amp service, working around narrow side yards, shared walls and plaster.
Older Toronto homes
Where the city's oldest panels are
Large parts of Toronto were built before the 1940s: semis and row houses in Leslieville, Riverdale, the Danforth and Roncesvalles, and bigger detached homes in the Annex, Rosedale and Leaside. Many of them have had their panel changed once, decades ago. Some never have, and still run on a 60 amp fuse box in the basement or a 100 amp panel that has been filled to the last space.
Those panels were never meant for a modern kitchen, central air, a basement renovation and an electric car. They also make insurers nervous. A fuse panel, or a panel with replacement parts that are hard to find, is a common reason a policy comes with conditions on an older Toronto house.
What makes Toronto upgrades different
Working in the old city means working in tight spaces. The meter is often on a narrow side wall facing the neighbour's house, or on the back of the house with the service drop coming in from a pole in the rear lane. Basements can have low ceilings and stone or block foundations. And where original wiring is still in use, we need to know where it is before we move circuits to a new panel, because the panel change is a good moment to find it.
What you might have
Fuses, 100 amps or 200 amps
| 60 amp fuse panel | 100 amp breaker panel | 200 amp panel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to tell | Screw-in or cartridge fuses | Breakers, main reads 100 | Breakers, main reads 200 |
| Room for new circuits | Little or none | Often full in older homes | Usually plenty |
| Insurers | Commonly flagged | Depends on age and model | Rarely an issue |
| EV charger or heat pump | Not without an upgrade | Sometimes, after a load calculation | Usually yes |
Signs
When a Toronto home is due
Fuses still in the basement
Especially if spare fuses are kept on top of the box because they blow regularly.
An insurer's letter
A request to update the panel or wiring before renewal.
Renovation drawings
A new kitchen, a basement suite or a rear addition on the way.
Lights dim when things start
The air conditioner, the dryer or the microwave pulls the lights down.
Upgrade day in the old city
How we keep it tidy
Toronto Hydro disconnects the service in the morning, and from then on the clock is running. We arrive with the panel pre-planned so every circuit has a known home, protect floors and finishes between the door and the basement, and work around shared walls without disturbing the neighbours' supply. Old circuits are traced and labelled as they move, so the new directory is accurate rather than a guess.
Once ESA has inspected and authorized the connection, Toronto Hydro restores power. Most homes are back on the same day. For the city-wide overview, see our panel upgrades page.
Planned renovation?
Upgrade first, then renovate
Doing the service before the kitchen or basement means the new circuits go straight into the new panel instead of being moved twice.
Renovation electricalQuestions
Panel upgrades in Toronto: questions
My insurer flagged the panel in my Toronto semi. What do they usually want?
Usually proof that a fuse panel or an older panel model has been replaced, and sometimes information about the wiring behind it. After the upgrade you'll have the ESA Certificate of Acceptance, which is the document insurers and buyers ask for. If the insurer also asked about knob-and-tube or other early wiring, tell us when you book so we can look at that at the same visit.
Our meter is on a narrow side wall shared with the neighbour's walkway. Is that a problem?
It's common in Toronto and usually workable. We check working clearances, how the service drop reaches the house, and whether the meter can stay where it is or should move. If moving it makes sense, it's part of the quote and the Toronto Hydro request.
Do you take out the ESA permit?
Yes. In Ontario, the licensed contractor files the notification of work with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and books the inspection. We handle it on every job that needs one, and you get the ESA Certificate of Acceptance when the work passes. Keep it: insurers and home buyers often ask for it.
How long is the power off during a panel upgrade?
Usually most of one working day. The utility disconnects the service in the morning, we swap the panel and service equipment, and power is reconnected once the work is ready. We book the utility appointment for you and tell you the date in advance.
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