Commercial Electrical Services in Toronto and the GTA
We manage the electrical scope on commercial fit-outs and retrofits alongside the cabling, security and AV in the same building. One contractor, one schedule.
The power and the data get installed in the same ceiling
Most projects split the electrical and low-voltage packages between contractors who bid separately and meet for the first time above a ceiling tile. That is where the delays come from. The tray is in the wrong place. The dedicated circuit lands eight feet from the rack.
We take both packages on one set of drawings, one schedule and one number to call.
What we take on
Every item below is performed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor under our project management.
Service and distribution
100A to 600A service upgrades, panel replacement, fuse to breaker, sub-panels, load calculations.
Lighting and controls
LED retrofits, high bay and troffer, occupancy and daylight control, emergency and exit lighting.
Power for IT and AV
Dedicated and isolated-ground circuits, L5-30R and L6-30R for rack UPS, floor boxes, boardroom power.
Fit-outs and tenant work
New offices and workstations, landlord coordination, break room circuits, make-good at lease end.
Conduit and pathway
EMT, rigid and PVC, cable tray and ladder rack, core drilling and fire stopping, fill calculated to code.
Emergency and standby
UPS circuits, generator tie-in and transfer switch work, surge protection, life safety separation.
Maintenance and corrections
Maintenance agreements, ESA order corrections, thermal scanning of panels, fault finding.
Signage and exterior
Illuminated sign circuits, parking and wall pack lighting, photocell control, EV charger circuits.
Low-voltage power
Supplies for access control and mag locks, camera and AP circuits, integrated with our security scope.
Power for the comms room
The electrical for a comms room is a small part of the job and the part most likely to be done wrong, because the electrician is rarely told what is going in the rack.
Circuits sized to the real load. Two 48-port PoE switches at full budget plus a UPS is not a 15A convenience outlet. We size from the equipment list.
Receptacles matched to the UPS. A 3000VA rack UPS usually wants an L6-30R or L5-30R. Finding that out on install day means a delayed cutover.
A telecom ground busbar in the room, so the rack is bonded to ANSI/TIA-607 and not to the nearest bit of conduit.
Separation from the data pathway, so unshielded copper is not running alongside a feeder for thirty metres.
What we ask for before we quote
- Equipment list
- Everything going in the rack with nameplate ratings
- PoE budget
- Number and class of cameras, access points and phones
- UPS model
- Determines the receptacle type and the circuit
- Rack position
- Fixes where the circuits and the busbar land
- Redundancy
- Whether anything needs an A and B feed
Related: rack and cabinet installation, conduit fill guide, Cat6A cabling.
One contractor, or two separate bids
Both are legitimate. This is the honest comparison.
| Power and low voltage with Cablify | Separate electrical and cabling contractors | |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination | One set of drawings, one schedule, one PM | Coordinated by you or the GC, usually in meetings |
| Pathway conflicts | Resolved at drawing stage | Resolved above the ceiling, at cost |
| Comms room | Circuits, ground and rack drawn together | Electrician works from a note that says "power for IT" |
| Cutover | Single sequence across both scopes | Two windows, or one window with two crews |
| Closeout | One party accountable for deficiencies | Split responsibility |
| Best suited to | Fit-outs, relocations, retrofits, multi-site rollouts | Large tendered builds with an existing electrical contractor |
More on the electrical side: commercial electrical contractors in Toronto. More on the low-voltage side: network cabling.
Environments
Permits, inspection and code
Who files. The Licensed Electrical Contractor files the ESA notification of work under their own licence and schedules inspection. You should be given the notification number.
FT4 and FT6, not CMR and CMP. The Canadian Electrical Code uses its own flame ratings. Ontario inspectors look for the Canadian marking, and plenums need FT6.
Two bonding requirements. Equipment bonding to CEC, and telecom bonding to ANSI/TIA-607 for the racks and pathway. Both apply in a comms room.
Home electrical work
Our focus is commercial, but we take on residential work in the western GTA: panel upgrades, fuse to breaker conversions, home office circuits, EV charger installation, and whole-home network and camera projects where the power and the low voltage go in together.
Same Licensed Electrical Contractors. If you are in Mississauga, Oakville or Burlington, start at our Mississauga electrician page.
Common residential requests
- 100A to 200A service upgrade
- Fuse panel replaced with breakers
- Level 2 EV charger circuit
- Home office and studio circuits
- Pot light and exterior lighting
- Whole-home network, Wi-Fi and cameras
Tell us what the space has to do
Send the drawings or a photo of the panel and the room. We will walk the site, scope the electrical and the low voltage together, and come back with one price covering both.
All electrical work is performed by ECRA/ESA-Licensed Electrical Contractors.
Commercial electrical FAQ
Is Cablify a licensed electrical contractor?
Cablify is a low-voltage and systems contractor. All electrical work on our projects is performed by ECRA/ESA-Licensed Electrical Contractors. We hold the project management, the drawings and the coordination between the electrical and the low-voltage scopes. The licensed contractor holds the electrical work and files the ESA notification.
Who pulls the ESA permit?
The Licensed Electrical Contractor performing the work files the notification of work with the Electrical Safety Authority under their own licence and schedules the inspection. You should be given the notification number for your records.
Can you do the electrical and the network cabling together?
That is the reason to call us. The electrical, the structured cabling, the cameras, access control and AV are scoped on one set of drawings with one schedule and one point of contact, which removes the coordination gap that causes most fit-out delays.
Do you work outside business hours?
Yes. Most commercial cutovers, panel changes and retail work are done evenings, weekends or during a planned shutdown. The outage window is agreed before we mobilise.
How fast can you get someone on site?
For scoping and site visits we normally schedule within a few business days. For urgent faults on sites we already look after, response is covered by the maintenance agreement.
Do you give free estimates?
Yes, for commercial work in our service area. Larger retrofits usually need a site visit before a firm number, because panel capacity and existing conditions decide most of the cost.
Can you upgrade our panel without shutting the building down?
Rarely without any outage, but the outage can usually be planned into a few hours at a time that suits you. Where continuity matters, temporary supply or a staged changeover is an option and gets priced separately.
What is the difference between a Licensed Electrical Contractor and a certified electrician?
A certified electrician holds a 309A or 442A certificate of qualification and is allowed to do the work. A Licensed Electrical Contractor holds an ECRA/ESA licence and is the business allowed to offer, bid and take on electrical work in Ontario. Only the licensed contractor can file the ESA notification.
What is the difference between FT4 and FT6 cable, and why does it come up in Ontario?
They are the Canadian Electrical Code flame ratings, used where a US specification would call out CMR and CMP. Ontario inspectors look for the Canadian marking. FT6 is required in plenums and environmental air-handling spaces. More on our Cat6A cabling page.