- York Mills
- Solar Electricians
88/100 SolarPanelFinder Score
- Says it is insured
- Says about 25 years going
6/6 details published6 of 6 details published
How Much Does Solar Electrical Work Cost in Toronto in 2026?
Last updated By The SolarPanelFinder Rooftop Desk
- Licensed electrician, Toronto hourly rate
- $95–$150per hour (CAD): Licensed electrician, Toronto hourly rate (City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026))
- Panel upgrade to 200 amp, Toronto, ESA permit included
- $3,200–$4,500per job (CAD): Panel upgrade to 200 amp, Toronto, ESA permit included (City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026))
- 100 amp to 200 amp panel upgrade, Ontario
- $2,800–$5,000per job, ESA permit and inspection included (CAD): 100 amp to 200 amp panel upgrade, Ontario (Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026)
- ESA permit and inspection on general residential electrical work
- $200–$450per job depending on scope (CAD): ESA permit and inspection on general residential electrical work (Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026)
- Service call minimum, Toronto
- $150–$250per visit (CAD): Service call minimum, Toronto (City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026))
The electrical side is quoted separately from the panels on most jobs, and it is where a straightforward install turns expensive. An older service that cannot carry the new circuit needs a panel upgrade first. Long conduit runs from a detached roof, a new disconnect, meter work and the inspection fee are each their own line on the quote.
Every row names its source
What does the electrical work on a solar job cost?
These solar electrical work figures rest on 2 independent published sources across 12 rows. Each row quotes the sentence its own source used, and nothing here is an average of several.
per job (CAD)
3 published bands on one scale
Panel replacement at the same amperage
$1,800–$3,000
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Fuse box to breaker panel conversion
$2,200–$3,800
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Panel upgrade to 200 amp, Toronto, ESA permit included
$3,200–$4,500
City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026)
add-on to the job (CAD)
2 published bands on one scale
Moving an electrical panel to a new location
$500–$1,200
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Meter base replacement where it cannot carry 200 amp service
$600–$1,400
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
per job, ESA permit and inspection included (CAD)
One published band. Nothing else in this table shares its unit.
100 amp to 200 amp panel upgrade, Ontario
$2,800–$5,000
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
per sub-panel (CAD)
One published band. Nothing else in this table shares its unit.
Sub-panel for a workshop, garage or basement suite
$900–$1,800
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
per job depending on scope (CAD)
One published band. Nothing else in this table shares its unit.
ESA permit and inspection on general residential electrical work
$200–$450
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
per circuit (CAD)
One published band. Nothing else in this table shares its unit.
Additional dedicated circuit
$200–$450
Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
per inspection (CAD)
One published band. Nothing else in this table shares its unit.
Home electrical safety inspection, Toronto
$250–$400
City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026)
per visit (CAD)
One published band. Nothing else in this table shares its unit.
Service call minimum, Toronto
$150–$250
City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026)
per hour (CAD)
One published band. Nothing else in this table shares its unit.
Licensed electrician, Toronto hourly rate
$95–$150
City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026)
| Item and what the figure covers | Typical range | Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed electrician, Toronto hourly rateHourly, for troubleshooting, small repairs and service calls, and normally on top of a $150-$250 service call minimum covering the first hour. The source attributes the top of the range to master electricians carrying ECRA/ESA licensing, liability insurance and WSIB. | $95–$150 | per hour (CAD) | City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026) |
| Panel upgrade to 200 amp, Toronto, ESA permit includedFlat-rate, ESA permit included. Stated as typical 2026 GTA pricing by a named Toronto electrical contractor, not a survey. | $3,200–$4,500 | per job (CAD) | City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026) |
| 100 amp to 200 amp panel upgrade, OntarioIncludes the ESA permit and inspection; the source says a quote that excludes the permit is a red flag. Final price moves with meter base condition, panel location and how many extra circuits are needed. | $2,800–$5,000 | per job, ESA permit and inspection included (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| ESA permit and inspection on general residential electrical workVaries with scope. The source states it is required by law on every panel upgrade in Ontario, with no exceptions, so it is not an optional line on a quote. | $200–$450 | per job depending on scope (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| Service call minimum, TorontoPer visit, and it typically includes the first hour of work rather than being charged on top of it. The source says the minimum covers travel, a stocked truck, insurance and licensing overhead. | $150–$250 | per visit (CAD) | City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026) |
| Panel replacement at the same amperageSame amperage, so not an upgrade. Includes the ESA permit and inspection, per the source's own statement covering this list of prices. | $1,800–$3,000 | per job (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| Fuse box to breaker panel conversionIncludes the ESA permit and inspection, per the source's statement covering this price list. | $2,200–$3,800 | per job (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| Meter base replacement where it cannot carry 200 amp serviceAn add-on, only where the utility meter base cannot handle 200-amp service. The local utility does the meter swap but the homeowner pays for the base and the electrician's labour. | $600–$1,400 | add-on to the job (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| Sub-panel for a workshop, garage or basement suiteStated as what this 'typically' costs, and includes the ESA permit and inspection per the source's statement covering this list. | $900–$1,800 | per sub-panel (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| Additional dedicated circuitPer circuit, on top of the panel work. The source gives kitchen appliances, bathroom outlets and a home office as the usual reasons. | $200–$450 | per circuit (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| Moving an electrical panel to a new locationAn add-on to the job, not a standalone price. Driven by labour hours where the panel sits in a tight closet or awkward corner. | $500–$1,200 | add-on to the job (CAD) | Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026 |
| Home electrical safety inspection, TorontoIncludes a written report. Stated as typical 2026 GTA pricing by a named Toronto electrical contractor. | $250–$400 | per inspection (CAD) | City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026) |
Drawn from this page's own rows
How the parts of this job fit together
The jobs whose price already carries the ESA permit, and the lines billed on top
The named Toronto contractor behind most of this table states which of its flat rates already include the ESA permit and inspection. That is the single most useful thing to check on a competing quote.
The permit is already inside these
flat rate, per the source's own statement
Panel upgrade to 200 amp
$3,200–$4,500
per job (CAD), City Power Electrical Services, Toronto electrician cost (2026)
A 100 to 200 amp upgrade quoted province-wide
The source says a quote that excludes the permit is a red flag.
$2,800–$5,000
per job, ESA permit and inspection included (CAD), Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Panel replacement at the same amperage
$1,800–$3,000
per job (CAD), Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Fuse box to breaker panel conversion
$2,200–$3,800
per job (CAD), Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Billed on top of the job
each one conditional on what the site turns out to be
A meter base that cannot carry 200 amp service
The utility does the meter swap. The homeowner pays for the base and the electrician's labour.
$600–$1,400
add-on to the job (CAD), Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Moving the panel to a new location
Driven by labour hours where the panel sits in a tight closet or awkward corner.
$500–$1,200
add-on to the job (CAD), Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
Each additional dedicated circuit
$200–$450
per circuit (CAD), Superior Power Electric, Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost Ontario 2026
The utility's connection impact assessment
It differs by distributor and is not published here.
Thirteen percent HST on labour and materials
What do the terms on this page mean?
Three words a solar electrical work quote will use without explaining.
- Service entrance
- Where the utility's supply enters the building and meets your panel. If it cannot carry the added array, it has to be upgraded before solar goes on.
- Connection impact assessment
- The fee a distributor charges to assess a residential solar connection. Toronto Hydro, Alectra and Hydro One do not charge the same amount.
- Meter base
- The enclosure holding the utility meter. A base rated below 200 amps has to be replaced as part of a panel upgrade, and it is a separate line from the panel itself.
What drives the price?
Size, site access and the condition of what is already there move solar electrical work pricing more than anything else in Toronto. Each factor below is drawn from the sources above, so you can read a quote and see where the money goes.
- Existing service size, since a 100 amp panel usually has to become 200 amp at $2,800 to $5,000 before an array or a charger is added
- Whether the meter base can carry the new service, which adds $600 to $1,400
- How far the new circuit runs and how hard the walls are to open, both billed at $95 to $150 an hour in Toronto
- Number of dedicated circuits needed, at $200 to $450 each
- Whether the panel has to move, which adds $500 to $1,200
- Permit scope, at $200 to $450 of ESA permit and inspection fees on general residential electrical work
- Utility connection charges for the connection impact assessment, which vary by distributor and are not published here
What's specific to Ontario and Toronto?
HST at 13 percent, an ESA Notification of Work filed before the job starts, and a municipal permit that differs city by city are the three Ontario rules that change the number on a quote. Toronto's freeze-thaw cycle changes the specification.
- Every solar PV installation connected to the electrical system in Ontario needs an ESA permit, filed as a Notification of Work by a licensed Electrical Contractor through esasafe.com before work begins (SurgePV). The minimum fee for a residential notification is $88 (Electrical Safety Authority).
- ESA wiring and licensing fees rose 1.9 percent effective 1 April 2026 (SurgePV), so older quotes understate the permit line slightly.
- The ESA permit is required by law on every panel upgrade in Ontario, and Superior Power Electric prices it at $200 to $450 depending on scope.
- Connecting the array is a separate step handled by your local distribution company, not by ESA. All roughly 60 Ontario LDCs must offer net metering, and the application (Form C at 10 kW and under, Form B above) is filed after the ESA Certificate of Inspection (SurgePV). Exported power is credited against your bill, not paid to you.
- The utility charges a connection impact assessment on a residential solar connection, and what you pay depends on which distributor serves your address - Toronto Hydro, Alectra and Hydro One do not charge the same. The per-distributor figures this guide published came from a source that has deleted its Canadian pages, so they have been removed. Ask your installer to confirm the assessment fee for your distributor before you sign.
- Ontario HST is 13 percent and applies to electrical labour and materials, so a $3,200 Toronto panel upgrade is about $3,616 all in.
How can I pay less?
You can keep solar electrical work costs down without cutting the parts that matter. These are the levers GTA homeowners actually use, each tied to a real number above.
- Bundle the electrical work. A single visit that upgrades the panel, adds the solar circuit and lands an EV charger avoids paying a $150 to $250 service call minimum three times.
- Ask whether the quoted price includes the ESA permit. Superior Power Electric includes it in every listed price and City Power includes it in its $3,200 to $4,500 panel upgrade, but not every contractor does.
- Have the service assessed before the array is designed. Finding out mid-install that the service entrance needs upgrading is worse than pricing it up front, and a meter base that cannot carry 200 amp service adds $600 to $1,400 on its own.
- Get the meter base checked at the same time. At $600 to $1,400 it is the most common surprise on a 200 amp upgrade.
- Consider a sub-panel at $900 to $1,800 instead of a full upgrade if the existing service has capacity and you only need more circuit positions.
- Compare three itemised quotes for the same scope, since the Ontario band for a 200 amp upgrade is $2,800 to $5,000 and that spread is real money on identical work.
How did we research these numbers?
Every solar electrical work figure above was re-checked against its own source in August 2026: the number has to appear in that document, in a sentence about the same job, or the row came off. Here is what the 2 surviving sources say.
- Panel upgrade quotes cluster tightly, which is unusual for GTA trades. City Power puts a Toronto 200 amp upgrade at $3,200 to $4,500 with the ESA permit included, and Superior Power Electric gives $2,800 to $5,000 across Ontario on the same basis. We show both, so the honest band is $2,800 to $5,000.
- Toronto electrician labour is $95 to $150 an hour with a $150 to $250 service call minimum (City Power). That minimum is why a single small solar-related fix costs more than the hour it takes.
- Two different permits get confused with each other. The ESA notification covers the electrical work and is filed by a licensed Electrical Contractor. The connection impact assessment is a separate utility charge for connecting a generator to the grid, and it differs between Toronto Hydro, Alectra and Hydro One. The per-distributor amounts this guide published came from a source that has deleted its Canadian pages and have been removed.
- ESA fee figures depend on the job. Superior Power Electric quotes $200 to $450 for permit and inspection on general residential work, and says it is required by law on every panel upgrade in Ontario with no exceptions. That sits above the Electrical Safety Authority's stated $88 minimum for a residential notification, which is a floor for the paperwork alone rather than a price for permit plus inspection. The solar-specific figures this guide used to carry came from a source that has deleted its Canadian pages and are no longer shown.
- The electrical costs most often missed in a solar quote are a service entrance upgrade and a meter base replacement, neither of which shows up until an electrician looks at the existing service. Superior Power Electric prices the meter base at $600 to $1,400. The service entrance figure this guide carried came from a source that has deleted its Canadian pages and is no longer shown.
- Superior Power Electric states that every price on its list includes the ESA permit and inspection. Not every contractor does that, so ask before comparing two numbers.
Sources
Who can do the work?
SolarPanelFinder tracks 5 solar electricians across the Greater Toronto Area, rated 4.97★ on average. The three below rank highest on our published score, based on SolarPanelFinder's analysis of 5 GTA businesses, August 2026.
- East York
- Solar Electricians
58/100 SolarPanelFinder Score
6/6 details published6 of 6 details published
- Leaside
- Solar Electricians
56/100 SolarPanelFinder Score
- Says it is licensed
- Says it is with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)
4/6 details published4 of 6 details published
What solar electrical work work looks like around the GTA
Photographs the companies on this list published themselves, at the size they were taken rather than as a thumbnail.
Solary
Willowdale
Toronto Solar Solutions
Leaside
Power Blitz Electrical
York Mills
Pan-Electric Solutions Inc
East York
ElectricCa Inc.
Leaside
Solary
Willowdale
Calculators
Work it out for your own place
These run the same published figures as the table above against numbers you enter yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the electrical work for solar cost in Toronto?
- The two big items are a panel upgrade and the permits. A 200 amp upgrade runs $3,200 to $4,500 in Toronto with the ESA permit included, or $2,800 to $5,000 across Ontario. A meter base that cannot carry 200 amp service adds $600 to $1,400. ESA permit and inspection on general residential work is $200 to $450. The solar-specific ESA and utility connection figures this guide used to give came from a source that has deleted its Canadian pages and have been removed rather than estimated.
What do Toronto electricians charge per hour in 2026?
- $95 to $150 an hour, with a service call minimum of $150 to $250 covering the first visit, according to City Power Electrical Services. That minimum is why small jobs cost more than their labour time suggests, and why bundling work into one visit saves real money.
Do I need to upgrade my panel to install solar?
- Only if the existing service cannot carry the array. Where it cannot, a 100 amp to 200 amp upgrade is $2,800 to $5,000 including the ESA permit, and a meter base that cannot handle 200 amp service adds another $600 to $1,400. A panel replacement at the same amperage, which is not an upgrade, is $1,800 to $3,000.
What is the ESA permit and what does it cost?
- It is a Notification of Work filed with the Electrical Safety Authority by a licensed Electrical Contractor before any solar or panel work starts. The minimum residential notification fee is $88, and ESA fees rose 1.9 percent effective 1 April 2026. For the permit and inspection together on general residential work, Superior Power Electric quotes $200 to $450 depending on scope. The solar-specific band this guide used to publish came from a source that has since deleted its Canadian pages, so it has been removed rather than replaced.
Is the utility connection fee the same as the ESA permit?
- No, they are separate charges for separate things. ESA covers the safety of the electrical work and is filed by a licensed Electrical Contractor; on general residential work Superior Power Electric puts permit and inspection at $200 to $450. The connection impact assessment is what your electricity distributor charges to connect a generator to its grid, and Toronto Hydro, Alectra and Hydro One do not charge the same. We no longer publish the per-distributor amounts: the source for them has deleted its Canadian pages.
Does 13 percent HST apply to electrical work in Ontario?
- Yes, on labour and materials. A $3,200 panel upgrade is about $3,616 with HST, and a $450 ESA line becomes about $509. Confirm whether a quote is tax-in before comparing it with another.
Questions to ask your installer
- What is your ECRA/ESA contractor licence number?
- Will you file the ESA notification and be on site for the inspection?
- Does the existing service and panel have capacity, or is an upgrade needed? Panel upgrade pricing
- Where will the disconnects sit, and will they be labelled?
- Is any panel upgrade quoted separately from the solar wiring? Line-by-line electrical costs
Which other costs should I check before I commit?
Solar Electrical Work rarely arrives on its own. These three price what usually lands on the same project.
- Solar Panel Installation costsHow a Toronto rooftop system is priced by size, panel tier, roof access and electrical work.
- Solar Battery Storage costsBattery pricing by usable kilowatt hours, hybrid inverter choice and how much of the house is backed up.
- Solar Design and Consulting costsAssessment, shading and yield study, permit drawing and engineering stamp fees, priced per project.
Compare solar electrical work companies across the GTA
This site does not take quote requests and passes nothing to anyone. Every profile shows the company's own phone number and website, so you contact whoever you want to, directly.