More Ontario homes and businesses are switching to electric: heat pumps, EV chargers, induction ranges, electric water heaters. Each one is a big electrical load, and many older homes were wired for far less. Before you buy, it pays to know whether your panel and service can handle it.
What uses the most power
- EV chargers: a Level 2 charger is one of the biggest continuous loads in a home.
- Heat pumps: the outdoor unit, plus any electric backup heat, needs dedicated circuits sized to the equipment.
- Induction ranges and electric ovens: large 240V circuits.
- Electric water heaters, dryers, hot tubs: more 240V loads that add up.
Your HVAC contractor or equipment supplier will specify what the heat pump needs; the electrical side is where we come in.
60, 100 or 200 amps: what do you have?
The size of your service (shown on the main breaker in your panel) sets the ceiling. Many older homes in the GTA still have 60 or 100 amp services, while newer homes usually have 200 amps. Adding an EV charger and a heat pump to a 100 amp service often needs a closer look, and a 60 amp service usually needs an upgrade.
A load calculation gives the real answer
Guessing is not good enough. A licensed electrician does a load calculation based on the electrical code: the size of the home, your existing appliances and the new equipment. It shows whether there is room for the new loads, and how much.
Your options if there is not enough capacity
- Panel upgrade: a new panel with more breaker spaces, when capacity is fine but the panel is full or outdated.
- Service upgrade: a larger service (for example from 100 to 200 amps), coordinated with your local utility.
- Load management: devices such as EV energy management systems (EVEMS) let an EV charger share capacity with the rest of the house, which can avoid a service upgrade.
- Plan the order: if you will add several electric appliances over the next few years, upgrade once for all of them.
Signs your panel is already struggling
- Breakers that trip often
- Lights that dim when large appliances start
- A panel that feels warm or makes buzzing sounds
- No free spaces, or lots of double-tapped breakers
- An old fuse panel or a panel your insurer has asked about
Permits and the utility
Panel and service upgrades need an ESA notification, filed by your licensed electrical contractor, and service upgrades are coordinated with your local utility. Read more in our guide to ESA permits.
Check for incentives
Ontario and federal programs have supported heat pumps, EV chargers and home energy upgrades. Rules and funding change, so check what is available before you start.
See panel upgrades and EV charger installation. For businesses, see commercial panel and service upgrades.
Talk to a licensed electrical contractor
North York Electrical Inc. has served businesses, facilities and homeowners across the Greater Toronto Area since 1996. We are ESA-licensed (#7011426), insured and WSIB-covered, estimates are free, and we offer 24/7 emergency service, 365 days a year. Call (647) 990-2696 or send us your project details.
