In short
- HomeStars puts Ottawa electricians at about $100–$160 an hour; its Canada-wide 2026 guide gives $80–$130 for mid-size cities such as Ottawa (seen 29.10.2026).
- Ontario law: anyone you hire for electrical work in your home must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor with a 7-digit ECRA/ESA licence number.
- Hydro Ottawa takes outage reports at (613) 738-0188; a downed line is 9-1-1 first.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician, hourly, Ottawa | $100–$160/h | HomeStars Ottawa page |
| Electrician, hourly, mid-size cities | $80–$130/h | HomeStars Canada-wide 2026 guide, Ottawa named |
| First hour of a service call | $100–$200 | Canada-wide; covers travel and the first assessment |
| Short repair after hours | $300–$600 | Canada-wide; where a 2–4 hour emergency minimum applies |
| ESA notification, minimum fee | $92 | ESA 2026 residential fee guide; applies to the fees it marks |
Sources. HomeStars, Electricians in Ottawa, cost section, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Electrician Hourly Rate in Canada: 2026 Guide, Canada-wide, published 30.06.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Fees: ESA, 2026 Residential Fees Quick Reference Guide and ESA, Fees, seen 29.10.2026. Rules: ESA, Finding the Right Contractor, Notifications and Inspections, Identifying an Unlicensed Electrical Contractor, Aluminum Wiring, Knob and Tube, EV Charging Systems, seen 29.10.2026. Utility: Hydro Ottawa, Outage information, Outdoor and power line safety, Electrical service requests, seen 29.10.2026. Alarms: Ottawa Fire Services, Smoke alarms and Carbon monoxide alarms, seen 29.10.2026. Loan: Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, guide for home renovation businesses, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars ranges are guide figures; the company that calls you sets its own price.
Where each answer leads on this site
Paperwork in full: ESA permits in Ottawa. Money, job by job: what an electrician costs in Ottawa. A smell, sparks or half a house dark: urgent electrical trouble. Insurer letters about 1970s wiring: aluminum wiring.
Figures with a date on them
ESA’s 2026 fee guide took effect April 1, 2026, after a 1.9% increase. Ontario’s Fire Code changed its CO alarm rules on January 1, 2026, adding homes heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance outside the home.
Papers to keep after any electrical job
- The signed agreement, with the total, the taxes and the payment schedule.
- The ESA Certificate of Acceptance.
- Hydro Ottawa’s customer layout and receipts from a service upgrade or mast repair.
- Any letter from your insurer about the wiring, and the reply you sent.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Electric Desk takes your request and passes it to one independent local electrical contracting company. That company calls you back, sets its own price and terms, and does the work.
Questions people ask
Can I hire an electrician directly, or does it have to be a company?
A company. ESA says a Licensed Electrical Contractor is the only business in Ontario that can be hired for electrical work in your home. Certified electricians and master electricians work for those businesses and cannot be hired on their own. The 7-digit ECRA/ESA number belongs on the van, the card and the estimate.
Our general contractor runs the renovation. Who does the wiring?
A Licensed Electrical Contractor brought in for it. ESA states that general contractors hold no licence for electrical work. Ask for that company’s name and licence number before the walls close.
Who files the ESA notification, and when?
Whoever does the work, before it starts; the contractor you hire handles it. ESA calls it a red flag when a contractor asks you to file in your own name. A City building permit is a separate file, and some jobs need both.
What does the ESA fee come to in 2026?
ESA’s 2026 residential guide sets a $92 minimum for an inspection notification. It lists $46 at the contractor rate for 1 to 10 outlets with no service work. A service or panel change is listed at $86, a fee marked to rise to the $92 minimum when the notification totals less.
Which inspections should I expect?
ESA names three. A service inspection after an upgrade, with the utility disconnecting power until it passes. A rough-in inspection before insulation or drywall covers the wiring. A final one at the end. Work that falls short gets a defect notice listing the corrections.
Where does the Certificate of Acceptance go?
ESA issues it to whoever filed the notification, usually your contractor. Ask your contractor for the certificate for your records; ESA calls it an important document for insurance and resale. You can also call ESA at 1-877-ESA-SAFE to request one.
What does an electrician charge per hour in Ottawa?
Two published bands. The HomeStars Ottawa page gives about $100–$160 an hour and says some firms price per service. Its Canada-wide 2026 guide puts mid-size cities such as Ottawa at $80–$130.
Why am I billed a full hour for a 20-minute fix?
HomeStars says most pros charge $100–$200 for the first hour whatever the size of the job, because the rate covers travel and the first assessment. The guide advises combining several small tasks into one visit, so the call fee is paid once; list every small job in your request.
What does a night or weekend call add?
After-hours work runs 1.5 to 2 times the standard rate, per the 2026 guide. Some pros set a two-to-four-hour minimum on emergency calls, so a 30-minute repair can reach $300–$600. Weekday daytime costs less.
The lights went out. Hydro Ottawa or an electrician?
If the neighbours are dark, Hydro Ottawa: MyAccount, its app, a text of OUT to 797688, or (613) 738-0188. Power missing only in your house goes to an electrician; see the urgent cases page.
A power line is down on our street.
Hydro Ottawa says call 9-1-1 first, then Hydro Ottawa at (613) 738-6400. Stay at least 10 metres from the wire and anything it touches.
Who pays to fix a mast pulled off the wall?
Hydro Ottawa owns the wires from the pole to the house. You own the mast, the wires inside it, the meter base and the wires to your panel. Hydro Ottawa notes many home insurance policies cover mast repairs; keep every receipt. A temporary repair approved by ESA has to be made permanent within 30 days.
Does a service upgrade involve Hydro Ottawa?
Yes. Its Service Request form goes in three to four weeks before the project. Hydro Ottawa makes contact within 10 business days and emails a customer layout with the work and estimated costs. Each property gets one free layout per rolling 12 months.
Our house is from the 1970s. Will the insurer ask about aluminum wiring?
It may. ESA says homes built from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s may have aluminum wiring, and some insurers will not provide or renew coverage without an ESA inspection. Repairs and a Certificate of Acceptance can follow. ESA says each home must be assessed on its own.
And knob-and-tube in an older house?
ESA dates it to the early 1900s through the 1940s and says many insurers will not provide or renew coverage on a home that has it. Some ask for it to be replaced first. Ask your insurer for its conditions in writing and attach them to your request.
Does a Level 2 charger need a permit, and can the City loan cover it?
ESA requires a permit for every EV charger installation, filed before work starts; Level 2 draws about what a stove or dryer does, 240 V and 30 A. The Better Homes Ottawa loan lists Level 2 chargers: a 20-year term at 4.33% fixed, $10,000 minimum, for costs after its Notice to Proceed.
Which smoke and CO alarms must an Ottawa home have?
Ottawa Fire Services: a smoke alarm on every level and outside every sleeping area. Homes built after 2014 need one in every bedroom too, interconnected, with at least seven days of battery backup and a strobe. Homes with a fuel-fired appliance, fireplace or attached garage need CO alarms. Replace smoke alarms at the 7–10 year mark.
Can the final bill come in above the quote?
Within limits. Ontario requires a written agreement for a contract over $50 and caps the bill at 10% above an included estimate unless you sign a change. The Province recommends a deposit of 10% or less, and a contract signed at home gives you 10 days to cancel.
