In short
- Nepean, west of Ottawa's inner core, was a city from 1978 until amalgamation in 2001; it had 186,593 residents in 2021.
- Its population grew from 9,183 in 1956 to 76,892 in 1976, so many of its houses date from those two decades.
- ESA says homes built from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s may have aluminum wiring.
- Outlet replacement runs $80–$200 and a breaker $130–$250 (HomeStars, Canada-wide 2026 guide).
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet replacement | $80–$200 | Canada-wide |
| Breaker replacement | $130–$250 | Canada-wide, per breaker |
| Light fixture replacement | $150–$300 | One Ottawa firm’s published list |
| Extra for aluminum or knob-and-tube | $50–$150 per hour | Canada-wide, on top of the hourly rate |
| 60 A to 100 A service upgrade | $2,000–$3,000 | One Ottawa firm’s published list |
Sources. HomeStars, Electrician Hourly Rate in Canada: 2026 Guide, seen 29.10.2026. One Ottawa firm’s published lists: lighting installation costs and panel upgrade cost guide 2026, seen 29.10.2026. Rules: ESA, Aluminum Wiring, ESA, Knob and Tube Wiring, ESA, Buying a Renovated Home, ESA, Finding the Right Contractor, Hydro Ottawa, Electrical service requests, Ontario, Guide for home renovation businesses, all seen 29.10.2026. Area facts: Wikipedia, Nepean, Hydro Ottawa and the neighbourhood articles in our sources file, read 29.10.2026.
Twenty years that built most of Nepean
Carleton Heights began around 1950 as small veterans’ houses on large lots. Crestview and Manordale are mostly bungalows of the 1950s and early 1960s. Parkwood Hills was planned in 1959, Bayshore first built in 1963, Trend Village in 1964 to 1968. Briargreen dates from the late 1960s and early 1970s, Craig Henry from 1971, Centrepointe from 1984.
An electrician reads those dates as likely conditions: the wiring type, the original panel, how many circuits owners have added since. City View mixes homes from the 1930s to the 1960s with infill built since the early 2000s, so two houses on one street can need very different work. Put the build year in the request.
Wiring by decade
1930s and 1940s. ESA dates knob and tube to the early 1900s through the 1940s.
Mid-1960s to late 1970s. The aluminum window, which takes in Trend Village, Briargreen and early Craig Henry. The Ontario Electrical Safety Code permits aluminum, and ESA calls it safe when connections are made without damaging the wire and only devices approved for it are used. See the aluminum wiring page.
1980s on. Centrepointe and later infill fall after both windows.
HomeStars says work around either older type takes more time and typically adds $50 to $150 an hour. Name your wiring in the request, or write that you are unsure.
What a repair costs in an older house
HomeStars puts electricians in mid-size cities such as Ottawa at $80 to $130 an hour. The first hour of a call usually runs $100 to $200, covering travel and assessment, and after-hours work costs 1.5 to 2 times the rate. Permits are priced separately: HomeStars puts residential electrical permits at $75 to $250 depending on municipality and scope.
In a 1960s house the price also depends on what sits inside the box: old splices, two-slot outlets with no ground, aluminum conductors that need approved connectors. HomeStars advises mentioning an older panel or ungrounded outlets up front.
Fuses, 60 A and the panel question
If the house still has fuses or a 60 A service, say so. One Ottawa firm lists a 60 A to 100 A upgrade at $2,000 to $3,000 and 100 A to 200 A at $3,000 to $5,000. HomeStars says older 60 A and 100 A panels often need an upgrade before an EV charger, a hot tub or a large kitchen renovation; the 100 A or 200 A page compares them.
A service change goes through Hydro Ottawa, formed in 2000 from Nepean Hydro and four other utilities. Its Service Request form goes in three to four weeks before the work. Hydro Ottawa contacts you within 10 business days, then sends a customer layout with the work and estimated costs. Ask the company whether it files the form.
Buying or renovating a 1960s house
ESA says the buyer is responsible by law for finding out whether a property has open electrical notifications; your lawyer can ask ESA for a Search of Records before closing. An electrical assessment looks only at the wiring and panel, narrower than a general home inspection; the home purchase inspection page covers it.
ESA says anyone you hire must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor with a 7-digit ECRA/ESA licence number, and whoever does the work files the notification. A contractor who asks you to file in your name is a red flag. Ontario requires a written agreement for contracts over $50, and the bill may exceed a written estimate by 10% at most without a signed change.
Storms and the outside wall
In September 2018, the storm that spawned six tornadoes around Ottawa caused widespread damage in Arlington Woods and Craig Henry. With overhead service, Hydro Ottawa owns the wires from the pole; you own the mast, meter base and the wires to the panel. Call (613) 738-6418 so Hydro Ottawa confirms which parts are yours. A contractor applies for the ESA permit, repairs your side and passes an ESA inspection; Hydro Ottawa needs the repair done before it reconnects power. See storm damage.
Who takes your request
Ottawa Electric Desk passes what you write to one independent electrical contracting company that works in Nepean and the west end. That company calls you back, quotes the job and does the work.
Questions to ask the company
- Have you worked on aluminum branch wiring, and which devices approved for aluminum will you use?
- What is your 7-digit ECRA/ESA licence number, and will you file the ESA notification?
- If the old wiring needs more than the repair I asked for, will you price that part separately first?
- Will I get the ESA Certificate of Acceptance for my insurer?
- Can you put the price, parts and HST in writing before you start?
Have this ready for the call
- Postal code and the nearest of Baseline, Merivale, Woodroffe, Greenbank, Fisher or Richmond Road
- Year the house was built, or at least the neighbourhood name
- Photo of the open panel with its labels
- Photo of the outlet, switch or fixture, and whether your outlets have two slots or three
- Any insurer letter or inspection report that mentions the wiring
Questions people ask
My Nepean house was built in 1968. Does it have aluminum wiring?
It may. ESA puts the window at the mid-1960s to late 1970s and says each home has to be assessed on its own. Give the build year so the company sends someone who works with aluminum.
My insurer wants an electrical inspection before it renews. Who arranges it?
ESA says some insurers want an ESA inspection for aluminum wiring before they renew. You may need to repair or replace the wiring and give the insurer a copy of the ESA Certificate of Acceptance; ESA suggests asking the insurer for its requirements. Attach the insurer’s letter to the request.
Part of our City View house dates from the 1940s. What about knob and tube?
ESA dates knob and tube to the early 1900s through the 1940s. Many insurers will not cover a house that has it, and some require it replaced first. ESA recommends an assessment of the electrical system by an electrical contractor.
The house was renovated before we bought it. Can I see what was permitted?
An Access to Information request to ESA reports work done with an ESA notification. Records go back to 2000, and there is a fee.
Does this page cover Barrhaven?
Barrhaven was part of Nepean until 2001 and has its own page here. This one covers the older neighbourhoods, from Bayshore and Bells Corners to Crestview and Fisher Heights.
