How to Choose an Electrician in Toronto: 7 Checks Before You Hire

Hiring an electrician in Toronto is mostly about verification, not vibes. Every legitimate electrical contractor in Ontario must meet the same legal minimums — and all of them are checkable in minutes before you let anyone touch your panel.

1. Look up the ESA/ECRA licence

Every electrical contractor in Ontario must hold an ECRA/ESA licence, and every one of them is listed in the Electrical Safety Authority's public contractor lookup. Ask for the licence number and check it. If a company is not in that registry, they cannot legally do electrical work for hire in Ontario — full stop.

2. Ask for a WSIB clearance certificate

A WSIB clearance certificate proves the contractor's workplace-insurance premiums are paid. Without it, if a worker is hurt on your property, liability can land on you. Legitimate contractors provide one in minutes; it is a routine request.

3. Confirm liability insurance

Ask for proof of commercial liability insurance. Established contractors carry it and expect the question.

4. Who pulls the ESA permit?

Panel upgrades, service changes, EV chargers, rewiring and most renovation wiring require an ESA permit. The permit belongs in the contractor's name, under their licence. A contractor who asks you to pull a homeowner permit for work they are performing is shifting the legal responsibility — and the inspection risk — onto you. That is a red flag.

5. Get the quote in writing, with the permit included

A proper quote names the scope, the equipment (panel brand, breaker count, device models), the permit, and the inspection. Compare quotes line by line: a cheaper number that excludes the permit, the Hydro coordination, or the certificate is not actually cheaper.

6. You should receive an ESA certificate at the end

After the inspection passes, ESA issues a certificate. Insurers, buyers and condo boards ask for it. If a contractor treats the certificate as optional, walk away.

7. Read the reviews for depth, not just the star count

A handful of recent reviews tells you little. Look for hundreds of reviews across years, naming real job types — panel upgrades, knob-and-tube, service calls. Longevity matters: a company trading under the same family name since 1972 has a warranty it will still be around to honour.

The short version

Licensed, insured, WSIB-covered, permits in their own name, written quote, ESA certificate, deep review history. Any contractor who checks all seven boxes is a safe hire; any who fails one is not.

Tron Electrical & Automation checks all seven — ESA licence 7016193, fully insured, permits and certificates on every job, 500+ five-star reviews, family-run since 1972.