Electrical Panel Upgrades in Scarborough
KV Bear Electrical is a licensed electrical contractor (ECRA/ESA 7014730) based in Oshawa, serving homeowners in Scarborough. This page covers how our panel upgrade service works for Scarborough homes.
Get a Panel Upgrade Quote in Scarborough
A house wired in the 1960s or 1970s was designed around a fridge, a stove, a few lamps and perhaps a window air conditioner. Add central air, an induction range, a heat pump or an EV charger and a 100 amp panel can run short of both capacity and breaker spaces. Scarborough has a lot of houses from that era: in the Scarborough-Guildwood ward, the City's 2021 profile shows 41.8% of homes built between 1961 and 1980, with another 26.4% older still.
It helps to separate the panel from the service. The panel is the breaker box inside, usually in the basement or a utility room. The service is the mast, meter base and cable that bring power in from Toronto Hydro's lines. A failing panel can sometimes be swapped at its existing size, but moving from 100 amps to 200 amps changes the service as well, and that brings Toronto Hydro into the project through its service upgrade request.
What Scarborough Homeowners Should Know
Toronto Hydro handles residential service upgrades through its online service upgrade request. A representative contacts the customer within 10 business days to review the project; Toronto Hydro then completes a design and estimate and issues a Job Quotation or Offer to Connect, which typically takes up to 60 days once all required information is received. After the electrical work passes an ESA inspection, Toronto Hydro completes the upgrade within approximately five business days for services of 750 volts or less (as of October 2026).
Source: Service upgrade request, Toronto Hydro (torontohydro.com)Toronto Hydro's metering requirements (as of January 1, 2026) say meter sockets are provided and maintained by the customer, and that all new and upgraded services shall be 100 A, 200 A or 400 A and use weatherproof, CSA approved meter sockets. For new and upgraded residential services, the socket is mounted outdoors in a location Toronto Hydro approves.
Source: Reference 6: Metering Requirements 750 Volts or Less, Toronto Hydro (torontohydro.com)Under Toronto Hydro's meter replacement program, which began in May 2024 and runs for about five years, the customer owns the service stack, clevis and meter base, while Toronto Hydro owns the service wire and the meter. Future repairs to the meter base are the customer's responsibility.
Source: Meter replacement program, Toronto Hydro (torontohydro.com)The Electrical Safety Authority explains that for service upgrades, relocations or replacements, the utility must disconnect the power and the new installation must be inspected before power is restored. ESA's authorization for the utility to energize the service is valid for up to six months from the date it is issued.
Source: What is a service/connection inspection and when does it take place?, Electrical Safety Authority (esasafe.com)The City of Toronto's 2021 ward profile for Scarborough-Guildwood shows 15,155 of the ward's 36,250 private dwellings (41.8%) were built between 1961 and 1980, and 9,580 (26.4%) in 1960 or before.
Source: Ward Profile: Scarborough-Guildwood (2021 Census), City of Toronto (toronto.ca)Toronto Hydro's heat pump guide notes that a panel's amperage is typically printed on or near the main breaker, and that most homes have between 100 and 200 amps.
Source: Electric heat pumps guide, Toronto Hydro (torontohydro.com)Across the city line in Durham Region, Elexicon Energy lists Pickering among the ten communities it serves, so a service upgrade in Pickering runs through Elexicon rather than Toronto Hydro.
Source: About Us, Elexicon Energy (elexiconenergy.com)
Facts checked October 13, 2026.
From 100 Amp to 200 Amp: How the Upgrade Runs in Scarborough
The work starts indoors. We complete a load calculation from your appliances and any planned additions, read the existing service size at the main breaker, and check the mast, meter base and grounding. The result tells you whether a 200 amp service is needed or whether a new panel at the current size would cover your plans.
When 200 amps is the answer, the service upgrade request goes to Toronto Hydro with the details it asks for. Once its quotation is accepted, the new panel, meter base and mast are installed under an ESA notification filed by the Licensed Electrical Contractor. Toronto Hydro disconnects the old supply for the changeover, ESA inspects the new service, and the utility reconnects once the inspection passes. Because the utility's paperwork stage alone can take up to 60 days, start early if a heat pump or an EV is on the way.
Electrical Panel Repair or a Full Replacement?
Not every panel problem calls for a bigger service. A breaker that trips under ordinary use, a scorched connection on the bus or a loose termination can sometimes be handled as an electrical panel repair, replacing the failed parts under an ESA notification. That is a sensible route when the panel is otherwise sound, has spaces left and the load calculation shows enough capacity.
Replacement makes more sense when the panel is full, when it is a model insurers or inspectors flag, or when a planned addition pushes the calculated load past what the service can carry. Keep Toronto Hydro's ownership split in mind too: the meter base and mast belong to the homeowner, so a worn or damaged meter base is fixed at the owner's expense even when the panel inside is fine.
Planning Around the Shutdown
Expect the power to be off while the old service is disconnected and the new one is inspected and reconnected. Freezers, sump pumps and any medical equipment need a plan for that window, and we set the date with you once Toronto Hydro's requirements are known.
Our published range for a residential upgrade from 100 amps to 200 amps in Ontario is $2,500 to $5,000, depending on whether the service entrance also needs work and on the condition of the existing wiring. Toronto Hydro's own charges are set out in its quotation, which is returned signed with payment. Homes just over the line in Pickering follow Elexicon Energy's process instead. To start with a load calculation for your Scarborough house, call 905-999-5048 or request a quote below.
Panel Upgrade in Scarborough: Common Questions
How long does Toronto Hydro take to process a service upgrade in Scarborough?
Toronto Hydro says a representative contacts you within 10 business days of the request, and the design, estimate and Job Quotation or Offer to Connect typically take up to 60 days once it has all the required information. After ESA passes the inspection, it completes the upgrade within about five business days for services of 750 volts or less.
Who pays for a new meter base on a Scarborough house?
The homeowner. Toronto Hydro's ownership split puts the service stack, clevis and meter base on the customer's side, and its metering rules say the customer provides and maintains a CSA approved socket. Toronto Hydro owns the meter and the service wire. When the meter base needs replacing, it is shown as its own line on our itemized quote.
Can my Scarborough panel be repaired instead of upgraded?
Sometimes. If the panel has spare capacity and spaces, and the fault is isolated, such as a failing breaker or a damaged connection, a repair under an ESA notification may be all you need. The load calculation and a close look at the panel decide it, and the quote shows both options when both are realistic.
My house is near the Pickering border. Which utility handles my upgrade?
It depends on which side of the city line the house sits. Scarborough is part of the City of Toronto and is served by Toronto Hydro. Elexicon Energy lists Pickering among the communities it serves, so a house in Pickering goes through Elexicon's process. Your electricity bill shows which utility serves your address.
What Our Customers Are Saying
“Kyle was extremely courteous, professional and friendly. He did a commendable job and even gave me a tip for a tripping issue without even having to look at it. He knows what he is doing. Would be my go to guy for anything electrical.”
“The entire process from quotation through contracting and performance of the work by Kyle was completed professionally and without any issues. The panel upgrade and EV charger installations are clean and neat and it is evident that Kyle takes pride in the quality of his work. Upon completion of the installations, Kyle ensured that the work site was 100% cleaned up.”
“KV Bear was recommended to us by a friend. We wanted to install a Tesla charger only to find out our electrical panel was known for faulting resulting in an electrical fire. He showed us signs of the panel arcing. The work was clean, professional, and fast! We are so happy we hired a professional.”
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