Electrical work is regulated more tightly than almost any other trade in Canada, and getting set up to do it for hire usually means two separate things: a personal certificate that qualifies you to do the work, and a contractor licence that qualifies your business to take electrical jobs and pull permits. The exact bodies differ by province, but the pattern is consistent. In Ontario, for example, the individual holds a Certificate of Qualification from Skilled Trades Ontario, while the business holds an ECRA/ESA licence from the Electrical Safety Authority. A general contractor or handyman cannot do electrical work for hire unless they hold the contractor licence, or they subcontract to someone who does.
Two licences, two jobs
Keep these straight, because clients and even some contractors confuse them:
- The personal certificate (a Certificate of Qualification, or FSR in BC) qualifies a person to perform electrical work, usually as an employee. Construction electrician is a compulsory trade in nearly every province (see Compulsory vs Voluntary Trades).
- The contractor licence qualifies a business to contract for electrical work and to pull permits. It is the company-level authorisation, and it normally requires the business to employ a master electrician and carry liability insurance.
Ontario: the ECRA/ESA system
Ontario runs one of the most structured systems in the country, with two licences operating at once:
- ECRA/ESA Electrical Contractor licence (company level), issued by the Electrical Safety Authority. Mandatory for any business doing electrical work for hire. Requirements include employing at least one master electrician at all times, carrying $2 million public liability insurance, being registered with WSIB, and keeping tax filings current. The ECRA/ESA number must appear on vehicles, business cards and estimates.
- Skilled Trades Ontario Certificate of Qualification (individual level). Each electrician needs a valid certificate. This is not the same as the ECRA/ESA number: the certificate qualifies the person; the ECRA/ESA licence qualifies the company.
- Master Electrician licence requires roughly three years of experience as a certified electrician plus passing the master electrician exam. A business needs a master electrician to hold the contractor licence.
Who pulls the permit in Ontario: only a Licensed Electrical Contractor can take on electrical work for hire and is responsible for the work permit (a notification of work filed with the ESA). A homeowner can pull a permit for their own home, but a general contractor cannot do the electrical themselves without the ECRA/ESA licence.
British Columbia: SkilledTradesBC plus Technical Safety BC
BC also splits the work into two:
- SkilledTradesBC issues the Certificate of Qualification in construction electrician or industrial electrician, both compulsory since December 2023.
- Technical Safety BC licenses electrical contractors (the business) and issues the Field Safety Representative (FSR) certificate that authorises work on regulated installations. An out-of-province electrician must pass the ARD exam on BC safety law to get an FSR, even with CFTA recognition (see Interprovincial Mobility and the CFTA).
Who pulls the permit in BC: a licensed electrical contractor obtains the installation permit and ties the work to the premises; the FSR is responsible for the technical compliance.
Other provinces and who pulls the permit
The permit authority varies, which is the part that catches people moving around:
- Alberta: electrician is a compulsory trade; permits and inspections run through Alberta Municipal Affairs and accredited municipalities.
- Saskatchewan: the Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSASK) handles electrical permits and inspections.
- Manitoba: Manitoba Hydro issues electrical permits and does the inspections. (Manitoba Hydro does electrical only; gas permits are handled elsewhere, see Gas and HVAC Certification.)
- New Brunswick: NB Power issues wiring permits.
- Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Power Inspection Services.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Service NL.
- Territories: the territorial government safety office.
The Canadian Electrical Code edition matters
Every province enforces the Canadian Electrical Code (CSA C22.1), but not the same edition. The 2024 code (C22.1:24) has been adopted by Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Yukon during 2025, by the Northwest Territories from 1 October 2024, and by New Brunswick from 15 March 2026. Several provinces remain on the 2021 edition, and Nunavut is still on the 2018 edition. The edition affects rules on EV charging, arc-fault protection, solar PV and battery storage, so confirm which edition is in force where you are working before you wire anything.
Common mistakes
- Thinking a personal certificate lets you contract. You also need the contractor licence to take electrical work for hire and pull permits.
- Letting a general contractor do the electrical. Unless they hold the contractor licence, the electrical must go to a licensed electrical contractor.
- Assuming the permit authority is the city. In Manitoba it is the utility (Hydro); in Saskatchewan it is TSASK; in New Brunswick it is NB Power.
- Using the wrong code edition. A contractor moving between provinces can be working to a different, often newer, code.
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