The Canadian Electrical Code, Part I (the CE Code), formally CSA C22.1, is the national safety standard for electrical installations in Canada. It is published by CSA Group, runs over 900 pages, and is updated on a three-year cycle. Like the building code, it is a model standard with no legal force on its own. It only applies once a province or territory adopts it, and each authority can adopt it with its own deviations. The current edition is the 2024 CE Code, but the edition in force depends on your province.
What the CE Code is
The CE Code sets the rules for electrical installations in buildings and structures at all voltages. It is written for the installer rather than the design engineer, which makes it the day-to-day rulebook for electricians on site. Different editions carry different rules on fast-moving areas such as EV charging, arc-fault protection, battery storage and solar, so the edition in force genuinely changes what is required.
The 2024 edition
The 2024 CE Code (the 26th edition), published as CSA C22.1:24, came out on March 4, 2024. Adoption has rolled out province by province through 2025 and into 2026:
- Already on the 2024 edition: Alberta (April 1, 2025), Saskatchewan (March 1, 2025), Ontario (2025), Prince Edward Island (October 5, 2024) and Yukon (April 1, 2025).
- Northwest Territories brought the relevant CE Code into force on October 1, 2024.
- New Brunswick adopts the 2024 edition effective March 15, 2026.
- Nunavut is still on the 2018 edition.
- The remaining provinces sit on the 2021 edition while they assess the 2024 code.
Because adoption is staggered, an electrician moving between provinces must confirm which edition is in force where the work is. The code that applies is the one the destination province has adopted, not the one back home.
Provincial adoption and deviations
When a province adopts the CE Code it can change it. Provinces publish amendments, exclude specific rules, or add their own. That is why two electricians in different provinces can both be following "the CE Code" and still be held to different requirements. Always work from your province's adopted edition plus its amendments.
Who issues electrical permits
Electrical permitting is not handled the same way everywhere:
- Ontario runs a two-layer system. The company needs an ECRA/ESA Electrical Contractor Licence from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), and the individual electrician needs a Certificate of Qualification from Skilled Trades Ontario. The contractor licence lets the business contract for electrical work; the Certificate of Qualification lets the person do it. A general contractor or handyman cannot do electrical work for hire without the ESA contractor licence, and electrical permits run through the ESA.
- British Columbia licenses both electrical contractors and individual electricians through Technical Safety BC. Construction Electrician and Industrial Electrician are compulsory certification trades there.
- Alberta treats electrician as a compulsory certification trade, with permitting under the Safety Codes Act through accredited municipalities or agencies.
- Saskatchewan runs electrical permitting through the Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSASK).
- Manitoba handles electrical permits through Manitoba Hydro.
- New Brunswick issues wiring permits through NB Power, and Nova Scotia through NS Power inspection services.
The constant across the country: electrical work is treated as high-risk, electrician is a compulsory trade almost everywhere, and a homeowner or general contractor generally cannot legally perform electrical work for hire.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the 2024 edition applies everywhere. Several provinces are still on 2021, and Nunavut is on 2018. Confirm the edition in force.
- Ignoring provincial amendments. Adopting a province can deviate from the national code; the amendments are binding.
- Confusing the two Ontario credentials. The ESA contractor licence (company) and the Skilled Trades Ontario Certificate of Qualification (individual) are different things, and you need both.
- A general contractor doing the wiring. Electrical work for hire needs the proper electrical licence; subcontract it to a licensed electrical contractor.
Know someone who needs this?
Keep reading
Was this guide useful?
Didn't find what you were looking for?
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email us at hello@kilnguides.co.uk.
In crisis? 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline (call or text 988) ·