July 18, 2024 – In May, an Ottawa electrician pleaded guilty to several offences under the Electricity Act—including three counts of operating an electrical contracting business without a licence—and was ordered to pay a total fine of $32,500 plus a victim surcharge of $8,125, and was placed on a two-year probation.

An Electrical Safety Authority investigation uncovered that Serge Y. and his company were conducting unlicensed and unpermitted electrical work associated with inground pool installations at three different properties.

They failed to properly ground electrical swimming pool equipment, leaving electrical hazards at all three homes.

In all three instances, the homeowners contacted ESA to verify whether permits had been taken out for the electrical work, and confirmed that no permits had been obtained for the electrical work completed. This prompted an ESA inspection of all three sites, which led to charges against both Serge Y. and his company.

By law, only licensed electrical contractors (LECs) can be hired to do electrical work in homes in Ontario. LECs get permits from ESA to ensure the work complies with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.

In Ontario, watch for these red flags when hiring an electrical contractor/electrician:

• There is no ECRA/ESA licence number on their work vehicle or estimate.
• The contractor won’t show you their electrical contractor licence number when asked.
• They often do more than just electrical work e.g. drywall, flooring, plumbing, snow removal, etc.
• They are not listed on the ESA’s Contractor Look-Up Tool.
• They ask the homeowner to get the ESA permit, or say that it is not needed.
• They offer a discount if you pay cash and/or they only accept only cash and/or they won’t provide a receipt.
• They say “If anyone asks, tell them you did the work yourself”.

You can report unlicensed electrical contractors through ESA’s anonymous reporting tool at esasafe.com/reportacontractor.

An administrative authority acting on behalf of the Government of Ontario, Electrical Safety Authority is responsible for administering specific regulations related to the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, the licensing of electrical contractors and master electricians, electricity distribution system safety, and electrical product safety.