Canada homeowner planning guide
The electricity meter, meter base and service entrance are related but different. The utility's revenue meter plugs into or attaches to the meter base or socket, while the service entrance is the broader path that can include the weatherhead, mast or underground raceway, service conductors, meter equipment, disconnect and connection to the panel. Ownership and the point of demarcation vary by utility and service design. Before repair, replacement, relocation or a capacity upgrade, identify every component, confirm who owns or controls it, and coordinate the electrician, permit authority and serving utility.
Never remove an electricity meter, break a utility seal, touch a damaged mast or weatherhead, or approach fallen or exposed service conductors. The service can remain energized even when the main breaker is off. Keep clear and contact emergency services or the serving utility when there is arcing, fire, a fallen line, severe impact or another immediate hazard.
Short answer
Canadian electrical requirements are adopted and administered locally. This guide explains the durable planning questions; your province or territory, local authority, serving utility, equipment instructions, and responsible contractor determine the property-specific answer.
Find your jurisdiction guideThe electricity meter measures energy; the meter base or socket is the enclosure and connection equipment that receives it.
A 200A marking on a meter does not by itself prove that the property has a complete 200A electrical service.
Replacing a distribution panel can leave the meter base, service conductors and utility service unchanged.
Moving a meter base, mast, weatherhead, underground route or point of attachment can require utility design acceptance before construction.
Permit inspection and utility reconnection are separate gates, and both may need to be complete before power is restored.
Utility ownership and customer responsibility are not uniform across Canada; use the current standard for the exact address and service configuration.
Project triggers
Corrosion, loose mounting, heat damage, water entry, a damaged cover or utility inspection notice can require prompt assessment. The repair scope may extend into service conductors, grounding, siding and utility disconnect or reconnect work.
A capacity increase can change the meter socket rating, conductors, mast or underground route, disconnect, panel and utility connection. The equipment must be selected from the accepted design, not from one visible meter label.
Siding, additions, demolition, decks, windows and access changes can conflict with metering or service clearances. Obtain utility location acceptance before ordering equipment or closing walls.
A pulled mast, bent weatherhead, detached conduit, vehicle impact or fallen branch can involve both customer-owned and utility-controlled equipment. Keep away and let the utility establish the safe sequence.
Cable faults, trench changes, additions and landscaping can affect locates, property-line demarcation, conduit, depth, drainage, easements, utility cable and restoration responsibility.
Adding or reorganizing metering can trigger utility design, grouping, access, identification, service capacity, disconnect, fire-separation and account requirements beyond a conventional panel project.
Decision guide
A defensible quote connects the existing condition and calculated demand to the proposed correction. It also separates contractor work, authority approval, and utility-owned scope.
Separate the meter, meter base or socket, weatherhead, mast, attachment, overhead or underground conductors, raceway, disconnect, grounding, panel and utility connection in the written scope.
Use the serving utility's current standard to mark the demarcation point, customer-maintained equipment, utility-owned equipment and any component the contractor must not remove or energize.
Document the condition and ratings of each component, then state what remains, what changes and why. A meter-base repair does not automatically require a larger service or new distribution panel.
Compare attachment and clearance needs, mast support, trenching, locates, easements, conduit, drainage, cable length, utility design, restoration and future access for the property.
Verify the complete service rating and calculated demand. Treat service capacity, panel bus rating, main protection, meter equipment and breaker spaces as related but distinct constraints.
Define the disconnect request, site-ready requirements, inspection or authorization, reconnection, temporary needs and responsibility for roofing, siding, drywall, landscaping and concealed damage.
A Canada-wide installed price is not a substitute for a site-specific scope. Compare the same equipment, responsibilities, exclusions, and closeout standard.
Socket style, rating, bypass or multi-meter arrangement, approved model, enclosure condition, conductors, disconnect and compatibility with utility requirements.
Mast and weatherhead, attachment, support, conductor length, roof or soffit work, clearances, utility connection and safe access.
Locates, trench or boring, conduit, cable, property-line handoff, easements, drainage, pavement, landscaping and settlement restoration.
Design, application, permit, inspection, disconnect, reconnect, utility construction, repeat visits, scheduling and any transformer or network work.
Service conductors, main disconnect, panel, grounding and bonding, surge protection, load calculation, obsolete equipment and connected deficiencies.
Siding, roofing, wall penetrations, fire stopping, structural support, finished spaces, restricted access, temporary power and weather protection.
Do not schedule around an assumed installation day until equipment, permits, utility work, inspection, outage, and restoration dependencies are known.
Photograph accessible labels and the exterior route without touching, opening or approaching damaged equipment. Note the address, utility, overhead or underground configuration and project objective.
A qualified electrical contractor should verify accessible equipment, condition, ratings, grounding, panel relationship, proposed loads and whether a load calculation or urgent utility response is required.
Confirm the point of demarcation, accepted meter location and equipment, design or application requirements, utility work, fees, lead times and disconnect or reconnect process.
Fix the service rating, equipment, route, attachment or trench, protection, grounding, building penetrations, restoration, permit holder and inspection sequence before installation.
Schedule the utility, contractor and inspector around the stated prerequisites. Do not assume that inspection automatically books or guarantees utility reconnection.
Retain the utility acceptance, permit and inspection record, load calculation where applicable, equipment schedule, photos, labels, test results, warranty and paid invoice.
Another qualified professional should be able to understand what existed, why the scope changed, who approved it, what was installed, and how the project closed.
Service rating, closed-cover equipment identification, observed condition, symptoms, accessible configuration, and the planned loads or project trigger.
Legal contractor, equipment, circuit and service work, permit holder, inspection, utility responsibilities, restoration, exclusions, and change-order rules.
Permit number where required, approved equipment, labelled circuits, documented changes, inspection milestones, and utility instructions where applicable.
Final acceptance or inspection status, equipment information, settings, warranty, utility records, paid invoice, and the responsible contractor's contact details.
Continue researching
Define utility, route, equipment, outage and restoration scope.
Open guidePlan a capacity increase using load and utility evidence.
Open guideSeparate distribution-panel movement from metering and service changes.
Open guideDocument whether a larger service is actually required.
Open guideRespond safely to heat, arcing, impact or damaged service equipment.
Open guidePrimary references
Forms, code editions, inspection procedures, utility standards, equipment, and incentive programs can change. Verify the current local rule before relying on a project detail.
Canadian questions
The meter is the revenue-measurement device. The meter base or socket is the enclosure and electrical connection equipment that receives the meter and connects the supply side to the customer service equipment.
There is no single Canada-wide ownership rule. A utility commonly owns or controls the revenue meter, while the property owner is often responsible for the meter base and customer-side service equipment. Confirm the exact demarcation with the serving utility.
No. A meter may be approved for a range of service sizes. The conductors, meter base, disconnect, main protection, panel and utility connection must all support the stated service rating.
Only under the serving utility's process. Utilities can restrict seal breaking, meter removal and work on energized supply conductors. The contractor should arrange the required disconnect and reconnect rather than assume permission.
It commonly involves regulated service work, but the permit holder and inspection process vary by jurisdiction and scope. Confirm both the electrical authority and utility requirements before work begins.
Sometimes. If the panel, service rating and other equipment remain suitable, the project may focus on the meter socket and connected service work. Existing damage, incompatible ratings or a planned upgrade can broaden the scope.
Often, but the utility may control the accepted location, access, height, clearances, route and equipment. Obtain written design or location acceptance before construction or exterior finishes are committed.
A leaning or detached mast, cracked fittings, pulled attachment, exposed conductors, scorch marks, arcing or storm impact needs immediate distance and utility contact. Do not touch or attempt to brace it.
Responsibility depends on the utility's demarcation and service design. The owner may be responsible for some conduit, cable, trench or route on private property while the utility controls other portions. Verify before excavation or repair.
Cost depends on the exact equipment, service rating, damage, overhead or underground route, utility work, permit, inspection, outage, access and restoration. Compare itemized quotes based on the same utility-accepted scope.
The physical work may fit within a planned outage, but reconnection depends on scheduling, inspection or authorization, site conditions, deficiencies and utility prerequisites. Obtain the sequence and contingency in writing.
Keep people away, avoid touching the building service or nearby metal, and contact emergency services or the serving utility as the conditions require. Arrange qualified repair only after the utility establishes a safe work sequence.
Property-specific next step
Send the property location, panel details, project trigger, planned loads, and timing. Provider availability, licensing, scope, price, permit responsibility, and utility scheduling are confirmed before work is booked.