01Trade cost
Electrical cost in Canada
Service, distribution, branch wiring, devices, lighting and life-safety connections. Load and device density drive the cost, and both are set by how the space is used rather than how large it is.
02The rate
Commercial hourly
$105 – $185
Billed rate, national band
General hourly
$90 – $160
House-scale work
Commercial $/sf
$19 – $30
15% of hard cost
General $/sf
$41 – $64
From the residential band
The cost per square foot above is not a separate dataset. It is 9% of the curated new-build hard-cost band and 15% of the curated fit-out band that the market pages already publish, so this page can never contradict them.
03General versus commercial
The two segments, side by side
| Segment | Hourly | New build $/sf | Fit-out $/sf |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / residential | $90 – $160 | $25 – $38 | $41 – $64 |
| Commercial | $105 – $185 | $19 – $30 | $12 – $27 |
Why commercial electrical bills higher
Commercial work is priced on three-phase distribution, EMT or cable tray instead of loose romex, emergency lighting, fire-alarm interface and coordination with a designer of record — all of which raise installed cost per point.
What the quoted rate covers
Normally: Panel, feeders and branch circuits as designed; Devices, cover plates and standard lighting fixtures; Life-safety connections and emergency lighting where required. Normally not: Utility service upgrade and connection charges; Fire-alarm system supply and verification; Data, audio-visual and security cabling unless scoped in; Standby generation and transfer equipment.
Buildlor facts
- Electrical is 9% of hard cost on a new build.
- Electrical is 15% of hard cost on a fit-out.
- Hard cost is typically 60 to 75 percent of an all-in budget, so a trade's share of the total is smaller again.
04What moves the number
Cost drivers
- Service capacity: an upgrade at the shell is a change order the tenant usually absorbs, and it can dwarf the fit-out itself.
- Device density: circuits, not outlets, cost money — a dense open office can carry more branch wiring than a warehouse ten times its size.
- Conduit method: EMT in an exposed commercial ceiling prices well above concealed cable in a residential wall.
- Lighting package and controls: code-required occupancy and daylight controls are a design cost as well as a hardware cost.
05By market
Electrical cost by city
Every market below carries a curated cost factor, so the trade rate moves with it. Markets we publish a dedicated page for are linked.
| Market | Commercial $/sf | General $/sf |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto, ON | $21 – $32 | $44 – $68 |
| Montreal, QC | $19 – $29 | $40 – $61 |
| Calgary, AB | $19 – $30 | $41 – $63 |
| Ottawa, ON | $20 – $31 | $42 – $65 |
| Edmonton, AB | $19 – $29 | $40 – $61 |
| Winnipeg, MB | $18 – $28 | $38 – $59 |
| Mississauga, ON | $20 – $32 | $44 – $68 |
| Vancouver, BC | $22 – $34 | $47 – $72 |
| Brampton, ON | $20 – $31 | $43 – $67 |
| Hamilton, ON | $20 – $31 | $42 – $65 |
| Surrey, BC | $21 – $32 | $45 – $69 |
| Quebec City, QC | $18 – $28 | $38 – $59 |
| Halifax, NS | $18 – $28 | $39 – $60 |
| Laval, QC | $18 – $28 | $39 – $60 |
| London, ON | $19 – $29 | $40 – $61 |
| Victoria, BC | $21 – $32 | $44 – $68 |
| Markham, ON | $20 – $31 | $43 – $67 |
| Vaughan, ON | $20 – $32 | $44 – $68 |
| Saskatoon, SK | $18 – $28 | $38 – $59 |
| Gatineau, QC | $18 – $28 | $39 – $60 |
| Kitchener, ON | $19 – $30 | $41 – $63 |
| Longueuil, QC | $18 – $28 | $38 – $59 |
| Regina, SK | $18 – $28 | $38 – $59 |
| Burnaby, BC | $22 – $34 | $47 – $72 |
| Windsor, ON | $18 – $28 | $39 – $60 |
06Questions
How much does electrical cost per hour?
Electrical is billed in a band, not at one rate. Commercial work bills above general work for the same hour because of documentation, inspection and coordination. The bands on this page are national baselines; the market table shows how they move by city.
Why is commercial electrical more expensive than residential?
Commercial work is priced on three-phase distribution, EMT or cable tray instead of loose romex, emergency lighting, fire-alarm interface and coordination with a designer of record — all of which raise installed cost per point.
What share of a construction budget is electrical?
9% of hard cost on a new build and 15% of a fit-out, on the division splits Buildlor publishes. Those shares are how the cost per square foot on this page is derived.
Is this a quote?
No. Buildlor is a data publisher, not a contractor. These are indicative benchmarks for the stage before you tender, and every page states what it excludes.
Buildlor Construction Cost Index · Last updated 2026-01-15 · Maintained by Buildlor Cost Desk
Not advice — Buildlor is a data publisher. We do not bid, price, estimate, or build work, and nothing here is a quote, a tender price, or construction advice. Figures are indicative order-of-magnitude benchmarks for early budgeting and must be confirmed by a qualified cost consultant, quantity surveyor, or general contractor before you rely on them. About Buildlor