We use Google Analytics and Google Ads cookies to measure site use and inquiries. You can decline; the site works the same either way.

Privacy
Quote

Serving Burlington & Halton Region

Electrical & Mechanical Engineering in Burlington.

Electrical and mechanical engineering for Burlington commercial, industrial, institutional and mixed-use projects, including existing-building retrofits and electrification.

Discuss a Burlington projectExplore local services
Electricity distributor
Burlington Hydro Inc. (Burlington Hydro)
Building permits
Building Department (City of Burlington)
Regional services
Halton Region

Local Project Support

Building upgrades and service planning in Burlington.

Burlington work spans employment-area buildings, commercial plazas and offices, institutional properties, mixed-use development and established buildings being renovated or electrified. Load calculations, equipment schedules and architectural space planning should be aligned before a new or upgraded utility service is requested.

Where a building permit is required, the City of Burlington administers the municipal review. Electrical service connections or upgrades may involve Burlington Hydro; the project address and current connection requirements should be confirmed before the design basis is finalized.

Design teams can review our electrical and mechanical consulting workflow; owners assessing existing distribution can start with the panel and service-upgrade guide.

Verified local information

Utility connection and permits in Burlington

Summarized from the official pages linked below, checked on . Requirements change; confirm them with the utility and the municipality before you apply.

Electrical service connection

Burlington Hydro Inc. (Burlington Hydro)

Burlington Hydro's Conditions of Service state that it is licensed by the Ontario Energy Board to operate distribution facilities within the Municipality of the City of Burlington.

The Conditions of Service require every customer electrical installation to be inspected and approved by the Electrical Safety Authority before connection, and Burlington Hydro needs notification of that approval from the ESA; customer-owned substations are inspected by both the ESA and Burlington Hydro.

Under the Conditions of Service, upgrades or changes to customer equipment may require a service layout or a new Offer to Connect and operating agreement, arranged in advance with Burlington Hydro's Engineering Department.

For general service customers above 50 kW and below 5,000 kW, Burlington Hydro owns transformation up to 150 kVA single-phase or 2,500 kVA three-phase (1,000 kVA at 120/208Y V); larger transformation at the customer's premises is owned and maintained by the customer.

What to prepare

  • The service request form that fits the project; for commercial, industrial, institutional and condominium buildings this is the General Service Request form, which covers new or upgraded services, panel changes and EV charging installations
  • Project details such as site plans, architectural drawings, building permits, zoning certifications and load calculations; Burlington Hydro recommends working with a licensed electrician, licensed electrical contractor or consultant on the application
  • The signed Service Layout or Offer to Connect that Burlington Hydro's Engineering department prepares after reviewing the request, setting out the scope and next steps
  • An Electrical Safety Authority inspection and approval of the installation; Burlington Hydro then carries out a final site inspection before connecting the service
  • Early consultation information for a new or upgraded service: municipal address, customer and technical contacts, required in-service date, service entrance capacity and voltage rating, details of heating, air-conditioning and other large loads, and a survey plan and site plan showing the proposed service entrance location

Service Requests

Building permits

Building Department (City of Burlington)

Online applications: Electronic submission only, by email to buildingpermits@burlington.ca, prepared to the City's Electronic Building Permit Application Submission and Resubmission Standards.

Halton Region

Halton Region's Services Permit Group issues its own permits for water, sanitary sewer and Regional road work, in addition to permits issued by the City; the City's site servicing permit checklist lists a Services Connection Permit from the Region of Halton, with approved drawings, as a pre-approval.

Building permit informationHalton Region permits

Planning and growth areas

  • Official Plan Amendment No. 2 directs future development within Burlington's three Protected Major Transit Station Areas (Downtown Burlington Urban Growth Centre/Burlington GO, Aldershot GO and Appleby GO) and enables a Community Planning Permit System in these areas; the City lists the amendment as appealed and partially in effect.

    Source: burlington.ca

  • The City reports that over half of all jobs in Burlington are in its Employment Area, which it describes as protected space for manufacturing, innovation and business growth, and it is preparing Official Plan Amendment 7 to align these policies with the Province's 2024 Employment Area definition.

    Source: burlington.ca

Typical project environments

Typical project types

  • Employment-Area Buildings
  • Commercial Plazas & Offices
  • Institutional Properties
  • Mixed-Use Development
  • Electrification Projects
  • Occupied Retrofits

Engineering services in Burlington

Electrical engineering

Explore electrical

Mechanical & HVAC design

Explore mechanical

Plumbing engineering

Explore plumbing

Integrated MEP

Explore integrated MEP

Starting a project in Burlington

How are building permit applications submitted in Burlington?

The City of Burlington accepts building permit applications only through electronic submission, sent by email and prepared to its electronic submission standards, and it asks applicants to have the required site plan, zoning clearance and grading and drainage approvals in place first. For new commercial, industrial, institutional or multi-residential buildings, the City's checklist asks for electrical plans showing general lighting, emergency lighting, exit signage and the fire alarm system, along with architectural, structural, mechanical and fire protection plans. Please confirm current requirements on the City of Burlington's Applying for a Building Permit page.

Official source:burlington.ca

Who handles new electrical services and service upgrades in Burlington?

Burlington Hydro Inc. is the electricity distributor for the City of Burlington, and commercial, industrial and institutional requests start with its General Service Request form, supported by site plans, drawings and load calculations. Its Engineering department prepares a Service Layout or Offer to Connect, and the service is connected after Electrical Safety Authority approval and a final Burlington Hydro site inspection. Please confirm current requirements on Burlington Hydro's Service Requests page.

Official source:burlingtonhydro.com

Does Halton Region issue any permits for projects in Burlington?

Yes. Halton Region's Services Permit Group issues permits for water, sanitary sewer and Regional road work, and these are in addition to the City's permits. The City's site servicing permit checklist lists a Services Connection Permit from the Region of Halton, with approved drawings, as a pre-approval. Please confirm current requirements on Halton Region's permits page.

Official sources:halton.caburlington.ca

Can ETEM support both electrical and mechanical engineering for a project in Burlington?

Yes. ETEM can define the electrical and mechanical workstreams the actual scope requires. Each discipline's drawings are prepared and sealed by a licensed engineer, and shared loads, rooms, controls and construction interfaces are reviewed through one project workflow.

Related guides

Knowledge Hub

Contact

Discuss a project