Take a moment and count all of the appliances and lights in your home that run on electricity. Staggering isn't it. We take that magic, invisible power called electricity for granted. We have no reason to believe that the appliance or light won't work when we flip a switch to turn it on.
But sometimes it doesn't.

It's not common but all of us in the Toronto area have experienced power outages a time or two. They are a reminder of just how our everyday lives are dependent on this particular type of energy. It has a dark side too. It has the power to seriously injure or even kill if not handled correctly.

And that's why you want a professional Toronto electrician to perform any maintenance or electrical installations that you may need at your home or business. At Handy Canadian we have put together a directory of Toronto electricians that are capable of handling any electrical project you may have from a simple installation of a ceiling light fixture to complete electrical system renovations to new construction applications.

Our directory of electricians and electrical contractors provides you with a snapshot of their operation that allows you to build a short list of contractors. In each listing you'll find information regarding services provided, service area, licenses, contact name and contact info and for many, customer reviews from Torontonians just like you.

Basics for selecting an electrician in Toronto

As a buyer you are obviously concerned about the price of your project but there are other aspects of an electrician's service that you should consider first.

• Is your electrician licensed? In Toronto all electricians have to have a Certificate of Qualification. This is a program started by the Province of Ontario that requires persons desiring to become an electrician to go through a 9,000 hour apprenticeship program. 720 of those hours are spent in post-secondary schools with the balance being on the job training. If your contractor has a Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) you know that he or she has at least 5 years of training behind them.
• But if your project is going to require a permit from the city of Toronto, then you need an electrical contractor and all firms who fall in that category have to have at least one designated Master Electrician. In either case you want to see a copy of their license.
• Another area of concern is insurance. Does your electrician have adequate liability coverage should there be a problem on the job and your property, or a person is injured as a result of the electrician's work? And that “person” who may be injured by the work, if he's an employee of the electrical contractor is he covered by workman's compensation or will he sue you? Getting a copy of your contractor's certificate of insurance is a prudent move.

Who is the electrician behind the website?

Now that you know your electrician is properly licensed and insured, it's time to find out just how good he or she is. If your contractor offers you a great price but no references…just say no. Reputable electricians will offer up references and most likely those references will be willing to sing the praises of the contractor from the top of the CN Tower. Call them anyway. You never know how the passage of time can affect a former customer's opinion.

Google has become a good place to check for reputation as well. Just enter the contractor's name and see what comes back in the returns. Of course keep in mind that just because you read something on the internet it doesn't make it true. A source of more credible information would be the Toronto Better Business Bureau. Check and see if your contractor has any unresolved disputes with customers.

Picking a contractor is a tad more difficult than a shopping spree at Toronto's Eaton place or our favorite underground shopping area The Path, but with the proper due diligence on your part you can assure your electrical project will be completed hassle free and to your satisfaction.

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