Restaurant Electrical Installation & Service in Ottawa

Most full-service restaurants in Ottawa need 400-amp three-phase service to handle simultaneous operation of ovens, fryers, dishwashers, walk-in coolers, and ventilation systems. Quick-service restaurants with smaller kitchens may operate on 200-amp service. Coffee shops and cafes with minimal cooking equipment sometimes run on 100 amps. We calculate service size based on your equipment list. Each piece of commercial equipment has a nameplate showing voltage, amperage, and phase requirements. We add those loads, apply demand factors per Ontario Electrical Code, and size the service panel accordingly. Buildings in older Ottawa neighbourhoods like the ByWard Market and Hintonburg often have inadequate existing service and need complete upgrades before restaurant equipment can be installed.

All commercial electrical work in Ontario requires an ESA permit and inspection. If one is needed, we handle the paperwork. The ESA inspects after rough-in to verify circuit sizing, grounding, and panel installation. They inspect again after final equipment hookups to confirm everything meets Ontario Electrical Code requirements. You don't need to contact the ESA or track deadlines. Most restaurant projects in Ottawa require two inspections minimum. Complex builds with extensive modifications may need additional inspections. We schedule ESA visits early in the construction timeline to avoid delays near your opening date.

Rough-in covers the main service panel, distribution panels, conduit runs to each equipment location, junction boxes, and grounding. We install this after walls are framed but before drywall goes up. Equipment locations need to match your kitchen layout exactly because moving a circuit after walls are closed costs significantly more than getting it right during rough-in. We work from your kitchen contractor's drawings showing where ovens, fryers, dishwashers, and other equipment will sit. Each location gets a dedicated circuit sized to that equipment's requirements. Ottawa restaurants in heritage buildings often need creative conduit routing to avoid damaging original structure. The ESA inspects rough-in before any walls close.

Complete electrical fit-out for a new restaurant typically takes three to six weeks depending on building condition, kitchen size, and equipment complexity. Rough-in happens first and takes one to two weeks. Final equipment hookups happen after the kitchen is built out and take another one to two weeks. ESA inspections add time because we can't proceed until they sign off on each phase. We schedule those early to keep the project moving. Ottawa restaurants in older buildings in the ByWard Market, Westboro, or Hintonburg often take longer because existing service needs upgrading before new work begins. We give you a timeline after assessing the space.

We install three-phase connections for all commercial kitchen equipment requiring them. Ovens, fryers, and dishwashers typically run on three-phase power. We connect equipment to the correct voltage and phase configuration per manufacturer specifications. Most Ottawa restaurant buildings already have three-phase service at the main panel. If yours doesn't, Hydro Ottawa can upgrade the service entrance. That process adds time and cost to the project, so we check service availability early during assessment. Three-phase equipment can't run on single-phase power without a phase converter, which is expensive and inefficient. We tell you what's needed before work starts.

We schedule work to meet your opening date, including nights and weekends if needed. Restaurant construction timelines are tight and delays in one trade affect everyone downstream. We coordinate with your general contractor and kitchen installer to keep electrical work on schedule. Final equipment hookups often happen outside regular hours to avoid interfering with other trades working during the day. ESA inspections only happen during business hours, so we schedule those in advance and plan other work around them. We give you a written price after assessing the job — before any work starts.

Ontario Electrical Code requires GFCI protection for all receptacles within 1.5 metres of sinks, prep sinks, and other water sources in commercial kitchens. Dishwasher circuits need GFCI protection. Refrigeration equipment usually doesn't because nuisance tripping can spoil inventory. We install GFCI breakers or GFCI receptacles depending on circuit configuration and equipment type. GFCI devices can trip if moisture gets into connections or if equipment has minor ground faults. We test all GFCI circuits before final inspection to catch issues early. Ottawa restaurants in older buildings sometimes have grounding problems that cause GFCI nuisance trips. We identify and correct those during installation.

A complete restaurant electrical fit-out in Ottawa typically runs between significant investment depending on kitchen size, equipment count, and building condition. Service panel upgrades to 400 amps add to the base cost. Three-phase equipment connections run per unit depending on circuit length and complexity. Buildings in older Ottawa neighbourhoods like the ByWard Market often need service entrance upgrades before kitchen equipment can be installed, which increases total project cost. We assess your space, review your equipment list, and provide a detailed breakdown showing panel costs, circuit costs, and labour. We give you a written price after assessing the job — before any work starts.