Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Ontario’s Building Code
ONTARIO ONLY
CHANGE NUMBER
DESCRIPTION OF
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE 2006 BUILDING CODE
H-B-09-34-03
CODE REFERENCE
Div. B 9.34.4.1. &
9.34.4.2.
Delete requirements for the mounting of electrical meters.
EXISTING 2006 BUILDING CODE PROVISION(S)
9.34.4. Service Entrance Requirements
9.34.4.1. Meter Mounting Device
(1) Except in the case of externally mounted read-outs, each new residential consumer service of 200 amperes or less shall
have a meter mounting device located outdoors in an accessible location.
(2)
For the purposes of this Subsection, the front of the building is the side nearest the utility distribution line.
9.34.4.2. Location of Meter Mounting Device
(1) Meter mounting devices shall be installed on the wall of the building or where that is not possible, on a separate support,
so that the midpoint of the meter after installation will be 1 750 mm (5 ft 9 in) ±100 mm (4 in) from finished grade.
(2) Meter mounting devices shall be located not more than 3 m (9 ft 10 in) back from the front of the single family and
semi-detached homes.
Current OESC provisions
6-408 Location of meters
(1) Meters and metering equipment shall be
(a) located as near as practicable to the service box except as provided for in Subrule (2);
(b) grouped where practicable;
(c) readily accessible;
(d) not located in coal bins, clothes closets, bathrooms, stairways, high ambient rooms, dangerous or hazardous
locations, nor in any similar undesirable places;
(e) if mounted outdoors, of weatherproof construction or in weatherproof enclosures; and
(f) in compliance with the requirements of the supply authority.
Building and Development Branch
© Copyright Queen's Printer for Ontario 2011
Page 1 of 2
Issued January 2011
PROPOSED CODE CHANGE
Delete current Building Code provisions and replace with the following:
9.34.4.1 Electrical Meters
(1)
Electrical meters and metering equipment shall be installed in accordance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
RATIONALE FOR CHANGE
Problem / General Background
Location of residential service meters is an electrical installation requirement and should be provided in the OESC.
Additionally, the OESC currently contains requirements for location of meters. As such, the requirements for meter locations
under the Building Code should be removed. A signpost in the Building Code is recommended to ensure designers are aware
these requirements are in the OESC.
Although the requirements that are recommended to be removed from the Building Code are more restrictive than the current
requirements in the OESC, the ESA and OESC may allow the supply authority to determine the required location of meters as
the agency responsible for these devices. For this reason, the requirements of the Building Code are not to be brought into the
OESC.
Justification / Explanation
The OESC contains current and provisions for meter installations and these are enforced by the electrical inspector.
Cost / Benefit Implications
None. The proposed change is currently being practiced.
Enforcement Implications
None.
Who is Affected
Designers, Building Officials, electrical safety inspectors.
Objective-Based Analysis
Provisions deleted
Provision
Objective
Functional
Statement
Building and Development Branch
© Copyright Queen's Printer for Ontario 2011
Page 2 of 2
Issued January 2011