Are GFCI outlets required in garages in Ontario and where exactly do they need to go?

Yes, GFCI protection is required for all receptacles in garages in Ontario under the Canadian Electrical Code, which the Ontario Electrical Safety Code adopts. This applies to every 120-volt receptacle in your garage regardless of whether it is attached or detached, heated or unheated.

The requirement exists because garages are considered damp or wet locations. Concrete floors can conduct electricity, and the combination of moisture, power tools, and potentially wet hands creates a genuine shock hazard. A GFCI outlet or GFCI-protected circuit detects ground faults as small as five milliamps and trips in a fraction of a second, which is fast enough to prevent serious injury.

You have two ways to meet this requirement in your Ottawa garage. The first option is installing GFCI receptacles at each outlet location. These are the outlets with the test and reset buttons on the face, and they cost about $15 to $25 each. The second option is protecting an entire circuit with a GFCI breaker in your panel. A GFCI breaker costs $40 to $60 but protects every outlet on that circuit, so you can use standard receptacles downstream. Most electricians in Ottawa prefer GFCI breakers for new garage wiring because they are easier to test and maintain from the panel rather than reaching behind a workbench or freezer to find a tripped outlet.

There are a few practical considerations Ottawa homeowners should know about. Garage door openers are technically on a receptacle and should be GFCI protected per code. Some older garage door openers can trip GFCI protection on startup due to a brief current surge, though modern openers handle this fine. If you have a dedicated refrigerator or chest freezer in your garage, GFCI protection is still required, but you want to make sure you notice if it trips because a tripped GFCI means your freezer stops running. Placing the freezer on its own GFCI breaker with an audible alarm or checking it regularly is wise.

For 240-volt receptacles in the garage, such as those used for welders, EV chargers, or electric heaters, GFCI protection is also required under current code. A 240-volt GFCI breaker runs $80 to $150 depending on amperage. This requirement applies to new installations and major renovations but existing 240-volt outlets installed under a previous code edition are generally grandfathered until the circuit is modified.

If you are upgrading an older Ottawa garage that has no GFCI protection at all, an electrician can typically retrofit GFCI breakers into your existing panel for $150 to $400 depending on how many circuits serve the garage. This is one of the most cost-effective safety upgrades you can make, especially if your garage doubles as a workshop.

During an ESA inspection, the inspector will verify GFCI protection on every garage receptacle circuit. Missing GFCI protection is one of the most common deficiency items on residential inspections in Ottawa, so getting it right the first time saves a re-inspection visit.

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