Landscape lighting is one of the few upgrades that improves how your property looks, how safely people move around it after dark, and how secure it feels — all at once. But outdoor lighting is also where a lot of Toronto homeowners run into trouble. Buried cable, wet locations, freeze-thaw cycles and a long winter put demands on outdoor wiring that indoor circuits never face.
This guide explains how outdoor and landscape lighting wiring actually works, what the Ontario Electrical Safety Code expects, and where a licensed electrician is genuinely required rather than optional. North York Electricians has served Toronto and the GTA for more than 20 years with a team of 30+ licensed electricians, and outdoor lighting is one of the jobs we get called back to fix most often after a DIY attempt.
Low-Voltage vs. Line-Voltage Outdoor Lighting
Almost every outdoor lighting plan falls into one of two categories, and the choice drives everything else — cable type, burial method, permit requirements and cost.
Low-Voltage Systems (12V)
A low-voltage system runs a transformer off a standard outdoor receptacle and steps the supply down to 12 volts. That low voltage feeds path lights, garden spots, deck lights and uplights through direct-burial landscape cable.
Low voltage is the most common choice for garden and pathway lighting because the fixtures are small, the light output is easy to control, and the cable itself carries far less risk if a shovel finds it. The transformer, however, is still a line-voltage device that must be fed from a properly protected exterior circuit.
Line-Voltage Systems (120V)
Line-voltage outdoor lighting runs at full household voltage and is used where you need real output or long runs: driveway and lamp posts, floodlights, security lighting, soffit lighting, garage and shed circuits, and pool or patio areas. These installations involve permanent wiring methods, weatherproof enclosures and, in most cases, an electrical permit.
| Factor | Low-Voltage (12V) | Line-Voltage (120V) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical uses | Path, garden, deck, accent lighting | Lamp posts, floodlights, security, soffit |
| Light output | Moderate, easy to layer | High, longer throw |
| Run length | Limited — voltage drop is the constraint | Long runs practical |
| Permit | Often not required for the fixtures themselves | Generally required |
| Electrician required | For the supply circuit and transformer feed | Yes, for the entire installation |
Many Toronto properties end up with a hybrid: a line-voltage circuit brought out to a weatherproof box and a switch or timer, feeding both a low-voltage transformer for the garden beds and a couple of 120V fixtures for the driveway.
What the Ontario Electrical Safety Code Requires Outdoors
Outdoor work is held to a stricter standard than interior work, for obvious reasons. A few requirements come up on nearly every job:
- GFCI protection. Outdoor receptacles accessible from grade require ground-fault protection. This is the single most important safety device in any outdoor lighting installation.
- Wet-location-rated equipment. Fixtures, boxes, covers and connectors must be rated for the location they occupy — damp versus wet ratings are not interchangeable, and a fixture rated for a covered porch is not automatically suitable for an exposed post.
- Approved cable and burial method. The Code specifies minimum burial depths, and they vary by cable type, whether mechanical protection or conduit is used, and whether the run passes under a driveway or other vehicle traffic. Your electrician will confirm the depth that applies to your specific run rather than working from a rule of thumb.
- Weatherproof connections. Every splice outdoors needs an enclosure and connectors intended for wet conditions. Indoor wire nuts wrapped in tape are the most common failure we find, and Toronto’s freeze-thaw cycle finds them quickly.
- Permit and ESA inspection. New outdoor circuits generally require a permit through the Electrical Safety Authority, with inspection of the finished work.
If you want the broader picture on why this framework exists, our guide to electrical permit requirements in Ontario covers when a permit is needed and how the inspection process runs.
Does Your Panel Have Room for Outdoor Lighting?
This is the question homeowners skip and electricians ask first. Outdoor lighting usually needs a dedicated circuit, which means a spare breaker position and enough capacity in the panel to support it.
Plenty of North York and Toronto homes still run on 100-amp service with a full panel. If you are also considering a hot tub, an EV charger, air conditioning or a garage sub-panel, outdoor lighting may be the point where the whole service needs to be reassessed. Our panel upgrade service in North York and our overview of electrical panel upgrades explain what a 100A to 200A upgrade involves.
The efficient approach is to plan the outdoor lighting and any panel work together. Trenching a yard twice is a waste, and so is paying for two separate permits and inspections when one visit could cover both.
Planning the Layout Before Anyone Digs
Good outdoor lighting is a design exercise, not just a wiring exercise. A few principles that consistently produce better results:
- Light the task, not the yard. Steps, grade changes, walkway edges and the path from the driveway to the front door deserve light first. Broad floodlighting of an entire lawn creates glare and dark shadows where you actually walk.
- Layer, don’t blast. Several modest fixtures produce a far better result than two bright ones, and they age better as trees and shrubs fill in.
- Aim away from windows and neighbours. Shielded and downward-facing fixtures reduce light trespass and keep your own bedrooms dark.
- Plan for the plants you will have. A fixture placed tight against a young cedar will be buried inside it in four years. Leave room.
- Map the runs before trenching. Existing irrigation, gas lines, septic components and utility services all need to be located first. Utility locates are free and non-negotiable.
- Think about winter. Fixtures at the edge of a driveway will meet a snow shovel and possibly a plow. Set them back, or choose fixtures that can be removed seasonally.
Larger projects benefit from a proper load and layout plan up front — that is what our electrical systems design and electrical systems installation services are for.
Controls: Switches, Timers and Smart Options
How you control outdoor lighting matters more than most homeowners expect, because a system that has to be switched manually tends to stop getting used by February.
The straightforward option is an indoor switch with a photocell on the fixtures, so lights come on at dusk. A timer adds a shut-off time, which is worth having on decorative lighting. Smart switches and relays go further — schedules that follow sunset through the year, zones you can control separately, and integration with cameras or motion sensors so security lighting responds to activity.
Smart controls do need the right wiring behind them; many require a neutral at the switch box, which older Toronto homes do not always have. Our home automation and smart home wiring service handles that side, and for replacing tired or failing controls, see switches and outlets maintenance.
What Outdoor Lighting Costs in Toronto
There is no flat price for landscape lighting, and any quote given without seeing the property is guesswork. The cost of your project depends on:
- Number of fixtures and whether the system is low-voltage, line-voltage or both
- Length of the cable runs and how difficult the trenching is — soft garden bed versus under an existing driveway or interlock
- Whether a new dedicated circuit is needed, and whether your panel has capacity
- Fixture quality, from basic path lights to cast-brass fixtures built for GTA winters
- Controls — a plain switch versus timers, photocells or a smart lighting system
- Permit and ESA inspection fees, and any restoration of sod or hardscaping
We provide a free estimate after walking the property, so the number you get reflects your actual yard. Call +1 (647) 832-3800 to arrange one.
Common Outdoor Wiring Problems We Get Called For
Recurring issues on existing installations, most of them traceable to the original wiring rather than the fixtures:
- Cable buried too shallow — damaged by aeration, edging or planting, sometimes years later.
- Indoor-rated connectors used outside — corroded splices that cause intermittent or dead sections.
- Extension cords as permanent wiring — never acceptable outdoors, and a genuine shock and fire hazard.
- Overloaded low-voltage transformers — fixtures added over time until the transformer is past its rating and the far end of the run is dim.
- Voltage drop on long low-voltage runs — the last fixtures look yellow and weak; usually a cable-gauge or layout problem, not a bulb problem.
- GFCI tripping repeatedly — often water intrusion at a fixture or splice. A GFCI that keeps tripping is doing its job and telling you something. Do not bypass it.
If outdoor wiring is tripping breakers, sparking, or a buried cable has been struck, treat it as urgent and call our 24/7 emergency electrician service in North York.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for outdoor lighting in Ontario?
If the work involves new permanent wiring — a new circuit, a lamp post, a new outdoor receptacle or a hard-wired fixture — a permit through the Electrical Safety Authority is generally required, and the finished work is inspected. Plug-in low-voltage kits installed on an existing, properly protected outdoor receptacle typically are not permit work. Because the line between the two depends on exactly what is being added, confirm before you start rather than after. We handle permits and ESA inspection as part of the job.
Can I install low-voltage landscape lighting myself?
Homeowners can reasonably place and connect 12V fixtures on a plug-in transformer. Two parts still belong to a licensed electrician: the outdoor receptacle or circuit that feeds the transformer, and any hard-wired connection. The most common mistakes we see in DIY systems are cable buried too shallow, indoor connectors used outdoors, and a transformer loaded beyond its rating.
Will outdoor lighting overload my electrical panel?
Modern LED lighting draws very little power, so the load itself is rarely the issue. Panel space is. Outdoor lighting normally wants a dedicated breaker, and many older Toronto homes have no spare positions or are already near capacity. We check available capacity during the estimate, and if a service upgrade makes sense we tell you before work starts.
How long does a landscape lighting installation take?
A modest low-voltage system on an existing suitable circuit is often a single day. Line-voltage work with trenching, a new circuit, permits and ESA inspection typically spans several days, since inspection has to be scheduled. Trenching under a driveway or interlock adds time, as does frozen ground — which is why late spring through fall is the practical season for outdoor lighting in the GTA.
Can outdoor wiring be installed in winter in Toronto?
Fixture replacement, control changes and repairs can be done year-round. Trenching for new runs is impractical once the ground is frozen. If you want lighting ready for next season, booking the design and panel work over the winter means the trenching happens as soon as the ground thaws.
Get a Free Outdoor Lighting Estimate in Toronto and the GTA
North York Electricians brings 20+ years of experience and a team of 30+ licensed electricians to outdoor and landscape lighting across North York, Toronto, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville. Every installation is completed to Ontario Electrical Safety Code standards, with permits and ESA inspection handled for you.
Call +1 (647) 832-3800 for a free estimate, or contact us to book a site visit. For urgent outdoor electrical faults, our emergency line is available 24/7.