ESA Notifications for Digital Signage Installations in Ontario

Most digital signage installations involve some electrical work: a new circuit, an outlet relocated behind the screen, a receptacle inside a recessed enclosure. In Ontario, that work falls under the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.

This is general information. Your electrical contractor determines exactly what notification and inspection the work requires.

Who the ESA is

The ESA is the organization responsible for electrical safety in Ontario. Among other things, it licenses electrical contractors and master electricians, and it oversees electrical installations through a notification and inspection process.

The notification

Before (or as) electrical work is done, the licensed electrical contractor files a notification of work with the ESA, often informally called an electrical permit. The ESA may then inspect the work. When the work is accepted, documentation is issued that can be kept with the building's records.

Who files it

The licensed electrical contractor (LEC) doing the work files the notification. For work done for hire in someone else's building, including condominium common elements and commercial properties, the work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor, not a handyman, AV installer or general contractor without an electrical licence. See licensed electrical contractor vs handyman.

What typically involves electrical work in a signage project

• New branch circuits from an electrical panel
• New or relocated receptacles behind or inside screen recesses
• Extending existing circuits
• Work in electrical rooms or ceiling spaces to route wiring

Low-voltage data cabling for the network is usually handled separately, but it still has to respect fire separations and building requirements.

What the condo should keep

Ask for and file:

• The contractor's ESA licence number
• The notification reference
• The documentation showing the work was accepted
• A summary of the circuits used for the screens (which panel, which breakers)

This makes future maintenance easier and protects the corporation if questions arise later, for example during a sale, insurance review or reserve fund study.

Why it matters to a board

Unlicensed electrical work in common elements creates risk: fire safety, insurance coverage, and liability for the corporation. Requiring a licensed electrical contractor with an ESA notification is one of the simplest ways for a board to manage that risk.

How we handle it

Electrical work on our projects is done by our partner, a master electrician working under an Electrical Contractor Licence, who files the ESA notification. The documentation is handed over to management at the end of the project.