What's New in the 2024 Canadian Electrical Code

The 2024 Canadian Electrical Code (CEC, 25th edition) brings hundreds of revisions — most are housekeeping, but a handful directly change how you rough in, terminate, and inspect work in the field. This is a fast, practical summary of the changes that show up most often on residential, commercial, and EV/storage jobs.

This is a summary, not a code substitute. Always verify the rule number and wording in your jurisdiction's adopted edition before pulling permits.

1. Electric vehicle supply equipment (Section 86)

Section 86 keeps growing. The 2024 edition continues to require EV energy management systems (EVEMS) for any installation where the calculated EV load would otherwise push a service over its rated ampacity. New language clarifies:

EVEMS-controlled receptacles can be sized to the controlled load, not the breaker.
Outdoor EVSE receptacles must be GFCI-protected and weather-resistant.
Each EV branch circuit must terminate at a single point of utilization.

Field impact: dropping a 40 A EV charger into a panel that's already at capacity is usually solved with an EVEMS instead of a service upgrade.

2. GFCI & AFCI — the protection net keeps widening

Rule 26-700 and 26-722 continue to expand required GFCI/AFCI coverage. Notable updates:

GFCI required on dwelling-unit receptacles within 1.5 m of any sink, tub, or shower (kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, wet bars).
AFCI protection extended to additional dwelling-unit branch circuits, including bedroom outlets and most 15/20 A general-purpose circuits.
Outdoor receptacles, garage receptacles, and crawl-space receptacles continue to require GFCI.

3. Energy storage systems (Section 64)

Battery storage (home Powerwall-style installs and commercial ESS) is now its own full section. Highlights:

Dedicated disconnect requirements with labels visible at the service.
Ventilation, working space, and clearance rules for indoor cabinets.
Clear interconnection rules for grid-tied PV + storage systems.

4. Bonding & grounding (Section 10)

Section 10 received a major reorganization in 2018 and continues to be cleaned up. For 2024:

Table 16 (bonding conductor sizing) clarifications for parallel runs.
New guidance on bonding for metallic raceways used as the sole equipment grounding path.
Updated separately-derived system rules (transformer secondaries) to align with Section 26.

Use the Grounding & Bonding Sizer to pick the correct conductor from Table 16 without paging through the book.

5. Receptacles — split vs tamper-resistant

Tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles are required in essentially every dwelling-unit location accessible to children. The 2024 edition tightens definitions and removes most legacy exemptions. Split-receptacle rules for kitchen counters remain, but the wording now favours dedicated 20 A circuits over split 15 A circuits for new construction.

6. Heat-pump and HVAC sizing

With heat-pump adoption rising, rules in Section 62 and 28 have been tweaked so the calculated load reflects the larger of heating or cooling rather than the heating element nameplate alone. Use the manufacturer's MCA/MOP and the new clarified rules for service calculations.

7. Voltage drop (Rule 8-102) — unchanged but worth a reminder

The familiar limits remain: 3% on a branch circuit and 5% combined feeder + branch. With longer runs to garages, EV chargers, and detached structures, drop is the #1 reason an installation needs to be upsized. Run quick checks with the Voltage Drop calculator.

8. Conduit fill (Tables 9 & 10)

Table 9 (raceway internal area) and Table 10 (insulated conductor area) values are essentially unchanged, but Rule 12-910 fill limits stay the same: 53% for one conductor, 31% for two, and 40% for three or more. Double-check on long runs and bends — those are still where fill turns into a real-world pull problem. The Conduit Fill calculator uses the 2024 table values.

Quick reference

EV chargers: consider an EVEMS before upgrading the service (Section 86).
GFCI/AFCI: assume protection is required unless you can point to a specific exemption (Rule 26-700 / 26-722).
Energy storage: use Section 64; label the disconnect at the service.
Bonding: Table 16 still drives equipment grounding sizing.
Voltage drop: 3% branch / 5% combined — non-negotiable on long runs.