Solar Panel Installation near you

Each solar module contains photovoltaic cells that produce direct current when light strikes them. The modules are wired together into an array, and an inverter, either one central unit or microinverters mounted behind the panels, converts that power into alternating current synchronized with the grid. Disconnect switches let the electrician and utility crews isolate the system, and a bidirectional meter records both the electricity you draw and the electricity you send out.

A grid-tied system is the usual choice for Canadian homes: when the panels produce more than the house needs, the surplus goes to the grid, and at night or on grey days the house draws from it. A grid-tied system without batteries is designed to shut down during an outage, so it won't power the house while the grid is down, because it must not energize lines that crews are repairing. Battery storage lets you save part of the solar output for the evening or for backup during outages, but it adds equipment, space and approvals, and the batteries are installed and connected under the same electrical rules. Off-grid systems, with large battery banks and often a generator, are mainly for cottages and remote sites without utility service.

Start with the roof, not the panels. The racking is anchored through the roofing into the structure and stays there for many years, so shingles near the end of their life should be replaced before installation; removing and reinstalling the panels later to reroof adds cost and new roof penetrations. Ask a roofer to assess the covering, the flashing and any soft decking, and have the installer confirm, with an engineer if needed, that the structure can carry the added weight on top of the snow loads your region sees.

Orientation and shade come next. A slope facing roughly south with few obstructions is ideal, while east- and west-facing slopes still produce, only less; trees, chimneys, dormers and neighbouring buildings can reduce output noticeably. Natural Resources Canada publishes photovoltaic potential and solar resource maps that estimate what grid-connected systems without batteries can produce, in kilowatt-hours per kilowatt of installed capacity, for more than 3,500 municipalities, a useful first check before you ask for quotes.

In Ontario, net metering is governed by Ontario Regulation 541/05 and offered through your local distribution company. According to the Ontario government, the electricity you send to the grid is valued at the same rates you are charged for the electricity you use, that value is applied as a credit against the charges on your bill, and unused credits can be carried over to future bills for up to 12 months. Eligible sources include solar, wind, water and bioenergy. The province advises contacting your local utility first and not buying or installing equipment, or signing a contract, until the distributor has approved the project.

In Quebec, Hydro-Québec handles self-generation through its Net Metering Option I for residential customers on Rate D, DM or DP, with photovoltaic power among the eligible sources. Surplus electricity is credited in kilowatt-hours to a surplus bank that offsets later bills; the bank is reset to zero every 24 months, and any positive balance on that date is applied to your bill as a credit. The customer remains responsible for purchasing, installing, maintaining and inspecting the equipment. Elsewhere in Canada, net metering rules come from the local utility or the provincial regulator.

In Quebec, Hydro-Québec requires self-generation equipment to be connected to the grid by an electrical contractor who is a member of the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMEQ), and warns never to connect it yourself, since a non-compliant installation carries a serious risk of fire and of serious or fatal injury. In Ontario, ESA points out that any system producing even small amounts of electricity can be dangerous if installed incorrectly, and urges homeowners to hire a Licensed Electrical Contractor holding an ECRA/ESA licence.

In Quebec, Hydro-Québec now offers a subsidy for residential solar panels through its LogisVert program. According to the program page, panels must have been installed on or after June 30, 2025 to qualify, an official authorization to connect to Hydro-Québec's grid is required, and the contractor must hold the appropriate licences from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ). Read the current terms before signing, since the conditions and eligible costs can change.

At the federal level, the Canada Greener Homes Loan is no longer taking on new borrowers: Natural Resources Canada states that its funding is fully committed and new loan applications cannot be approved. Other help depends on your province, utility or municipality, so check the official program page before counting on one.

Winter is the low season for solar in Canada. Days are short, the sun sits low, and a blanket of snow keeps a panel from producing until it slides or melts off, which the dark, tilted glass helps along on sunny days. Cold itself isn't a problem for photovoltaic cells, which work well in cool weather, and snow on the ground can reflect extra light onto uncovered panels. The long days of spring and summer produce far more than December and January, which is why credits banked in summer matter for winter bills.

Never climb onto a snowy roof to clear the panels. Winter roof work is dangerous, and scraping can scratch the glass or damage the modules. If snow build-up worries you, raise panel tilt and layout with the installer at the design stage, and have a roofer check that snow sliding off the array won't land on a doorway, a walkway or a gas meter.