Mississauga, Ontario – November 5, 2026 – Heated Driveways Mississauga, the operator of the snow-melt referral website heateddrivewaysmississauga.ca, today released a hiring checklist for Mississauga homeowners who are planning an electric heated driveway, walkway or steps. The checklist follows a recent Peel Region case in which police charged a man accused of passing himself off as a licensed electrical contractor, and it explains how homeowners can confirm that the people wiring a snow-melt system are legally allowed to do the work.
On October 2, 2026, Peel Regional Police announced charges against a 39-year-old Brampton man following an investigation called Project Circuit Breaker, which began in May after a complaint from Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). According to police, the man operated two electrical contracting businesses, allegedly misrepresented himself as a licensed electrical contractor and employed people who were not properly certified. Police said the work included electric vehicle charger installations, LED lighting and electrical panel replacements, and that customers were promised government rebates that do not exist. Police said they had identified 12 victims in Peel, Halton and York regions. The charges include defrauding the public, false pretences, uttering forged documents and mischief endangering life. The allegations have not been proven in court.
An electric snow-melting system is electrical work. Heating cables or mats are embedded in the driveway and connected to a dedicated circuit and an automatic controller, which places these installations squarely under Ontario’s electrical safety rules.
“A heated driveway is a permanent electrical installation buried under the surface you walk and drive on every day, so who wires it matters. The charges in Peel are a reminder that anyone can claim to be licensed. Ontario makes it easy to check: ask for the seven-digit ECRA/ESA licence number, look it up yourself, and make sure the permit is filed before anyone starts digging. Then ask for the Certificate of Acceptance when the job is done,” said a spokesperson for Heated Driveways Mississauga.
What Ontario’s rules say
According to the ESA, only a Licensed Electrical Contracting business can be hired to do electrical work in an Ontario home. Master and certified electricians are employed by these businesses but are not authorized to be hired directly, and general contractors are not licensed to do electrical work themselves. The ESA also says the Ontario Electrical Safety Code requires electrical work to be reported by filing a notification of work, often called a permit, before the work starts, and that a building permit does not cover the electrical portion of a project.
The checklist
Heated Driveways Mississauga recommends that homeowners take the following steps before signing for an electric heated driveway:
- Ask for the contractor’s seven-digit ECRA/ESA licence number. The ESA says it should appear on the contractor’s truck, business card and estimate.
- Verify the licence yourself using the ESA’s Find a Contractor tool rather than relying on a logo or a website claim.
- If a landscaping, paving or general contractor is managing the project, confirm in writing that a Licensed Electrical Contractor will do the electrical work.
- Confirm that the electrical notification of work is filed with the ESA before excavation or wiring begins.
- Ask for the ESA Certificate of Acceptance once the work is complete, and keep it for your records and insurance purposes.
- Get the full scope, system type and price in writing, and be cautious of anyone demanding a large upfront deposit or promising rebates that cannot be confirmed.
The ESA explains the licensing and permit requirements in the short video below.
The checklist applies across Mississauga, from Port Credit and Lorne Park on the lake to Streetsville, Meadowvale and Churchill Meadows, and to neighbouring communities in Peel and Halton.
Timing matters as well. Because a driveway has to be excavated and concrete should not be poured in freezing weather, installations in the Mississauga area generally run from spring through late fall. Homeowners who start comparing contractors over the winter can complete these checks well before the season opens.
Heated Driveways Mississauga notes that it does not install heated driveways and does not verify any contractor’s licensing or credentials. Confirming those details directly is the homeowner’s responsibility, which is the reason the company chose to publish the checklist.
About Heated Driveways Mississauga
Heated Driveways Mississauga operates a Mississauga heated driveway referral website that connects homeowners and businesses in Mississauga and nearby communities with independent local contractors for electric and hydronic snow-melting systems, heated walkways and steps, retrofits and repairs. The company does not perform installation work itself; any agreement for work is made directly between the customer and the independent contractor. Its mission is to help homeowners find a local installer while giving them the information they need to hire with confidence.
Media Contact
Company Name: Heated Driveways Mississauga
Contact Person: Marshan Beals
Email: Send Email
Phone: (289) 207-6897
Address:86-50 Burnhamthorpe Rd W
City: Mississauga
State: Ontario
Country: Canada
Website: https://heateddrivewaysmississauga.ca/
Press Release Distributed by ABNewswire.com
To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: Heated Driveways Mississauga urges homeowners planning electric snow-melt systems to confirm ESA licensing and permits after Peel police lay charges in an unlicensed electrical contracting case
