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Toronto Hydro is offering to help fund electricity management systems in up to six multiplexes in the city through a pilot project, with the goal of managing the demands from electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps.
Named the Multiplex PowerPlay Program, the utility will provide up to $50,000 per project for the purchase and installation of smart load management devices. The systems balance a building’s electricity consumption and prevent demand from exceeding capacity limits.
Electric vehicle (EV) chargers and heat pumps, equipment that help transition away from fossil fuels, require large amounts of electricity to operate. The demand can threaten to overload homes and grids, opening a niche for smart load management systems to regulate electricity supply and prevent such scenarios.
Contractors and developers can apply until May 31 to participate in the Multiplex PowerPlay Pilot Program.
"A big part of readying ourselves for our energy future is taking advantage of exciting energy-saving technologies today, and the Multiplex PowerPlay Pilot is helping us do exactly that,” Dan Smart, the interim chief operating officer of Toronto Hydro, said in the announcement.
“By working with builders to manage energy in new and different ways, this frees up opportunities for exploring additional ways of using power."
Toronto's need for energy management
Eligible projects must:
- be a multiplex development with four to six units, including garden and laneway suites;
- be located in a postal code area starting with M, excluding M0R and M7R;
- focus on electrification with technologies such as heat pumps and EV chargers included in the design; and
- have project plans that would require a 400A+ service upgrade which would be avoided with a smart load management device.
The electricity management systems can save developers money and time by avoiding the need for service upgrades in the future, Toronto Hydro said. Residents could also transition to electricity-powered equipment quicker and more efficiently.
The technology supports multifamily housing in Toronto, Toronto Hydro said, which has been prioritized to address the shortage of housing in the city that is contributing to the sky-high costs of shelter.
The systems also have value in light of Toronto looking at a future with ever-rising demand for electricity which could strain the city’s grid if not managed effectively.
In 2025, Toronto Hydro received over 100 service connection upgrade requests for multiplex buildings looking to get 400A+ service upgrades. The Independent Electricity System Operator forecasts electricity demand in Ontario to rise 75 per cent by 2050, partially due to increasing electrification from the likes of EV chargers.
There is also the pressure of the Toronto Green Standard, which emphasizes decarbonization of the city’s buildings, including homes. Toronto is under a target to hit net-zero for community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, which demands a phase-out of fossil fuel-powered building systems and vehicles in favour of alternatives that can run on electricity from Ontario’s low-carbon grid.
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