Utilities
Understand utilities in Canadian real estate, including which services are essential, who pays for them, and how they affect monthly home costs.
May 22, 2025
What are Utilities?
Utilities refer to the essential services required to operate a property, including water, gas, electricity, heating, and sometimes telecommunications or internet access.
Why Do Utilities Matter in Real Estate
In Canadian real estate, utilities are part of the ongoing homeownership or tenancy costs. These services must be connected, paid for, and maintained by either the property owner or tenant, depending on the lease or agreement.
Typical utilities include:
- Hydro (electricity)
- Natural gas or oil (heating)
- Water and sewer
- Waste collection and recycling
- Internet, phone, and cable (optional)
Buyers and renters should budget for monthly utility bills and inquire whether the property is separately metered or part of a shared system. In condos, some utilities may be included in condo fees. Utility costs vary by location, home size, efficiency, and energy source.
During a sale or move-in, utilities must be transferred or activated to ensure service continuity. Delays can result in inconvenience, fines, or reconnection fees.
Understanding utilities helps homeowners and tenants plan for regular expenses and ensure safe, comfortable living conditions.
Example of Utilities in Action
A tenant pays their landlord $1,800/month plus utilities, covering hydro, heating, and water, which average $280/month depending on season and usage.
Key Takeaways
- Essential services for home operation.
- Includes hydro, water, heat, and internet.
- Costs vary by location and usage.
- May be included in rent or condo fees.
- Must be transferred or activated at move-in.
Related Terms
- Homeownership Costs
- Condo Fees
- Tenancy Agreement
- Energy Efficiency
- Utility Hookup
6525 Mississauga Road and its surrounding context. (RBC Capital Markets & CBRE)
Property details for 6525 Mississauga Road. (RBC Capital Markets & CBRE)
National average resale-price growth and housing-starts growth, smoothed over three months. The comparison illustrates the cycle; it does not establish how much a price change causes construction to change.
Trailing 12-month starts in centres of 50,000 or more remove the usual monthly seasonality. Ownership combines the homeowner and condominium categories; rental is shown separately.
Six-month averages of provincial starts, expressed at annual rates. The smoothing reduces the influence of individual apartment projects.
The same August benchmark compared with two different starting points. Three-month changes are not annualized.
Average sale prices show the difference in purchase costs across markets. They do not measure affordability relative to local incomes or construction costs.
Newfoundland and Labrador remains above its pre-pandemic sales pattern, but August activity was below last year. Historical lines retain their original release vintages.
Average and median describe different aspects of the same month’s transactions. Both are affected by the mix of homes sold.
Category averages compare different homes and locations; the gaps are not estimates of the cost to upgrade an otherwise identical property.
The five categories shown account for 5,000 of the board’s 5,057 sales. The remaining 57 transactions were in other housing categories.
Monthly observations are not seasonally adjusted. Active listings count properties available at month-end; they are not construction inventory.
Average and median prices share one dollar axis. These unadjusted transaction measures do not control for changes in the homes sold.
TRREB’s 416/905 categories compare the apartments sold in each area. The difference does not isolate a location premium for equivalent units.
5680 Oak Street in Vancouver and its surrounding context. (MCMP Architects)
Ground-level renderings of the tower proposed for 5680 Oak Street in Vancouver. (MCMP Architects)