
The colour of an electrical wire tells you both the best use for it and whether they carry current or not.Ĭanada wiring colours for residential use is governed by the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) and is coded as follows:

Here are the basics you need to know about the colour code wiring in your home. That being said, it is helpful to know and understand what the Canada wiring colours mean as they pertain to your home and your safety. Perhaps, even more importantly, to avoid harm to yourself, your family, or your home, it is prudent to leave all electrical work to a qualified electrician. All electrical wires could carry an electrical current at some point, so treat every colour wire with equal caution. All Electrical Wires Can Carry a Currentīefore we dive into explaining the Canadian wiring colours and how it applies to the wiring in your house, let’s make one thing clear: the most important thing you need to know about electrical wires and their colour coding is that ALL electrical wires are electrical. In British Columbia, we follow the electrical regulations of the BC Safety Standards Act as mandated by the Technical Safety BC. In Canada, electrical wires are colour coded to make it easy to differentiate and identify each wire, with each Canada wiring colour representing what that wire does and what it’s used for. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist – or an electrician – to know and understand, that the specific colouring of the electrical wires in your home means something.


Canada wiring colours, as regulated by the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC), are quite similar to the National Electrical Code (NEC) in the United States.
