Preface
This seventeenth edition of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I was approved by the Committee on CE Code, Part I, and the Advisory Council on Electrical Safety at their June 1993 meetings in Edmonton, Alberta. This seventeenth edition supersedes previous editions published in 1927, 1930, 1935, 1939, 1947, 1953, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1986, and 1990.
Section 0 to 16 and 26 are considered to be General sections; the others being Supplementary or Amendatory sections.
A new Section 50 was added to contain the requirements for Solar Photovoltaic Systems. New technology also led to requirements being added for neutral grounding devices, manufactured wiring systems, series rated combinations of overcurrent devices, extra-low-voltage lighting systems, and pre closed-loop power distribution.
Other changes incorporated in this edition are the addition of ampacities for underground cables, the expansion of the types of enclosures, the addition of a requirement for protective and control equipment to have a rating for fault currents, and the addition of requirements for the installation of propane and compressed natural gas facilities.
In addition, there are significant changes to Sections 0, 6, 10, 12, 20, 26, 28, 30, 34, and 36.
Phrases such as required by the authority having jurisdiction, by special permission, and satisfactory to the inspection department delegate authority to some other individual or organization for settling a requirement. The wording in various rules of this edition has been modified (or deleted in some cases) in a manner that eliminates phrases dealing with delegation of authority without changing the intent of the rules.
Scope
This Code covers all electrical work and electrical equipment operating or intended to operate at all voltages in electrical installations for buildings, structures, and premises, including factory-built relocatable and non-relocatable structures, and self-propelled marine vessels stationary for periods exceeding five months and connected to a shore supply of electricity continuously or from time to time, with the following exceptions:
(a) Installations or equipment employed by an electric or communication utility in the exercise of its function as a utility, and located outdoors or in buildings or sections of buildings used for that purpose; and
(b) Equipment and facilities that are used in the operation of an electric railway and are supplied exclusively from circuits that supply the motive power; and
(c) Installations or equipment used for railway signalling and railway communication purposes, and located outdoors or in buildings or sections of buildings used exclusively for such installations; and
(d) Aircraft; and
(e) Electrical systems in ships which are regulated under the Canadian Coast Guard, Ship Safety Branch, Ship Safety Electrical Standards.
For mines and quarry applications, see also CSA Standard M421.
