IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT PAD-MOUNT TRANSFORMERS

Those green metal hydro boxes found in neighbourhoods are pad-mounted transformers — and they must remain accessible and clear at all times for safety and emergency repairs.

Ontario utility guidelines generally require:

✅ 3 metres (10 feet) of clear space in front of transformer doors
✅ 1–1.5 metres of clearance on the sides and back

🚫 Please DO NOT plant trees close to transformers.

Tree roots and overgrown vegetation can:

• crack or lift the concrete pad
• block utility worker access
• interfere with cooling and ventilation
• delay emergency response during outages

Several Ontario utilities specifically advise:
👉 “Don’t plant trees near pad-mounted transformers.”

✅ Acceptable landscaping may include:

• low ornamental shrubs
• grasses
• mulch beds
• shallow-rooted plants

🚫 Avoid planting:

• cedars
• maples
• spruce
• willows
• vines / ivy
• thorny or invasive-root plants

⚠️ BEFORE YOU DIG IN ONTARIO:

Always request underground utility locates through
Ontario One Call
at least 5–7 business days before digging.

Protect yourself, your property, and underground infrastructure by planning landscaping safely around electrical equipment.