# Hydrovac Services Toronto | Metro Hydrovac Toronto URL: https://hydrovactoronto.ca/ 2,000+ Hydrovac Projects Completed Across Toronto GTA 20 Years of Non-Destructive Excavation # Metro Hydrovac Toronto: Hydrovac Services, Hydrovac Excavation, Daylighting & Vacuum Truck Services for Toronto GTA Utility Contractors, Municipalities & GCs - 20 YRS GTA Experience - NON-DESTRUCTIVE Water + Vacuum - OHS 213/91 Excavation Compliant - $5M Commercial Liability - ON1CALL Certified Locators - 24/7 Water Main & Sewer Emergencies ▣ Dispatch Specification & Operational Record LOG: ON1CALL-TOR Metro Hydrovac Toronto [/ →](/) provides hydrovac services in Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, Brampton and Oakville, backed by 20 years of non-destructive excavation across the GTA. Hydrovac is a digging method that cuts soil loose with 3,000-4,000 PSI water and lifts it into a debris tank with a 27 inch Hg vacuum, so buried gas, hydro, fiber and water lines are exposed without a bucket ever touching them. We run it for hydrovac excavation [/hydrovac-excavation/ →](/hydrovac-excavation/) , utility daylighting [/daylighting-line-locating/ →](/daylighting-line-locating/) , slot trenching, pile holes and vacuum truck services [/vacuum-truck-services/ →](/vacuum-truck-services/) across the Greater Toronto Area. Founder Alex Novak grew up in East York watching his father work on municipal sewer crews for the City of Toronto. He took the Humber College Civil Engineering Technician program in his twenties, then spent 7 years running a vacuum truck for a Mississauga environmental services contractor doing confined space cleanouts and hazmat response. He bought his first used Vactor 2100i in 2004 and launched Metro Hydrovac Toronto out of a rented East End yard. Twenty years later he runs a Toronto truck yard with three hydrovac units, in-house maintenance and ON1Call-certified crews across the GTA. Last month we finished a $18,400 CAD fiber corridor daylighting project for a telecom GC in the Toronto Port Lands after they had already had one dig-in with a different crew. We exposed 180 ft of buried fiber over three days using 27 inch Hg vacuum and 3,500 PSI, and the ON1Call locator signed off on the first visit. Our crews handle commercial contracts from $15,000 to $180,000 CAD. We have daylighted Bell Canada fiber on Lakeshore Blvd, cleaned catch basins for the City of Toronto program on Danforth Ave, and exposed 12 Alectra Utilities hydro vaults across Mississauga. Every job is run by in-house Red Seal certified operators on three owned hydrovac trucks with 2,500 to 6,000 gallon tanks. We buy direct from 8 Canadian suppliers for Vactor, Vac-Con, Super Products and X-Vac parts, GSPECS pressure wands, Hannay reels and hydraulic fittings, so a broken part means hours of downtime, not weeks. In our opinion, running a hydrovac without ON1Call locates is like merging onto the 401 without checking your mirrors. Hydrovac to a buried utility is like a dental X-ray to a tooth: you want the picture before you reach for the drill. Open-cut excavation around a known fiber line is like a Halloween-store scissors: cheap, fast, and you'll regret the result for months. Nine times out of ten, this is where the previous contractor cut a corner. > _“At Metro Hydrovac Toronto, our vision is to expose Toronto's underground infrastructure safely, every single time, so our GC and utility clients never have to explain a dig-in to a project manager or insurance adjuster. We enjoy the moment a buried fiber or gas line emerges clean and the client realizes we actually meant it when we said non-destructive. We routinely hear that we exceeded their expectations, and this is what brings us joy.”_ Request a Quote [/contact/ →](/contact/) Call (647) 251-8377 [tel:+16472518377 →](tel:+16472518377) 20 YRS GTA Hydrovac Experience ZERO Utility Strikes, 2,000+ Jobs OHS 213/91 Excavation Compliant $5,000,000 Commercial Liability 5-Star Customer Satisfaction Top-Rated Toronto Hydrovac Contractor 2,000+ Projects Completed ON1Call Certified Locators Written Workmanship Warranty Scheduled Digs: Business Hours Fleet Deployment ## Three Owned Hydrovac Trucks Working Toronto Streets Every Day Direct from our Toronto yard to GTA corridors. Heated water systems for frozen ground, high-vacuum blowers and long-reach booms, all maintained in our own bay. ![Metro Hydrovac Toronto truck with boom extended exposing utilities on a downtown Toronto street, two crew members working](/images/misc/vactor-style-hydrovac-truck-with-boom-extended-exp.webp) RIG ID: METRO-RIG-03 LOC: DOWNTOWN TORONTO STATUS: ACTIVE SLURRY EXTRACTION 3,500 PSI Pressure Wand 27" HG Vacuum Rating 6,000 GAL Largest Debris Tank TSSA Pressure Vessel Tanks Service Capabilities ## Hydrovac Services We Run Across Toronto and the GTA Eight services, three owned trucks, one published CAD rate card. Every service page lists hourly, day and project pricing. ![Two-person Metro Hydrovac Toronto crew potholing a utility crossing with a pressure wand and vacuum hose beside a hydrovac truck on a Toronto street](/images/misc/hydrovac-truck-and-two-person-crew-in-high-vis-ves.webp) $280-$450/HR ### Hydrovac Excavation Hydrovac excavation is non-destructive digging that uses 3,000-4,000 PSI pressurized water to cut soil loose and 27 inch Hg vacuum to lift the slurry into a debris tank, exposing buried gas, hydro, fiber and water lines without a steel bucket ever touching them. We run it on Vactor 2100i and Vac-Con V390 trucks for utility potholing, backfill removal around live services, test pits before auger work, and confined space digs where a backhoe cannot fit. Every job starts with an Ontario One Call locate and runs under OHS Reg 213/91 construction protocol plus CSA Z247 ground disturbance standards. Depth, size and material logged with photos at every exposure, with 100% first-visit utility coordination approval across 2,000+ GTA projects. A utility GC on Finch Ave W found that out the easy way. We exposed 14 live gas junctions on their site using the 3,500 PSI wand, logged depth and offset at every one, and the Enbridge inspector signed off on all 14 on the first visit. The whole job came in at $3,200 CAD. Trust us, you're in good hands. Nine times out of ten, this is where the previous contractor cut a corner and left a $50K strike liability on the table. **Commercial record:** Finch Ave W utility GC: 14 live gas junctions exposed, 100% inspection sign-off on the first visit. View Excavation rates → [Hydrovac Excavation →](/hydrovac-excavation/) ![Metro Hydrovac Toronto vacuum truck crew of two cleaning an industrial sump at a Toronto warehouse](/images/misc/large-vacuum-truck-with-hose-deployed-into-an-indu.webp) $280-$450/HR ### Vacuum Truck Services Vacuum truck services use high-capacity 2,500-6,000 gallon tanks on Vactor 2100i and Super Products Mud Dog trucks to recover wet slurry, dry debris, industrial sludge, liquid industrial waste and spent drilling fluids from job sites across the Greater Toronto Area. We run 27 inch Hg suction with cyclonic filtration and decant systems that separate solids before transport, so one truck can handle a pit, a sump, a lift station and a confined space in the same shift. Every load leaves with a waste manifest to a licensed MECP disposal site, and every TSSA-compliant pressure vessel on our fleet carries current inspection records. Industrial tank cleaning, construction site debris, oil-grit separators and interceptor vaults handled with Red Seal certified operators and confined space entry tickets. A food manufacturer in Mississauga needed their 15,000-gallon brine tank cleaned during a 24-hour maintenance window. We staged two 6,000-gallon trucks, ran four turnover cycles on the sludge dewatering circuit, and had the tank inspection-ready by 06:30 the next morning. Final invoice was $8,400 CAD. Everytime we do these overnight shifts, we treat the clock like a published rate card. It still blows our mind when we finish one of these on schedule. **Commercial record:** Alectra Utilities hydro vault work across Mississauga: 12 vaults in 2023, every load manifested. View Vacuum Trucks rates → [Vacuum Truck Services →](/vacuum-truck-services/) ![Two crew members daylighting orange fiber optic conduits in a clean trench along Lakeshore Blvd in Toronto](/images/misc/two-hydrovac-crew-members-daylighting-a-bundle-of-.webp) $350-$500/HR ### Daylighting & Line Locating Daylighting is non-destructive utility exposure using 3,500 PSI pressurized water and 27 inch Hg vacuum to visually verify the exact position, depth and material of buried fiber optic cable, high-pressure gas distribution mains, electrical duct banks, cast iron water mains and tracer wire before any bore, drill or trench cuts through them. We work from Subsurface Utility Engineering Quality Level A standards, inside the locate tolerance zone defined by Ontario One Call, and log depth, size and condition for every exposure. The result is a dig that proceeds with real coordinates, not paint marks. We daylight for Enbridge Gas pre-dig, Toronto Hydro vault access, Bell Canada fiber corridor work, HDD and trenchless crossings, and emergency water main depth confirmation under CSA Z247. A telecom GC on the Toronto Port Lands had a dig-in with another crew the week before they called us. We exposed 180 ft of buried fiber in three days using 3,500 PSI and 27 inch Hg vacuum, logged depth every metre, and the ON1Call locator signed off on the first visit. The $18,400 CAD invoice held to the published rate card. Trust us, this is where the first contractor cut a corner. **Commercial record:** Bell Canada on Lakeshore Blvd: 180 ft fiber daylighting over three days, added to their regional emergency dispatch list. View Daylighting rates → [Daylighting & Line Locating →](/daylighting-line-locating/) ![Hydrovac rental truck with operator and contractor reviewing a site plan on a GTA utility relocation](/images/misc/hydrovac-rental-truck-with-operator-and-contractor.webp) $1,120+/HALF-DAY ### Hydrovac Rentals Hydrovac rentals cover operated truck rental by the half-day, full day, week or project, with a Vactor 2100i or Vac-Con V390 unit and a Red Seal certified operator who holds a DZ licence, CSA Z247 ground disturbance training and a confined space entry ticket. Every rental includes mobilization, standby time, published fuel and disposal rates, and a tank capacity worksheet for your project manager. We quote half-day rates at $1,120-$1,800 CAD, full 8-hour days at $2,240-$3,600 CAD, and full-week project rates at $12,000-$22,000 CAD. All three trucks TSSA pressure vessel compliant, all operators WSIB registered, no subcontractors on your site. Bare rental is not offered because we never put an untrained operator behind the wand. A commercial GC on a four-week downtown foundation project needed a dedicated hydrovac truck and operator from Monday to Friday across the entire schedule. We quoted $18,400 CAD per week for the Vactor 2100i plus the operator, delivered on time every day, and the project finished a full week ahead of the original schedule. Trust us, you're in good hands. It still blows our mind when a job comes in that clean. **Commercial record:** Weekly operated rental on a Highway 7 utility relocation: same operator all week, $16,500 CAD. View Rentals rates → [Hydrovac Rentals →](/hydrovac-rentals/) ![Two-person crew excavating a row of pile holes for a house addition in Toronto with the hydrovac boom overhead](/images/misc/hydrovac-crew-of-two-excavating-a-row-of-round-pil.webp) $400-$600/HR ### Pile Hole Excavation Pile hole excavation is non-destructive digging that uses 3,000-4,000 PSI water and 27 inch Hg vacuum to clear the exact footprint for helical piles, caissons, sonotube footings and retaining wall anchors to foundation depth, without striking buried utilities on their way down. We work past frost depth on winter projects using heated water, maintain plumb tolerance on every hole with a laser rig, and manage spoil directly into the debris tank so there is no mess on the slab or landscape. Vac-Con V390 trucks on tight residential lots, Vactor 2100i on commercial foundation work, every hole documented for your foundation footing engineer and compliant with OHS Reg 213/91 construction excavation and CSA Z247 ground disturbance standards. A foundation GC near Pearson Airport had 18 helical pile locations to clear through buried telecom and electrical before the auger crew could start. We prepped every one in a single 10-hour day using the 3,500 PSI wand, logged depth and offset, and the auger rig followed without a single strike. Invoice came in at $9,200 CAD, matching the published day rate exactly. Trust us, this is why the GC called us back for the next three jobs. **Commercial record:** Mississauga Pearson Airport site pile holes: $9,200 in 1 day, zero strikes. View Pile Holes rates → [Pile Hole Excavation →](/pile-hole-excavation/) ![Two crew members cutting a narrow slot trench along a Markham boulevard with orange conduit ready to lay](/images/misc/narrow-slot-trench-being-cut-with-a-pressure-wand-.webp) $300-$450/HR ### Slot Trenching Slot trenching is narrow non-destructive excavation that uses 3,500 PSI pressurized water and 27 inch Hg vacuum to cut linear trenches between 4 and 8 inches wide for fiber optic lateral runs, electrical conduit, irrigation line installation and utility interconnect work, through congested right-of-ways where open-cut would hit three or four buried services. We run X-Vac X-13 and Vactor 2100i trucks on asphalt saw-cut edges, minimize spoil with controlled recovery into the debris tank, and reinstate the surface to municipal right-of-way permit specification. Every slot goes in past a tracer wire with recorded depth. Fiber optic trenching on the Highway 7 tech corridor, electrical conduit runs through downtown parking garages and conduit runs across municipal easements all handled with Red Seal certified operators. A fiber installer on the Markham tech corridor needed 420 ft of new conduit through a shared right-of-way with Bell, Hydro One, Enbridge and the municipal storm sewer. We exposed every crossing first, then cut the slot trench in four days using the 3,500 PSI wand and recovered spoil continuously. $22,800 CAD invoice held to the rate card. Everytime we do slot work in that corridor, it goes in without a nick. **Commercial record:** Markham tech corridor fiber slot trenching: $22,800 over 4 days, zero nicks to existing lines. View Slot Trenching rates → [Slot Trenching →](/slot-trenching/) ![Night-time hydrovac truck and two-person crew at a flooded water main break on a Toronto street](/images/misc/night-time-hydrovac-truck-with-work-lights-at-a-fl.webp) $450-$650/HR ### 24/7 Emergency Hydrovac Emergency hydrovac covers after-hours response for water main breaks, sewer backups, insurance claim exposure, curb stop access and construction site utility strikes across the Toronto GTA, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We dispatch within 2 hours of the call, mobilize a Vactor 2100i or Vac-Con V390 truck with a Red Seal operator, and run 3,500 PSI water with 27 inch Hg vacuum to expose the cause of loss, dewater the site, and deliver a time-stamped photo log for your insurance adjuster or restoration contractor. Published after-hours rate is $450-$650 CAD per hour with a 4-hour minimum callout. Toronto Water, Peel Region and Halton Region coordination handled, sanitary backup containment managed to Ontario Reg 406/19 slurry disposal standards. An insurance adjuster working a Scarborough plaza sewer backup called us at 11:00 PM in January. Truck was on site in 90 minutes, backup vacuumed, blockage exposed and photographed, and the adjuster had the file by 06:00 the next morning. Six hours of after-hours work, $3,100 CAD invoice, case closed. Trust us, you're in good hands on the overnight shift. Nine times out of ten, that is when the previous contractor could not pick up the phone. **Commercial record:** Scarborough sewer backup emergency: $3,100 CAD, 6 hours after-hours, claim file closed. View Emergency rates → [24/7 Emergency Hydrovac →](/emergency-hydrovac/) ![Crew of two vacuuming a municipal catch basin on Danforth Ave in Toronto beside a vacuum truck](/images/misc/two-crew-members-vacuuming-a-municipal-catch-basin.webp) $280-$450/HR ### Sewer & Culvert Cleaning Sewer and culvert cleaning combines high-pressure sewer jetter nozzles, flexible hose reels on Vactor sewer units and 27 inch Hg vacuum recovery to clear silt, grease, roots and construction debris from municipal storm sewers, catch basins, interceptor vaults, oil-grit separators, culvert pipes and commercial grease traps across the GTA. We work to Toronto Water, Peel Region and Halton Region catch basin program specifications, document every inlet and outlet with before-and-after photographs, and record disposal volumes against MECP waste manifests. Sediment sumps on our Vactor 2100i trucks capture solids before transport so one visit handles the jet, the vacuum and the inspection record. Grease trap cleanouts, storm drain emergency flushing and culvert flushing around CSA concrete pipes all handled in-house with Hannay reel systems and licensed slurry disposal. A municipal procurement officer in Vaughan handed us 42 silted culverts on a Highway 400 shoulder maintenance package. We ran two 6,000-gallon trucks for two days, flushed every inlet and outlet, and delivered a photo log plus Halton Region disposal records before the invoice went out at $14,600 CAD. Every culvert cleared the first visit. Nine times out of ten, this is where the previous contractor left half the job on the record. **Commercial record:** Vaughan Highway 400 municipal culvert flushing: $14,600 over 2 days, photo records for every structure. View Sewer & Culvert rates → [Sewer & Culvert Cleaning →](/sewer-culvert-cleaning/) ![Two-person crew in Tyvek protective suits removing contaminated soil at a Toronto brownfield site with a Vactor 2100i hydrovac truck](/images/misc/hydrovac-crew-in-tyvek-suits-removing-contaminated.webp) $350-$550/HR ### Contaminated Soil Removal Contaminated soil removal is hazmat-rated hydrovac work that uses 3,500 PSI pressurized water and 27 inch Hg vacuum to lift petroleum-impacted, heavy-metal-impacted and salt-contaminated soil from Toronto brownfield sites, Phase II Environmental Site Assessment digs, underground storage tank removals and spill response calls, straight into a sealed debris tank for direct haul to an MECP-licensed receiving facility. We run Vactor 2100i and Super Products Mud Dog trucks with hazmat-trained operators who hold confined space entry tickets and CSA Z247 ground disturbance training. Every load travels under Ontario Regulation 406/19 (Excess Soil Management) with a complete soil characterization package: ASTM D1586 sampling, Table 1-9 analytical results tied to the manifest and a receiving-site acceptance letter in your project file. A Toronto brownfield developer needed 48 cubic metres of petroleum-impacted soil removed from an infill site in East Toronto before Phase II ESA sign-off. We staged a 6,000-gallon Vactor 2100i with a hazmat-trained operator, ran four truck turnovers across two days, delivered every load to a Class 2 MECP-licensed receiving facility with manifest records, and the environmental consultant signed off on the first visit. Invoice came in at $14,800 CAD. Nine times out of ten, this is where a conventional excavator would have left a documentation gap. **Commercial record:** East Toronto brownfield site petroleum-impacted soil removal: $14,800 across 2 days, Phase II ESA signed first visit. View Soil Removal rates → [Contaminated Soil Removal →](/contaminated-soil-removal/) Project Risk Audit ## 5 Signs Your Toronto Construction Project Needs Hydrovac Excavation Mechanical excavation around congested utilities is where downtime starts. Check these five before a bucket goes into GTA soil. AUDIT SIGN 01 \>$50K STRIKE RISK ### More than three buried services share your dig area Where gas mains, hydro duct banks and fiber converge in a narrow right-of-way, one bucket strike can run past $50,000 CAD in repairs and fines. Hydrovac exposes all of them for $800-$2,500 per location. AUDIT SIGN 02 TOLERANCE ZONE ### Your excavation sits inside a gas or fiber locate tolerance zone Inside the zone, CSA Z247 and the utility owner expect non-destructive exposure before machines move. That is exactly what a hydrovac crew is for. AUDIT SIGN 03 TIGHT ACCESS ### There is no room to swing a backhoe Downtown lots off King or Queen, garage vaults and backyard additions. Our trucks park at the curb and reach up to 200 ft with the hose, so the dig happens where it is needed. AUDIT SIGN 04 FROST ### The ground is frozen and the schedule is not moving From November to April, heated water cuts frost that stops a bucket. Same published rate card, $280-$350/hr, and the crossings get exposed on time. AUDIT SIGN 05 DESIGN RISK ### Your engineer is designing from paint marks Locates show position, not depth. Test pits at $800-$2,500 each give real depth and offset numbers before drawings are stamped and tenders go out. Recognize two or more of these? A free on-site assessment gets you a locate review, tank worksheet and itemised CAD quote. Book a Free Assessment [/contact/ →](/contact/) Objections, Answered With Numbers ## What Actually Stops Toronto Project Managers From Booking Hydrovac ### “Hydrovac costs more than a backhoe.” In our opinion, compare the job, not the hour. Standard hydrovac is $280-$350 CAD per hour. A full week runs $12,000-$22,000. One gas or fiber strike can cost more than that week before fines, downtime and an OHS 213/91 investigation. ### “We'll get hit with hidden mobilization and disposal fees.” Every quote lists hourly rate, mobilization, disposal and locate fees on separate lines, in CAD. The rate card on this page is the one we bill from. ### “We don't know who will show up on site.” Our own Red Seal operators in our own three trucks. Zero subcontracting, $5M CGL plus $2M property damage, WSIB registered, and every truck tank TSSA pressure vessel compliant. ### “The locator or inspector will reject the first visit anyway.” We work from a valid Ontario One Call locate under CSA Z247 and log depth, size and material for every exposure. That is why we hold 100% first-visit utility coordination approval. Why Crews Call Us ## Why Toronto GCs and Utility Supervisors Choose Metro Hydrovac Toronto ![Two crew members reviewing a locate map beside a hydrovac truck boom at a Toronto site](/images/features/two-metro-hydrovac-crew-members-in-high-vis-and-ha.webp) RIG-02 • ON1CALL VERIFIED 01 ### 20 Years of Hydrovac Excavation Experience Two decades operating hydrovac trucks across the GTA, from the first Vactor 2100i we bought used in 2004 to our current fleet of three units. 02 ### Non-Destructive Excavation Specialists Every job uses 3,000-4,000 PSI water + 27 inch Hg vacuum to expose utilities without damaging gas, hydro, telecom or water lines. Zero utility strikes in 2,000+ projects. 03 ### OHS Reg 213/91 + Ontario One Call Compliant Every project starts with an ON1Call locate, pre-dig photo documentation and OHS 213/91 construction protocol. 100% first-visit utility coordination approval. 04 ### Full Fleet, Zero Subcontracting All three hydrovac trucks owned, operated and maintained by our crews. No rental trucks, no outsourced operators, no mystery subcontractors on your site. 05 ### Free On-Site Project Assessment Our lead technician brings a tank capacity worksheet, locate map, disposal site options and a published hourly rate card. No sales pitch, just numbers. 06 ### Transparent CAD Pricing Published Hourly, day and project rates are published on this site. No "call for quote" ambiguity. Definition ## What Is Hydrovac Excavation and How Does It Work ▣ Method Specification 3,500 PSI · 27 IN HG · ZERO STRIKES Water Lance 3,000-4,000 PSI cuts soil into liquid slurry Vacuum Blower 27 inch Hg lifts slurry through 6-10" hose Debris Tank 2,500-6,000 gal sealed load to MECP site Hydrovac excavation is non-destructive digging that combines two tools on one truck. The result is a clean excavation around buried gas, hydro, telecom and water lines without a steel bucket ever contacting the utility. In Southern Ontario clay soil, where frost penetrates past 48 inches and buried utilities cross every project corridor, hydrovac is the only method that satisfies both **OHS Reg 213/91** construction excavation requirements and **CSA Z247** ground disturbance standards. A trained operator on a Vactor 2100i or Vac-Con V390 truck exposes a utility pothole in 15-45 minutes depending on depth, documents depth and offset with photos, and leaves a hole ready for inspector sign-off. GTA contractors run hydrovac for utility potholing before auger work, backfill removal around live services, test pits for engineer design, slot trenching for fiber conduit, and emergency utility strikes where open-cut would create a **$50,000 CAD liability**. In our opinion, if there is a gas or fiber locate in your right-of-way, hydrovac is not a line item, it is the first entry on the schedule. Comparison ## Hydrovac vs Air Vacuum Excavation in Southern Ontario Clay RECOMMENDED Water Hydrovac ### 3,500 PSI Water - ✓ Cuts clay in 20 min for 4-ft test pit - ✓ Handles winter frost + summer hard crust - ✓ Vactor 2100i / Vac-Con V390 standard - ✓ CSA Z247 + OHS 213/91 compliant LIMITED USE Air Vacuum ### 150-250 PSI Air - ✗ Takes 2 hours for the same 4-ft test pit - ✗ Cannot penetrate hard summer clay crust - ✗ Fails depth targets in Toronto clay - ✓ Role only around electrical duct banks ▣ Field Report · Toronto Clay Southern Ontario clay compounds the problem: wet winter clay sets like concrete and dry summer clay develops a hard crust that air pressure cannot penetrate. We have seen GTA contractors try air vacuum on a City of Toronto permit site, hit an eight-hour day on a job that should have taken three hours, and still miss the depth target by six inches. Our fleet runs water hydrovac exclusively on Vactor 2100i and Vac-Con V390 trucks for this reason. Air vacuum has a role in sensitive utility corridors around electrical duct banks where water conductivity is a risk. We rent air vacuum from a Mississauga supplier when the spec calls for it. **Nine times out of ten, Toronto clay projects need water.** GTA Rate Breakdown ## Hydrovac Truck Cost Per Hour in Toronto: What You Are Actually Paying For Standard Truck $280-$350 per hour · 2,500 gal Large Tank $350-$450 per hour · 6,000 gal After-Hours $450-$650 per hour · weekend Weekly Project $12-22K best effective rate ▣ What The Rate Covers Hydrovac truck rates in Toronto start at **$280-$350 CAD per hour** for a standard 2,500-gallon Vactor 2100i with a 2-person crew. These rates include the truck, the operator, the labourer and the fuel. Mobilization, locates and disposal are itemised separately so you see each line. A standard hourly rate covers: truck depreciation and maintenance on a **$650,000 CAD unit**, Red Seal operator wages with WSIB benefits, CSA Z247 ground disturbance training currency, TSSA pressure vessel inspection on the tank, OHS Reg 213/91 construction safety protocol, pre-dig photo documentation, and the inspection-ready depth log for your file. In our opinion, if a quote hides any of these behind "misc fees" or "shop time", that contractor is subsidising their rate from somewhere you will discover at invoice. Full 8-hour days at **$2,240-$3,600 CAD** give a better rate than piecemeal callouts. Weekly project rates at **$12,000-$22,000 CAD** are the lowest effective hourly cost and the right structure for utility corridor work. The complete rate matrix is published on this page so you can budget without a phone call. Compliance ## Hydrovac Slurry Disposal and O. Reg. 406/19: What GTA Contractors Must Know O. REG. 406/19 ACTIVE SINCE JAN 2022 FINES START AT $25,000/LOAD MECP MANIFEST REQUIRED ▣ Regulatory Record · Excess Soil Management Hydrovac slurry is regulated under **Ontario Regulation 406/19** (On-Site and Excess Soil Management Regulation) which took effect January 1, 2022 and applies to every project generating more than one cubic metre of excavated soil in the GTA. The regulation requires source site registration, soil quality sampling under CSA Z768 protocol, Soil Characterization Reports for sites exceeding 2 cubic metres, and a waste manifest for every load delivered to a receiving site or licensed disposal facility. Soil Management Site Clean fill, Table 1 compliant Class 2 Waste Facility Petroleum-impacted material Hazardous Waste Facility Heavy metals, PCBs, PFAS For hydrovac work, the slurry in the truck tank is treated as excess soil the moment the vacuum draws it in. We deliver every load to an **MECP-licensed receiving facility**. The disposal receipt and manifest numbers go into your project file so your engineer can close out the soil balance. Many GTA contractors try to dump hydrovac slurry at the back of the yard. Trust us, you're in good hands with a crew that will not let that happen. The fines under O. Reg. 406/19 start at **$25,000 per load** for an unlicensed receiving site. Our MECP waste manifest records survive any audit. Decision Checklist ## How to Choose a Hydrovac Contractor in the GTA: 10-Point Checklist Before you sign a hydrovac PO on your next GTA project, run the contractor through this 10-point checklist. In our opinion, any contractor that **passes 8 of 10** is worth the first-visit site assessment. Anything below 6 is a utility strike waiting to happen. 01 ### Owned fleet, not rentals Ask how many hydrovac trucks they own. Answer should be a specific number with Vactor, Vac-Con, Super Products or X-Vac names. "We have access to..." means they rent. 02 ### Red Seal certified operators Operators must hold Red Seal with current DZ licence and CSA Z247 ground disturbance training. Ask for the operator roster. 03 ### Ontario One Call certified Every job must start with a valid ON1Call locate ticket. Confirm the contractor is a registered dial-before-you-dig member. 04 ### Published rate card If pricing requires a phone call, mobilization fees are hidden in the hourly rate. A contractor confident in their numbers publishes them. 05 ### $5M commercial general liability Utility strike liability can exceed $500,000 CAD. Lower coverage limits transfer that risk to your project file. 06 ### TSSA pressure vessel certification Every hydrovac tank is a pressure vessel. TSSA inspection records should be current and available on request. 07 ### MECP waste manifest process Ask where the slurry goes. Answer should include a specific MECP-licensed receiving facility and manifest paperwork. 08 ### Photo documentation at every exposure Depth, size, material and offset recorded with photos. This is what inspectors sign off on and what your engineer needs. 09 ### First-visit coordination approval rate Ask for the number. Below 90% means the crew misses depth targets or skips documentation. 10 ### WSIB coverage + clearance certificate No clearance certificate means no coverage. The GC is liable for the injury. ▣ Our Score 10 / 10 Our crew passes all 10. **Nine times out of ten**, this is where the previous contractor fell short and someone paid for it on invoice day. 5-Step Dig Protocol ## How Our Toronto Hydrovac Process Works, 5 Steps 1. STEP 01 ### Ontario One Call Locate Verification We confirm your ON1Call ticket, walk the marks and photograph the site before the wand starts. Toronto Municipal Code 847 is handled on city property. 2. STEP 02 ### Truck Positioning & Traffic Control Truck staged to keep the boom short and the hose clear of traffic, with cones and signage set to your traffic plan. 3. STEP 03 ### Pressurized Excavation & Depth Checks 3,500 PSI water loosens soil and 27 inch Hg vacuum lifts it. Some contractors over-charge for mobilization thinking clients wont check other quotes. Ours is one published line. 4. STEP 04 ### Inspection-Ready Exposure & Sign-Off Depth, size, material and offset logged with photos at every exposure. Owner Alex Novak reviews sign-off sheets so inspectors approve on the first visit. 5. STEP 05 ### Compliant Disposal & Clean Handover Slurry hauled to a licensed facility with records for your file, holes handed over as specd, site swept. Trust us, you're in good hands. Transparent Rate Matrix ## Hydrovac Excavation Cost in Toronto, Published in CAD Hydrovac services in Toronto cost $280-$350 CAD per hour for a standard truck and 2-person crew, with a 4-hour minimum. Every rate we charge is below, never gated. | Equipment, Crew or Scope | Published Rate (CAD) | Minimum / Base | Use Case | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Standard hydrovac truck + 2-person crew | $280-$350/hr | 4-hour minimum ($1,120-$1,400) | 3,500 PSI wand, 27 inch Hg vacuum. Potholing, test pits, backfill removal, small trenches.ON1Call Verified | | Large tank truck (6,000 gal) + 2-person crew | $350-$450/hr | 4-hour minimum ($1,400-$1,800) | High-volume slurry, culverts, long daylighting runs, fewer dump trips.High Volume | | Emergency 24/7 off-hours response | $450-$650/hr | 4-hour minimum | Water main breaks, sewer backups and insurance claims only.Priority Dispatch | | Weekend / statutory holiday | $500-$700/hr | 4-hour minimum | Scheduled weekend work and holiday emergency callouts.Weekend Rate | | Utility potholing (single location) | $800-$2,500 | Per project | Materials and disposal included. | | Daylighting fiber or gas line (10-20 ft run) | $1,500-$4,500 | Per project | Materials and disposal included. | | Catch basin cleaning (standard) | $600-$1,800 | Per project | Materials and disposal included. | | Pile hole excavation (4-6 ft deep) | $1,200-$3,500 | Per project | Materials and disposal included. | | Full 8-hour day | $2,240-$3,600 | Day / week rate | Truck, 2-person crew and fuel. | | Full-week project rate | $12,000-$22,000 | Day / week rate | Truck, 2-person crew and fuel. | | Municipal catch basin program (bulk) | $15,000-$75,000 | Per project | Quoted after a free on-site assessment. | | Construction site utility exposure (large build) | $20,000-$100,000 | Per project | Quoted after a free on-site assessment. | | Utility company fiber corridor (per km) | $45,000-$180,000 | Per project | Quoted after a free on-site assessment. | Every quote itemises hourly rate, mobilization, disposal and locate fees separately. Free on-site assessment for commercial projects across the GTA. Request an Itemised Quote [/contact/ →](/contact/) Try the Rate Estimator [/tools/ →](/tools/) Project Records ## Recent Hydrovac Projects Across Toronto GTA Real jobs, real CAD totals. These are the projects GTA clients ask about most. ![Fiber corridor daylighting in the Toronto Port Lands](/images/misc/hydrovac-crew-exposing-buried-fiber-conduit-along-.webp) $18,400 CAD 3 days ### Toronto Port Lands telecom fiber corridor daylighting 180 ft of buried fiber exposed with 3,500 PSI and 27 inch Hg vacuum for a telecom GC who had already had one dig-in. ON1Call sign-off on the first visit. View service → [/daylighting-line-locating/ →](/daylighting-line-locating/) ![Pile hole excavation near Pearson Airport in Mississauga](/images/misc/row-of-hydrovac-pile-holes-at-an-airport-area-cons.webp) $9,200 CAD 1 day ### Mississauga Pearson Airport site pile hole excavation A full set of pile locations cleared through buried electrical and telecom so the auger crew could follow without a single strike. View service → [/pile-hole-excavation/ →](/pile-hole-excavation/) ![Culvert flushing beside Highway 400 in Vaughan](/images/misc/vacuum-truck-flushing-a-culvert-on-the-shoulder-of.webp) $14,600 CAD 2 days ### Vaughan Highway 400 municipal culvert flushing Silted municipal culverts flushed and vacuumed with the 6,000 gallon truck, with photos for every inlet and outlet and disposal records in the file. View service → [/sewer-culvert-cleaning/ →](/sewer-culvert-cleaning/) ![Fiber slot trenching on the Markham tech corridor](/images/misc/narrow-slot-trench-along-the-highway-7-tech-corrid.webp) $22,800 CAD 4 days ### Markham tech corridor fiber slot trenching Every crossing on a shared telecom corridor exposed first, then a narrow slot trench cut for new fiber conduit without a single nick. View service → [/slot-trenching/ →](/slot-trenching/) ![Night-time sewer backup response at a Scarborough plaza](/images/misc/night-time-vacuum-truck-at-a-scarborough-plaza-wit.webp) $3,100 CAD 6 hours after-hours ### Scarborough sewer backup emergency response January night call at a plaza near Markham Rd. Backup vacuumed, blockage exposed and photographed, adjuster file delivered by morning. View service → [/blog/scarborough-sewer-backup-emergency-6-hours/ →](/blog/scarborough-sewer-backup-emergency-6-hours/) ![Catch basin program in an Oakville commercial district](/images/misc/crew-vacuuming-a-catch-basin-in-an-oakville-commer.webp) $11,400 CAD 1 day ### Oakville commercial district catch basin program Every catch basin across a commercial property cleaned in one day around tenant hours, with before and after photos and Halton Region disposal records. View service → [/sewer-culvert-cleaning/ →](/sewer-culvert-cleaning/) Client Field Reports ## What Toronto Project Managers and Adjusters Say > “Six potholes on a mid-rise job off King St W, all exposed by lunch with the 3,500 PSI wand. Came to $1,640 CAD with disposal and the invoice matched the rate card line for line.” Priya S. · Liberty Village > “Gas line pre-dig on The Queensway. They daylighted 14 ft of Enbridge main, logged depth at every metre and the quote of $2,900 CAD held. Our locator signed off first visit.” Marco D. · Etobicoke > “Sewer backup claim at a plaza near Markham Rd at 11 p.m. Truck on site in under 2 hours and the photo log and time sheet were in my inbox by morning. Easy file to close.” Lena W. · Scarborough 5-Star Customer Satisfaction · Top-Rated Toronto Hydrovac Contractor Dispatch Zone Coverage ## Serving Toronto & Surrounding GTA Municipalities Three owned trucks run out of our Toronto yard to six GTA cities, about 50 km in every direction. Same published CAD rate card everywhere, mobilization itemised. Toronto 10-35 min from our yard [/service-areas/toronto/ →](/service-areas/toronto/) Mississauga 25-45 min from our yard [/service-areas/mississauga/ →](/service-areas/mississauga/) Vaughan 30-40 min from our yard [/service-areas/vaughan/ →](/service-areas/vaughan/) Markham 30-40 min from our yard [/service-areas/markham/ →](/service-areas/markham/) Brampton 35-45 min from our yard [/service-areas/brampton/ →](/service-areas/brampton/) Oakville 35-50 min from our yard [/service-areas/oakville/ →](/service-areas/oakville/) Burlington 45-65 min from our yard [/service-areas/burlington/ →](/service-areas/burlington/) Richmond Hill 35-55 min from our yard [/service-areas/richmond-hill/ →](/service-areas/richmond-hill/) Pickering 45-70 min from our yard [/service-areas/pickering/ →](/service-areas/pickering/) Milton 40-60 min from our yard [/service-areas/milton/ →](/service-areas/milton/) Downtown Toronto (M5V)North York (M2N)Scarborough (M1V)Etobicoke (M8W)Toronto Port LandsMississauga (Dixie Rd)Vaughan (Hwy 400/407)Markham Tech CorridorBrampton (Steeles Ave)Oakville Commercial View All Service Areas [/service-areas/ →](/service-areas/) ![Hydrovac truck on a GTA industrial corridor heading to a utility exposure job](/images/misc/hydrovac-truck-driving-along-a-gta-industrial-corr.webp) GTA DISPATCH ZONE • 50 KM From the Field ## Latest Project Records and Company News Case studies, seasonal booking notes and news from our crew. ![Hydrovac truck and two-person crew on a grey early-winter Toronto construction site with first snow on the barricades](/images/featured/hydrovac-truck-and-two-person-crew-on-a-grey-early.webp) seasonal ### Winter 2026-27 Hydrovac Season: Book Your Frost-Season Digs Before November Frost is weeks away. How GTA project managers should line up heated hydrovac days, locates and disposal before the ground freezes this season. [Winter 2026-27 Hydrovac Season: Book Your Frost-Season Digs Before November →](/blog/winter-2026-hydrovac-booking-frost-season-digs/) ![Two Metro Hydrovac Toronto crew members talking with municipal staff at a public works trade show booth](/images/featured/two-crew-members-in-company-jackets-talking-with-m.webp) events ### What Our Crew Brought Back From the 2026 Canadian Public Works Association Conference Our annual trip to the CPWA conference: what municipal buyers asked about catch basin programs, culvert flushing and documentation this year. [What Our Crew Brought Back From the 2026 Canadian Public Works Association Conference →](/blog/cpwa-conference-2026-takeaways/) ![Hydrovac crew of two exposing a fiber line in a clean test pit on a Toronto street](/images/featured/hydrovac-crew-of-two-exposing-a-fiber-line-in-a-cl.webp) news ### Metro Hydrovac Toronto Featured in Ontario Construction Report and Water Canada Two industry publications covered our non-destructive excavation work this year. What they asked about and what it means for GTA clients. [Metro Hydrovac Toronto Featured in Ontario Construction Report and Water Canada →](/blog/metro-hydrovac-featured-ontario-construction-report-water-canada/) Field Questions ## Hydrovac Excavation FAQ ### How much does hydrovac excavation cost in Toronto? A standard hydrovac truck with a 2-person crew runs $280-$350 CAD per hour and a 6,000 gallon truck runs $350-$450, with a 4-hour minimum ($1,120-$1,800). Mobilization, disposal and locate fees are itemised separately on every quote. ### Is hydrovac expensive compared to a backhoe? The hourly rate is higher than a backhoe, but a single gas or fiber strike can cost more than a full week of hydrovac ($12,000-$22,000 CAD). In our opinion, hydrovac is the cheaper option anywhere buried utilities are marked. ### Do I need an Ontario One Call locate before hydrovac excavation? Yes. Every dig starts with a valid Ontario One Call locate (Toronto Municipal Code 847 applies on city property), and our crew verifies the marks and photographs the site before the wand starts. ### Is your excavation work compliant with OHS Reg 213/91? Yes. All excavation follows Ontario Regulation 213/91 for construction projects, and ground disturbance near utilities follows the CSA Z247 standard. ### Are your crews insured and WSIB registered? Yes. We carry $5M commercial general liability plus $2M property damage insurance, and every crew member is covered under our WSIB registration. ### What size hydrovac trucks do you run? Three owned units with 2,500 to 6,000 gallon tanks, 3,000-4,000 PSI pressure wands and 23-27 inch Hg vacuum ratings. Tanks are TSSA pressure vessel compliant. ### Do you subcontract trucks or operators? No. All three trucks are owned, operated and maintained by our own crews, so the operator on your site works for us every day. ### What is included in a hydrovac quote? The hourly rate, mobilization, disposal and locate fees, each listed on its own line. Commercial projects across the GTA also get a free on-site assessment with a tank capacity worksheet. ### Do you offer 24/7 emergency hydrovac? Yes, for water main breaks, sewer backups and insurance claims at $450-$650 CAD per hour. Scheduled excavation is booked during business hours. ### What training do your hydrovac operators have? Our operators are Red Seal certified, Ontario One Call trained and work under CSA Z247 ground disturbance protocol, with confined space training for vault and tank work. ![](/images/misc/three-hydrovac-trucks-leaving-a-toronto-truck-yard.webp) Scheduling This Week Rates Published in CAD ## Get Your Site's Buried Services Exposed Before the Excavator Moves Send the site address and scope. A crew lead will call back with an itemised CAD quote: rate, mobilization, disposal and locates on separate lines. Call (647) 251-8377 [tel:+16472518377 →](tel:+16472518377) Request a Quote [/contact/ →](/contact/) ✓ Written workmanship warranty ✓ No hidden mobilization fees ✓ $5M liability, WSIB registered