How do i add more outlets to my Saint John kitchen during a renovation — there's only two on the whole counter wall?

Two outlets for an entire counter wall is genuinely frustrating — and in Saint John, upgrading your kitchen circuits during a renovation is the right time to do it. That said, kitchen electrical work in New Brunswick is one area where DIY isn't an option: all electrical work must be performed by a licensed electrical contractor, and a wiring permit from NB Power is required before any work begins.

Here's what you're actually dealing with. The National Building Code of Canada 2020 (now in effect for new applications as of May 1, 2025) requires kitchen counter receptacles to be on dedicated 20-amp circuits, spaced so that no point along the counter is more than 900mm (about 3 feet) from an outlet. For a full counter wall, you're likely looking at a minimum of two dedicated 15/20-amp circuits — and if you're adding a dishwasher, microwave, or refrigerator, those each need their own dedicated circuit as well.

What the work typically involves depends heavily on your home's age. Saint John has a lot of older housing stock — if you're in the South End, Uptown, or the West Side, your home may be from the Victorian or Edwardian era, which means there's a real chance you have knob-and-tube wiring or an undersized panel. A licensed electrician will assess whether your existing electrical panel can handle the added load, or whether a panel upgrade is part of the project. Panels in older Saint John homes are sometimes still 100-amp service, and a kitchen renovation is a natural trigger to upgrade to 200-amp if needed.

Cost ranges for the Saint John market:

• Basic outlet addition (tapping into existing circuit, minor work): $200–$500 per outlet
• New dedicated kitchen circuit run from panel: $400–$900 per circuit
• Full kitchen electrical upgrade (multiple circuits, new outlets, panel assessment): $2,000–$5,000+
• Panel upgrade to 200-amp service (if needed): $3,000–$6,000 on top of the circuit work

These are rough ranges — an older home with plaster walls and limited access will push toward the higher end.

The permit process in Saint John works like this: your licensed electrical contractor pulls the wiring permit through NB Power (1-800-615-0522) before starting. Once the rough-in wiring is complete and before walls are closed up, the NB Department of Justice and Public Safety — Technical Inspection Services (TIS) inspects the work. You do not want to drywall over uninspected wiring. TIS can be reached at 1-888-659-3222.

One practical note — since you're already renovating, this is the lowest-cost moment to do this work. Running new circuits when walls are open is dramatically cheaper than fishing wire through finished walls later. If there's any chance you'll want under-cabinet lighting, a dedicated microwave circuit, or USB outlets down the road, tell your electrician now and rough everything in while access is easy.

Your next step: get two or three quotes from licensed electrical contractors in Saint John — you can find them in the New Brunswick Construction Network directory. Ask each one specifically about your panel capacity and whether they see any knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring concerns before they quote the circuit work. That conversation will tell you a lot about what you're actually dealing with.