Votatec stocks building wire built to Canadian Electrical Code spec, every reel CSA C22.2 certified, ready for contractors, projects, and procurement teams from Toronto to Vancouver. NMD90 for residential wiring. AC90 and ACWU90 armoured for commercial conduit runs. TEK90 and RW90 for heavy industrial cable feeders. SOOW for portable power. Copper or aluminum, dry or wet, indoor or direct burial. Pick the type, send us the take-off, and we'll come back with pricing and lead times the next business day.
Here's the deal. Most wire wholesalers in Canada list a thousand part numbers and quote in a week. We keep the catalogue tight, the spec sheets accurate, and the lead times honest. That's it.
Request a bulk electrical wire quote
What counts as "electrical building wire" in Canada?
In Canada, "building wire" means insulated conductors used for permanent power distribution inside and around a structure. The Canadian Electrical Code (CEC, CSA C22.1) governs how each type gets installed. CSA C22.2 standards govern how each electrical cable gets manufactured. So when a spec sheet calls a product "CSA C22.2 No. 48 NMD90," that's the build standard. The CEC tells you where you're allowed to put it.
Three big families cover most jobs:
- Non-metallic sheathed (NMD90, NMWU): plastic-jacketed electrical wire for residential wiring and light commercial work. NMD90 stays indoors. NMWU goes underground.
- Armoured (AC90, ACWU90, TECK90): interlocked metal armour over insulated conductors. The default industrial cable for plants, warehouses, and institutional builds where mechanical protection matters.
- Single conductor & portable (RW90, LVT, SOOW): individual insulated conductors pulled through conduit, low-voltage control wiring, or flexible portable cord.
Pick the wrong family and you fail inspection. Pick the right one and the install goes smooth.
Different electrical cable types we stock
Each type has its own product page with spec sheet, ampacity tables, and sizing options. Here's the short version.
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NMD90 - Non-Metallic Dry, 90°C (Aluminum Conductor)
The residential wiring workhorse. Use it for open or concealed wiring in dry or damp locations where the cable isn't exposed to mechanical damage. Rated 300V, 90°C max conductor temp, XLPE insulation, FT1 PVC outer jacket. Our NMD90 stock runs aluminum conductor for cost-effective feeder pulls in larger gauges. Available in 2, 3, or 4 conductor configurations, 8 AWG up to 2 AWG. Ampacity per CEC Table 4.
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NMWU - Non-Metallic Wet Underground (Copper Conductor)
NMD90's outdoor cousin. NMWU is built for direct burial and outdoor exposure. UV resistant, water resistant, safe to run from a garage panel out to a detached shop or shed without conduit. Copper conductor for higher ampacity per gauge and better long-term resistance to oxidation in wet conditions.
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AC90 - Armoured Cable, 90°C (Copper Conductor)
Flexible interlocked aluminum armour over copper conductors. AC90 is the go-to electrical cable for commercial fit-outs, office wiring, light fixtures, and any install that needs mechanical protection without the cost or rigidity of conduit. Armour acts as the bonding path. Rated 90°C. Copper conductor keeps the gauge tight in narrow ceiling cavities. CSA C22.2 No. 51.
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ACWU90 - Armoured Cable, Wet, 90°C (Aluminum Conductor)
Same construction concept as AC90, but with XLPE insulation and a PVC outer jacket sealing the armour. ACWU90 handles outdoor runs, wet locations, and the salt-spray reality of coastal projects in B.C. and Atlantic Canada. CSA C22.2 No. 51. Aluminum conductor keeps cost in check on long feeder pulls.
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TEK90 - TECK Industrial Cable (Copper Conductor)
The heavy one. TECK90 construction: copper conductors, XLPE insulation, inner PVC bedding, interlocking aluminum armour, overall PVC jacket. Built to CSA C22.2 No. 131. Use it as industrial cable for plant feeders, motor branch circuits, mining sites, water treatment plants, and anywhere cable gets abused by forklifts, vibration, water, or chemicals. Rated 90°C. Outdoor, indoor, direct burial, cable tray, all fair game.
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RW90 - Single Conductor, 600V (Aluminum Conductor)
Single conductor electrical wire for raceway and conduit work. XLPE insulation, rated 600V, conductor temperature up to 90°C, low-temperature performance down to -40°C. Used as panel feeders, service entrances, and motor circuits. CSA C22.2 No. 38. Aluminum for large-gauge feeder economics. FT1 and FT4 flame ratings.
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LVT - Low-Voltage Thermoplastic (Copper Conductor)
The small one. Low-voltage control wire for thermostats, doorbells, signal circuits, and Class 2 power. Stranded copper conductor, thermoplastic insulation. Sounds boring. But every commercial HVAC retrofit needs hundreds of feet of it, and getting clean reels delivered fast matters when the controls trade is waiting on you.
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SOOW - Service Oil-resistant Outer Weather (Copper Conductor)
Not technically "building wire" by code, but you'll buy it from the same desk. SOOW is portable cord rated 600V, -40°C to +90°C, with bare annealed copper conductors and a thick CPE jacket that shrugs off oil, ozone, chemicals, water, and sunlight. CSA C22.2 No. 49. Use it for welders, portable lights, motor leads, marine dockside power, mining gear, and the temporary jobsite power that gets dragged through every kind of mess. Completely water submersible.
Copper or aluminum conductor: which one's right?
Probably the most common question we field. Short answer:
- Copper conductor carries more current per gauge, terminates easier in small sizes, resists corrosion better in wet locations, and stays flexible at low temperatures. Standard for #14 to #8 AWG branch circuits.
- Aluminum conductor is roughly a third the price of copper per pound, weighs half as much per foot, and lets you push large feeders without breaking the budget. Standard for #2 AWG and bigger service-entrance pulls and panel feeders.
The trade-off with aluminum: lower ampacity per gauge (you usually go one or two sizes up), oxidation if you skip the anti-oxidant compound on lugs, and torqued connections every time. Skip the torque wrench on aluminum and you'll be back at the panel within 18 months chasing loose neutrals.
Bottom line. For residential branch circuits, go copper. For feeders 100A and up, run the numbers on aluminum. The savings usually win.
Still on the fence? Send us the load schedule and the run distances. We'll spec it.
How to pick the right electrical wire for your project
Three quick filters get you 90% of the way there.
1. Wet or dry? Indoors, dry walls, no exposure to water: NMD90, AC90, or RW90 in conduit. Damp, outdoor, buried, or wet location: NMWU, ACWU90, or TEK90.
2. How much protection does the cable need? Concealed inside a wall cavity, behind drywall: non-metallic sheathed is fine. Run exposed, dragged through trays, or anywhere it could get crushed: go armoured (AC90, ACWU90, TEK90). Portable, flexed daily, dragged across the shop floor: SOOW.
3. What size project are you ordering? A single-family rewire? Standard reels are fine. A 200-unit condo, an industrial expansion, or a school board purchase order? You want a wire wholesaler in Canada who can quote bulk electrical wire, hold inventory, and stage deliveries to match your schedule. That's us.
Standards and certifications you'll see on every reel
Any electrical cable Votatec ships into a Canadian project meets the same three baselines:
- CSA certified under the relevant C22.2 standard (No. 38, 48, 49, 51, or 131 depending on type). CSA Group sets the rules.
- CEC compliant for installation per CSA C22.1, the Canadian Electrical Code itself
- Print legend on the jacket so the inspector can read type, voltage, gauge, and certification mark without unpacking the reel
If a product page doesn't list those, walk away. Doesn't matter who the supplier is.
Why Votatec for electrical wire in Canada
We're a Canadian wire wholesaler. That means no surprise duty, no border-stuck shipments, no AWG-to-metric translation panic mid-bid. Our wire desk knows the difference between TEK90 and AC90 without looking it up. Quotes go out in 24 hours. Volume pricing scales with the project, not just with the SKU.
We also publish honest spec sheets. Every product page on this site lists the CSA standard, the voltage rating, the temperature range, and the conductor material. No hiding the ball.
Bottom line: if you're sourcing building wire for a Canadian project and you want an electrical wire supplier who'll pick up the phone, we should talk.