Smell gas? Call 1-866-763-5427

Safe Digging for Homeowners

Why take the risk? Know what’s below before you dig.

Whether you’re building a fence or planting a vegetable garden, find out where underground utility lines are located before you start digging. Hitting a buried natural gas line can cause serious injury and expensive repairs for you and/or your contractor. It can even be fatal.

Contact Ontario One Call to locate underground utilities no less than five business days before starting digging projects of any size. It’s free and it’s the law.

Back by popular demand—test your knowledge for a chance to win. Now, double the prizes.

Planning a backyard project, such as fencing, landscaping or waterproofing? Utility lines may be buried below the surface of your yard. Before rolling up your sleeves, take our quick quiz to ensure you dig safely. Plus, you’ll get a chance to win! Every month, from June through September, two lucky winners will be awarded with a $500 gift certificate to a home improvement store.

Dig safely around natural gas lines to avoid:

Seriously hurting yourself, your family or neighbours.

Damaging property from a leak, fire or explosion.

Interrupting natural gas service to your community.

Incurring expensive repairs, charges or legal action.

Causing harm to the environment.

Won’t my contractor take care of this?

Never assume your contractor has taken care of it. Work in collaboration with them, and ask for verification that they’ve requested a locate before they start digging.

Get a locate for projects of all sizes

Landscaping

Building a fence

Digging a garden

Installing a driveway

Planting a tree

Building a deck

Installing a pool

Waterproofing a basement

What to do before you dig

Request a locate


Call 1-800-400-2255 or visit OntarioOneCall.ca at least five business days before starting your project.

You’ll be asked to provide:

  • Your name and address.
  • When work is expected to begin.
  • The type of project (fence, pool, etc.).
  • How you plan to dig (by hand or machine).
  • How deep you’re planning to dig.

Wait for buried lines to be marked


Locators from natural gas, water, sewer, electric and telecommunications companies will visit your home and paint or put flags to mark underground lines.

Private lines installed by you or a contractor, such as a gas line from your house to a pool heater or barbecue, are not included as part of this work and will require a separate locate. You’ll need to hire a private locate company to mark these lines and there is a charge for this service.

Respect the marks and dig safely


Once locates have been completed, follow the instructions and proper excavation practices to ensure a safe and smooth project. Review the how-to videos below prior to digging to make sure you are fully informed on what to look for and how to dig safely.

Refer to Enbridge Gas’ Third-Party Requirements Standard for details.

How to dig safely around natural gas lines

How to understand your locate

Locates show the approximate position of underground lines and cables, while locate sheets map out your work area. Here’s how to review both carefully before you dig.

How to dig around a natural gas line with a shovel

Buried lines may not be as deep as you expect. If you’re using equipment within one metre of a locate mark, here’s how to expose the natural gas line with a small shovel or a spade.

How to recognize a natural gas line

Several types of natural gas lines may run below your property. Learn how to identify each type so you can dig carefully around them and avoid serious injury and damage.

Know the colour codes

Locates show the direction and approximate location of the natural gas line, but do not show their depth. A natural gas line could lie just a few inches below the surface.

Yellow: Natural gas, oil, steam
Green: Sewer, storm
Red: Electric
Orange: Communication
Blue: Water
Purple: Irrigation, slurry
Pink: Temporary survey markings
White: Proposed excavation

What to do if you damage a natural gas line or smell gas

Stop work immediately.

Clear everyone from the area.

Call 911 if you smell or hear gas escaping.

Call the Enbridge Gas emergency line at 1-866-763-5427.

Businesswoman looking at tablet

Are you a contractor?

Hitting an underground utility can delay your project and put your crew, company and community at serious risk. Learn how to excavate safely to prevent injury, fines and penalties.

See safe digging tips
Businesswoman looking at tablet

Planning work near vital pipelines?

When you request a locate from Ontario One Call, the locate service provider may identify that a vital natural gas pipeline is within 30 metres of the proposed work area. Legally, you can’t begin work until a you obtain a clearance.

More information

Request your free locate

Call 1-800-400-2255 or submit your request online no less than five business days before starting your project.

Frequently asked questions

Locates are colour-coded ground markings identifying the approximate position of underground lines and cables on your property. They are made using temporary paint or flags. Locates are always accompanied by a locate sheet that maps out where lines are buried in relation to fixed objects, such as poles, sidewalks or driveways.

Any time you are digging on your property, a locate is required. Even small projects such as adding a garden or planting a tree require a locate. It’s free and it’s the law.

To get a free locate, contact Ontario One Call by visiting OntarioOneCall.ca or calling 1-800-400-2255.

Ontario One Call will notify all owners of buried infrastructure in your area on your behalf. These include but are not limited to: electric, water, sewage and Enbridge Gas, as well as telecommunication companies.

Utility locates are a free service. There’s no cost to you. Any privately owned infrastructure, such as a gas line that runs from your meter to your pool heater or barbecue, will not be covered under the Ontario One Call request. You’ll need to hire a private locate company to mark these lines and there is a charge for this service.

A utility locate request must be made no less than five business days prior to the planned start date of your project. You must have locates marked prior to starting work—it’s the law.

Your contractor should contact Ontario One Call before they start digging on your property. However, we recommend checking with your contractor beforehand to ensure they have obtained the required locates.

You’ll need to provide Ontario One Call with your name and address, the date work is expected to begin, the type of project being completed, how you plan to dig (shovel, excavator, etc.) and how deep you plan to dig.

Any privately owned infrastructure, such as a gas line that runs from your meter to your pool heater or barbecue, will not be covered under the Ontario One Call request. You’ll need to hire a private locate company to mark these lines and there is a charge for this service.

A qualified utility representative will visit your property and mark the location of all underground cables and pipes. They do this by painting or inserting flags in the ground along the path of the pipe or cable. They’ll also provide accompanying paperwork and locate sketches for you and/or your contractor.

You can check the status of your request on the Ontario One Call web portal. Owners of buried infrastructure will mark the status of their lines as either “clear” or “complete.” A clear status means there is no risk and that your proposed digging area is safe. A complete status means the locate has been marked on your property. All utilities must be marked as either clear or complete to proceed.

The actual location of the buried line may be within one metre on either side of the paint or locate flags placed on your property. This is referred to as the tolerance zone. When digging in the tolerance zone, you must first dig using hand tools (such as a shovel or a spade) to expose any hidden pipes before using machinery.

An Enbridge Gas locate is valid for 60 days from the date that the locate was completed. If you have not finished digging within those 60 days, a new locate is required.

Moving or removing locates makes them invalid and you’ll be liable for any damage that occurs on your property. You must call Ontario One Call to arrange a new locate before you or your contractor start digging.

If you smell rotten eggs, hear an unusual hissing sound, or see dust or leaves blowing in a localized area, you may have damaged a line. You may also see a physical puncture or gouge on the line.

If you think you’ve hit a natural gas line, stop work immediately and shut off all equipment to avoid ignition. Do not attempt to control the release of gas yourself. Move a safe distance away from the area (e.g., a neighbour’s house), call 911 and contact Enbridge Gas immediately by calling 1-866-763-5427.

Contest Rules & Regulations (‘Contest Rules’)

June 1 to Sept. 30, 2023

Contest: Eight (8) PRIZES each comprised of a $500 home improvement store gift card.

Who can enter: This Contest is open to all account holders for residential customers of Enbridge Gas Inc. (“Enbridge”) who are at least 19 years of age and within the Enbridge franchise area. Only one entry per household is permitted. Please note that employees of Enbridge Gas (the “Sponsor”), its subsidiaries and affiliated companies and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, advertising or promotional agencies, members of their immediate families and persons with whom any of the foregoing are domiciled are not eligible to participate in this Contest. Residents of Quebec are not eligible to participate in this Contest.

Contest period: The Contest starts on June 1, 2023 and closes on Sept. 30, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EDT (the ‘Close Date’). The period in which the Contest is open to entrants from June 1, 2023 until the Close Date is referred to as the ‘Contest Period’.

How to enter: No purchase necessary. All entrants who complete the ‘Dig Safe Quiz’ will be automatically entered in the applicable draw to win one of eight (8) prizes, each comprised of a $500 home improvement gift store card. Monthly draw dates will be held on July 2, Aug. 2, Sept. 2 and Oct. 2, 2023 (collectively the ‘Draw Dates’ and individually a ‘Draw Date’ as applicable).

You can enter by:

  1. Visiting enbridgegas.com/DigSafe; and
  2. Completing the ‘Dig Safe Quiz’.

Enbridge is not responsible for lost, late, damaged, illegible, stolen, misdirected, misidentified or incomplete entries, for any problems or technical or mechanical malfunction of any telephone systems, computer online systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received by Enbridge on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or inaccurate entry information, whether caused by equipment, programming used in this Contest, human processing or otherwise, or any combination thereof.

Prizes: There are eight (8) prizes to be won, each comprised of a $500 home improvement store gift card. The draws will take place monthly starting on July 2, 2023 at the offices of Enbridge and every 4 weeks thereafter until the final draw on Oct. 2, 2023. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sept. 30, 2023 to be eligible for the Prize draw. At the time of the draw, two (2) additional names for each prize will be drawn in the case the selected entrant has failed to comply with the eligible requirements. The Prizes will be pre-paid gift cards sent to the winner’s account address by courier.

Prizes are non-transferable and non-assignable. No substitution of prizes is permitted except by Enbridge. All prizes will be awarded. The odds of winning are dependent upon the number of eligible entries received by the applicable Draw Date.

Random draw: Eight (8) names will be selected, two on each of the four Draw Dates, in a random draw on the specified dates from among all eligible entries received for the Contest during the Contest Period by the applicable Draw Date. Enbridge reserves the right to require proof of age and jurisdiction of residence prior to awarding any Prize. Enbridge will also draw two additional names for each prize on each of the Draw Dates solely for use in case the previous selected entrant for such Draw Date is ineligible to win the Prize.

Winner notification: Selected entrants will be notified by email or phone (using phone number or email address provided upon completion of the Quiz) within 4 weeks of the Draw Date. Selected entrants will be required to acknowledge by phone or email their eligibility for the Prize, correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question, and sign an affidavit and return it to Enbridge (Enbridge Marketing Department; 500 Consumers Rd, North York, ON M2J 1P8) or via email within ten (10) business days of the date on which the notification is sent to the selected entrant for signing. If no response is received by Enbridge within ten (10) business days of the date on which the notification is sent, the Prize will be forfeited and may be awarded to an alternate selected entrant in a random draw that has been drawn from the remaining eligible entries for that Draw Date.

General: The contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.

Enbridge is not responsible for any costs associated with claiming any Prize. Winners are solely responsible for the reporting and payment of any and all taxes, if any, that may result in winning a Prize in this Contest.

Decisions of Enbridge are final on all matters of fact, interpretation, eligibility, procedure and fulfillment in respect to this Contest. Enbridge reserves the right at any time to withdraw this Contest or to modify, amend, or supplement these rules, in its sole discretion, subject to applicable law.

By participating in this Contest, the winners consent to the use by Enbridge of their name, hometown and photograph for any lawful purpose, without further permission or compensation, except where prohibited by law. The winners agree to abide by and be bound by these Contest Rules.

Any personal information collected during an individual’s participation in the Contest, will be collected and used by Enbridge for the purposes of the proper administration and fulfilment of the Contest as described in these Contest Rules and for the purpose of paperless billing and will not be shared with any third party except as required by law, or to conform with legal process or to protect or defend the legal rights or property of Enbridge.

Enbridge, their subsidiaries and affiliated companies and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, advertising, promotion, and fulfilment agencies, and legal advisors are not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (i) telephone, electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind; (ii) failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions; (iii) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Enbridge, that may cause this Contest to be disrupted or corrupted; (iv) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of the prize, or acceptance, possession, or use of the prize, or from participation in this Contest; or (v) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with this Contest. Enbridge reserves the right, in their discretion, to suspend or cancel this Contest at any time if a computer virus, bug, tampering, unauthorized intervention, or other technical problem of any sort corrupts the administration, security, or proper play of this Contest. Enbridge also reserves the right to disqualify, in their sole discretion, any person tampering with the entry process, the operation of the website, or who is otherwise in violation of these Contest Rules. Any attempt to damage the Enbridge website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, Enbridge reserves the right to prosecute violators to the fullest extent allowable by law.

By participating in this Contest, each entrant agrees to release and hold Enbridge, their subsidiaries and affiliated companies and each their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, advertising, promotion, and fulfilment agencies, and legal advisors, harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with this Contest or resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of any Prize, including without limitation, personal injury, death, and property damage, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy.

Except where prohibited, entrants agree that (1) any and all disputes, claims or causes of action arising out or connected with the Contest or any prizes awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by arbitration or alternate dispute resolution; (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred in participation but in no event legal fees; and (3) under no circumstances will an entrant be entitled to obtain awards for and entrants hereby waive all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket costs, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. Except where prohibited, all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Contest Rules and the decisions of Enbridge in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard for conflict of laws doctrine.

Should any term or provision of this paragraph or any other rule herein be concluded to be void, unenforceable or contrary to applicable law as provided herein, such term or provision shall, but only to the extent necessary to bring the rule within the requirements of such law, be deemed to be severed from the other terms and conditions; and the remainder of these Contest Rules shall be given effect as if it had not included the severed item.

This Contest is subject to all federal, provincial and local laws. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.