Is 6 AWG copper good for 60 amps in Canada?

Yes in the 75 °C column of Table 2 (65 A), which needs equipment marked for 75 °C at both ends. In the 60 °C column, 6 AWG copper is only 55 A, which is below 60 A. Rule 4-006 treats unmarked equipment rated 100 A or less as 60 °C, so check the breaker and panel markings before relying on 6 AWG.

What size wire for a 60 amp subpanel in Canada?

6 AWG copper or 4 AWG aluminum with 75 °C terminations, plus a neutral if 120 V loads are supplied and a bonding conductor of at least 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum (Table 16). On a 240 V feeder sized with the Rule 8-102 default of 48 A, 6 AWG copper reaches about 46 m before the drop passes 3%.

Can I use 6 AWG aluminum on a 60 amp breaker?

6 AWG aluminum is rated 50 A at 75 °C and 40 A at 60 °C in CEC Table 4, both below 60 A, so it does not meet the ampacity for a 60 A circuit. 4 AWG aluminum (65 A at 75 °C) is the smallest that does, and 3 AWG aluminum where you are limited to 60 °C.

What load do I use for voltage drop on a 60 A feeder in Canada?

Rule 8-102 says to use the connected load if it is known, otherwise 80% of the overcurrent device rating. For a 60 A breaker with unknown load, that is 48 A. The limits are 3% for the feeder or branch circuit and 5% total from the supply side of the consumer's service to the point of use.

What size bonding wire for a 60 amp circuit in Canada?

10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum, from CEC Table 16 for an overcurrent device rated 60 A (Rule 10-616). The next row, for devices up to 100 A, is 8 AWG copper or 6 AWG aluminum.

Is 60 amp service allowed for a house in Canada?

Rule 8-200 sets a 60 A minimum service for a single dwelling with less than 80 m² of floor area, excluding the basement, and 100 A for 80 m² or more. The calculated load can require more than either minimum, for example with electric heat or EV charging.

What Size Wire for 60 Amps in Canada? CEC Chart, Distance in Metres

6 AWG copper or 4 AWG aluminum for a 60 A circuit, feeder or subpanel under the Canadian Electrical Code (Table 2 and Table 4, 75 °C column), or 4 AWG copper and 3 AWG aluminum where terminations are limited to 60 °C. Below: why the 60 °C column matters more at 60 A, wire size by distance in metres under Rule 8-102, max run lengths at 120/240, 208 and 600 V, the Table 16 bonding conductor and the Rule 8-200 60 A service minimum.

CEC data notice: CEC values were checked against public summaries of CSA C22.1:24, not the code book itself. Conduit and conductor areas use NEC Chapter 9 data, and some aluminum kcmil ampacities are unverified. Confirm against the CEC edition and provincial amendments adopted where you work.

Quick answer: wire size for a 60 A breaker in Canada

Minimum conductor for 60 A, not more than three conductors in a raceway or cable, 30 °C ambient.

Conductor and termination rating	Minimum size	Ampacity
Copper, 75 °C (terminals marked 75 °C)	6 AWG	65 A (Table 2)
Copper, 60 °C (unmarked equipment rated 100 A or less)	4 AWG	70 A (Table 2)
Aluminum, 75 °C (terminals marked 75 °C)	4 AWG	65 A (Table 4)
Aluminum, 60 °C	3 AWG	65 A (Table 4)

Why the termination temperature decides the answer at 60 A

At 100 A and above, the 60 °C column rarely comes up. At 60 A it does, because Rule 4-006 treats equipment that is not marked with a termination temperature, and is rated 100 A or less, as 60 °C. In that column 6 AWG copper is only 55 A, below 60 A, so the copper answer jumps to 4 AWG. Most breakers and panelboards sold in Canada are marked 75 °C, which allows 6 AWG copper at 65 A, but check the marking on the breaker, the panel and the equipment at the far end (a disconnect, hot tub controller or EV charger) before relying on it.

CEC Table 2 (copper) and Table 4 (aluminum), not more than three conductors, 30 °C ambient.
Size	Cu 60 °C	Cu 75 °C	Cu 90 °C	Al 60 °C	Al 75 °C	Al 90 °C
8 AWG	40 A	50 A	55 A	—	—	—
6 AWG	55 A	65 A	75 A	40 A	50 A	55 A
4 AWG	70 A	85 A	95 A	55 A	65 A	75 A
3 AWG	85 A	100 A	115 A	65 A	75 A	85 A

A 90 °C conductor such as T90 or TECK90 does not let you drop to 8 AWG copper (55 A at 90 °C): the conductor is used at the termination column, at least for the first 1.2 m from the termination. The 90 °C value matters only as a starting point for correction factors in hot locations (Table 5A) or with more than three conductors (Table 5C), both covered on the CEC Table 2 chart.

Wire size for 60 amps by distance (metres, 240 V)

Smallest size that keeps a 120/240 V single-phase run at or under the Rule 8-102 3% limit. The 48 A columns use the Rule 8-102 default for an unknown load (80% of a 60 A breaker); the 60 A columns are for a known full load. The table starts at the 75 °C ampacity minimum (6 AWG copper, 4 AWG aluminum); if you are limited to 60 °C, never go below 4 AWG copper or 3 AWG aluminum.

One-way run length. 3% drop (7.2 V) at 240 V, conductor resistance at 75 °C.
Run	Cu, 48 A	Cu, 60 A	Al, 48 A	Al, 60 A
10 m	6 AWG	6 AWG	4 AWG	4 AWG
15 m	6 AWG	6 AWG	4 AWG	4 AWG
20 m	6 AWG	6 AWG	4 AWG	4 AWG
25 m	6 AWG	6 AWG	4 AWG	4 AWG
30 m	6 AWG	6 AWG	4 AWG	4 AWG
40 m	6 AWG	4 AWG	4 AWG	3 AWG
50 m	4 AWG	4 AWG	3 AWG	2 AWG
60 m	4 AWG	3 AWG	2 AWG	1 AWG
75 m	3 AWG	2 AWG	1 AWG	1/0 AWG

Example: a 60 A subpanel in a detached garage 30 m from the house, load not yet known. Rule 8-102 says to use 48 A. 6 AWG copper reaches 46 m at 48 A and 4 AWG copper reaches 74 m. In aluminum, 4 AWG reaches 45 m and 2 AWG reaches 71 m. The 5% total limit also includes the service conductors and the branch circuits after the subpanel, so leave room for them.

Maximum length at 60 amps by wire size

The longest one-way run, in metres, before each size reaches the drop shown. Three-phase columns use the √3 formula and are resistance-only figures.

Copper

Size	240 V, 48 A, 3%	240 V, 60 A, 3%	240 V, 48 A, 5%	208 V 3-ph, 48 A, 3%	600 V 3-ph, 48 A, 3%
6 AWG	46	37	77	46	134
4 AWG	74	59	123	74	214
3 AWG	93	74	155	93	269
2 AWG	117	94	196	117	340
1 AWG	148	118	247	148	428
1/0 AWG	187	149	312	187	540
2/0 AWG	236	189	394	236	682

Aluminum

Size	240 V, 48 A, 3%	240 V, 60 A, 3%	240 V, 48 A, 5%	208 V 3-ph, 48 A, 3%	600 V 3-ph, 48 A, 3%
4 AWG	45	36	75	45	129
3 AWG	56	45	94	56	163
2 AWG	71	57	119	71	206
1 AWG	90	72	150	90	260
1/0 AWG	113	90	189	113	328
2/0 AWG	143	115	239	143	415
3/0 AWG	181	145	302	181	523

For your exact load and length, use the Canadian voltage drop calculator or the Canadian wire size calculator, which checks ampacity and Rule 8-102 together.

Bonding and grounding conductors for 60 amps

Bonding conductor (Table 16, Rule 10-616): 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum for an overcurrent device rated 60 A.
Neighbouring rows: devices up to 100 A need 8 AWG copper or 6 AWG aluminum, and devices up to 30 A need 12 AWG copper or 10 AWG aluminum.
Upsized conductors: Table 16 can be entered by the overcurrent device rating or by the ampacity of the largest ungrounded conductor. If you upsize the conductors for voltage drop, confirm with your inspector which applies under the edition adopted in your province.
Grounding conductor to the electrode (Rule 10-114): not smaller than 6 AWG copper or 4 AWG aluminum, including for a 60 A service.

How much load can a 60 amp circuit carry?

System	At 60 A	At 48 A
120 V single phase	7.2 kW	5.8 kW
240 V single phase (120/240 V)	14.4 kW	11.5 kW
208 V three phase (120/208 V)	21.6 kW	17.3 kW
600 V three phase (347/600 V)	62.4 kW	49.9 kW

The figures assume a balanced load and unity power factor. Continuous loads on breakers not marked for 100% continuous operation are generally limited to 80% of the rating under Rule 8-104, which is 48 A on a 60 A breaker: the maximum output of a Level 2 EV charger on a 60 A circuit. The amps to watts calculator handles power factor.

60 amp service in Canada

Rule 8-200 sets the minimum ampacity of a single dwelling's service or feeder conductors as the larger of a calculated load or a floor: 60 A if the floor area, excluding the basement, is less than 80 m², and 100 A if it is 80 m² or more. A 60 A service at 240 V is 14.4 kW. Small cottages and older homes still have 60 A services, but electric heat, a range, a heat pump or EV charging usually calculates above that. For the next step up, see wire size for 100 amps in Canada.

CEC vs NEC for 60 amps

The raw ampacities in CEC Tables 2 and 4 match NEC Table 310.16 for these sizes, so the 75 °C answer (6 AWG copper, 4 AWG aluminum) is the same in both countries. The differences: voltage drop is mandatory in Canada under Rule 8-102 rather than an informational note, the code works in metres, bonding conductors come from Table 16 instead of NEC Table 250.122 (both give 10 AWG Cu / 8 AWG Al at 60 A), and provinces adopt different editions of the code. For the US version, with NM-B cable and EV charger tables, see wire size for 60 amps (NEC).

Sources

VRI Electrical, Cable Ampacity Tables – CEC / CSA C22.1 (Tables 2 and 4)
CSA Group, CEC Section 8 excerpt (Rule 8-102)
Electrical Industry News Week, Guide to the CE Code, Section 8 and Section 4 (Rules 8-200, 4-006)
City of Fort Saskatchewan, Load calculation form (Rule 8-200 100 A / 60 A minimums)
IAEI Magazine, Application of Rule 4-006
Hongbin Li, Bonding conductor size, CSA C22.1:24 Table 16
Conductor resistance: NEC Chapter 9 Table 8 values at 75 °C, converted to metres

What Size Wire for 60 Amps in Canada? (CEC)