What does backflow testing cost in Toronto & the GTA?

Last updated October 19, 2026 · Prices in CAD

Annual backflow testing is priced per device. With Backflow Inspector, a single-device test costs $350, and that includes the calibrated test, the device tag, the digital report and filing with your municipality. Properties with several devices are priced on a sliding scale — as low as $200 per device on larger sites — and every job gets a fixed quote before it is booked.

Backflow testing prices at a glance

Prices are a guide for standard, accessible installations during business hours. Your fixed quote is confirmed in writing before booking.

What is included in the price?

Every per-device price covers the whole compliance cycle for that assembly, not just the test itself:

• A certified test by a Cross Connection Control Specialist using NIST-traceable, annually calibrated gauges.
• The device tag fixed to the assembly with the test date and tester details, as municipal programs require.
• A digital test report recording the make, model, serial number and the pressure readings from each check and relief valve.
• Filing with your municipality — in Toronto, through the City’s online test report submission; elsewhere through the local water authority.
• A copy for your records and a reminder before next year’s deadline.

Not included: repairs or parts if a device fails, building permits for new installations, and after-hours or confined-space work, all of which are quoted separately and approved by you first.

What changes the price?

Four things move the number, and the first one matters far more than the rest.

1. Number of devices. Testing is per device, and the per-device rate drops when several assemblies are tested in one visit. A property with one device pays $350; a site with many devices can get down to $200 each.
2. Device type and size. A small DCVA on a 3/4-inch line is quicker to test than a large RP assembly on a fire line. The device types and how each is tested are covered on the testing page.
3. Access and shutdown. Devices in pits, mechanical rooms with restricted access, or on lines that need a coordinated shutdown take longer. We tell you before booking if this applies.
4. Repairs. If a device fails, the repair is a separate, approved quote. The retest that follows is scheduled within the 72-hour window so the passing report can be filed.

Three examples

These are illustrations, not quotes — the exact figure depends on your devices and access.

• A small restaurant with one DCVA on the incoming water line: $350, including the report and Toronto Water filing.
• A 40-unit Part 3 condominium with four devices (domestic, irrigation, boiler make-up and fire line): all four tested in one visit at a reduced per-device rate, typically between $200 and $350 each, with one consolidated report package and four individual filings.
• A plaza with several tenants and an RP on the fire line: quoted per device on the sliding scale, with the large RP flagged in advance if it needs a shutdown window.

What if the device fails?

You still get a report, and you still pay the test fee only. We explain the fault, quote the repair or replacement in writing, and do nothing until you approve it. Once the repair is done, the assembly must be retested within 72 hours, so we book the retest as part of the same job and file the passing result. Where a device is beyond economic repair, replacement is quoted against the cost of repeated repairs.

How to compare backflow testing quotes

A low headline price is not always the cheapest outcome. Before you choose a tester, confirm three things in writing: that filing the report is included (an unfiled report leaves the property non-compliant); that the tester is a certified Cross Connection Control Specialist with calibrated equipment (otherwise the municipality cannot accept the report); and whether the price is per device or per visit, since most GTA properties have more than one assembly. Our FAQ covers what certification and calibration mean in practice.

Get a fixed quote

Tell us the property type, the number of devices and the city, and we confirm a fixed price before scheduling. Not sure how many devices you have, or whether your property is covered at all? Take the 30-second eligibility check, or call (647) 578-9903 and we will work it out with you.