Two things catch people out when they move to Caledon, and both come from assuming it works like Brampton. Caledon is Hydro One territory, not Alectra. And a large part of the town isn't on municipal water at all, which means there's no account to transfer because there's a well in the yard instead.
Everything else is a normal Ontario move. Those two aren't. This checklist is built around them. Adjust the weeks to your own possession or lease date.
8 weeks before move day
- Decide what's actually coming. Caledon moves often mean more storage than you had before, which is exactly how garages fill with boxes nobody opens.
- Book your truck or movers. Country roads and long driveways make some crews quote differently, so mention the property type up front.
- Book your tote rental. We deliver 7 days before move day. We bring totes and a dolly across Caledon, Bolton and Caledon East included.
- Renting? Serve 60 days written notice to vacate.
- Buying? Confirm the possession date in writing with your lawyer.
- Find out whether your new address is on municipal servicing or a well and septic. Your lawyer or agent can confirm. Everything in the utilities section below depends on the answer.
6 weeks before move day
- School transfers (public): Peel District School Board at pdsb.org. Same board as Brampton and Mississauga, so this is a transfer rather than a board change.
- School transfers (Catholic): Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board at dpcdsb.org.
- Check the bus route, not just the school. Rural Caledon catchments can mean a much longer ride than the same distance would in a city.
- Notify your employer for payroll and T4 purposes.
- Set up Canada Post mail redirection.
- Gather documents you'll want mid-move: agreement of purchase or lease, insurance, health cards, passports.
4 weeks before move day
- CRA address update at canada.ca/my-cra-account.
- Driver's licence: Ontario gives you six days after moving. Book the ServiceOntario appointment now.
- Health card and vehicle permit: same visit, same appointment.
- Banks, investments, pension, pre-authorized payments.
- Subscriptions and deliveries. Worth checking which couriers actually service your new road.
- If you're moving into or out of a Bolton condo or apartment, book the elevator at both ends.
2 weeks before move day: Caledon utilities
- Electricity (Hydro One): Hydro One Networks distributes power across the Town of Caledon. Open or transfer your account at hydroone.com and set the move-out date for your old address at the same time. If you're coming from Brampton or Mississauga, you are leaving Alectra behind.
- Water, serviced areas: If you're in Bolton, Caledon East, Mayfield West or another serviced area, water and wastewater are Region of Peel. Set up billing at peelregion.ca and close the old account.
- Water, rural: On a private well there's no account to open. Instead, get the water tested for bacteria before anyone drinks it. Free bacteriological testing is available to private well owners through the public health unit, and it's worth doing on arrival rather than taking the previous owner's word.
- Septic: Ask for the system's age, tank size, and last pump-out date. Tanks generally need pumping every three to five years depending on household size. Find out where the tank and bed actually are, because you don't want to discover that by parking on it.
- Natural gas or propane: Enbridge serves the serviced areas. Plenty of rural Caledon runs on propane instead, which means a tank, a supplier contract, and a delivery schedule rather than a utility account. Confirm which you have and whether the tank is owned or rented.
- Internet: Book early and check what's actually available at the address. Rural Caledon service varies street by street, and this is the single most common unpleasant surprise.
- Home insurance: Transfer or update. Rural properties, wells, septic systems, and wood stoves all affect the policy.
1 week before move day
- Your totes arrive. Start with the rooms you use least.
- Label lids rather than sides. Lids face up when totes stack.
- Confirm the truck can reach the door. Measure the driveway if it's long, narrow, or tree-lined, and warn the crew if the last stretch is gravel.
- Pack an essentials tote that rides in your own vehicle.
- Empty and defrost the fridge and freezer.
- Confirm switch-on dates at both addresses.
Move day
- Walk the old place: closets, cupboards, garage, shed, crawlspace.
- Take meter readings at both ends.
- Photograph both properties, especially if renting.
- Keep the essentials tote with you.
- Hand over keys, remotes, and anything that opens a gate.
- If the property has a well pump or septic alarm panel, find out where they are and what normal looks like before everyone leaves.
First week in your new Caledon home
- Confirm the Hydro One account shows the right address and start date.
- Send the well water for bacterial testing if you haven't already.
- Check waste collection. Region of Peel handles curbside collection, and rural routes don't always run the same days as the serviced areas.
- Locate the nearest Community Recycling Centre for anything the curb won't take.
- Register at the new school if that's still outstanding.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Ontario requires working alarms on every storey and outside sleeping areas, and CO alarms matter more with propane or a wood stove.
- Unpack at a reasonable pace. You have a week before we collect the totes.
Frequently asked questions
Who provides electricity in Caledon?
Hydro One Networks, across the whole Town of Caledon including Bolton and Caledon East. If you're moving up from Brampton or Mississauga, you're leaving Alectra. This is the mistake we see most often.
Does Caledon have municipal water?
In parts. Bolton, Caledon East, Mayfield West and other serviced areas are on Region of Peel water and wastewater. Much of rural Caledon runs on a private well and septic instead, with no account to transfer. Confirm which applies to your address before move day.
What should I check on a well and septic property?
Test the well for bacteria before drinking it; free bacteriological testing is available to private well owners through the public health unit. For the septic, ask for the age, tank size, and last pump-out date. Most tanks need pumping every three to five years.
Which school board serves Caledon?
Peel District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, the same as Brampton and Mississauga. Moving within Peel is a transfer rather than a board change, though rural catchments can mean a much longer bus ride.
Can a moving truck reach a rural property?
Usually, but check first. Long gravel driveways, low branches and soft shoulders after rain all limit how close a full-size truck can park. If it stops short, the carry gets long, which is exactly when a dolly and stackable totes earn their keep.
Not sure how many totes a larger Caledon property needs? The room-by-room count guide covers it, and garages and basements are where people undercount. If you're arriving from the city, moving out of the GTA covers the well, septic, and winter realities in more depth.