Generic moving checklists tell you to "contact your utility provider," which is useless if you don't know who that is. In Georgetown it's Halton Hills Hydro, and they bill your water too, even though Halton Region runs the system. If you're arriving from Peel, that alone will cost you a phone call or two.
This checklist is built around what's actually different about moving to Georgetown and Halton Hills. Adjust the weeks relative to your own possession or lease date.
8 weeks before move day
- Decide what's coming with you before you book containers. Sorting first is the cheapest way to drop a package size.
- Book your moving truck or movers. Summer weekends and month-end dates go first.
- Book your tote rental. We deliver 7 days before move day, so count back from your date. We deliver totes and a dolly across Georgetown and the rest of Halton Hills.
- If you're renting, serve written notice. Ontario tenants give 60 days written notice to vacate.
- If you're buying, confirm the possession date in writing with your lawyer.
- Look up the school catchment for your new address now. Halton boundaries don't map neatly onto neighbourhood names.
6 weeks before move day
- School transfers (public): Contact the Halton District School Board at hdsb.ca to start the transfer and register at the new catchment school.
- School transfers (Catholic): Contact the Halton Catholic District School Board at hcdsb.org.
- If you're coming from Brampton, Mississauga, or Caledon, note this is a different board entirely, not a transfer within Peel. Start earlier than you think you need to.
- Notify your employer so payroll and T4 correspondence follow you.
- Set up mail redirection at Canada Post so it's live from day one.
- Collect the documents you'll need mid-move: purchase or lease agreement, insurance policies, health cards, passports.
4 weeks before move day
- CRA address update: Update at canada.ca/my-cra-account, sooner if you're expecting benefit payments or a refund.
- Driver's licence: Ontario gives you six days after moving. Book a ServiceOntario appointment now so you're not chasing it afterward.
- Health card and vehicle permit: Update both at the same ServiceOntario visit.
- Notify your bank, investments, pension, and any pre-authorized payments.
- Update subscriptions: phone plan, streaming, online retailers.
- If either building has an elevator that needs reserving, book it at both ends now.
2 weeks before move day: Georgetown utilities
This is the section that's genuinely different from a Peel move. Read it carefully.
- Electricity (Halton Hills Hydro): Halton Hills Hydro distributes power across Halton Hills, including Georgetown and Acton. Open or transfer your account and give them your move-out date for the old address at the same time. Reach them at 519-853-3701 or 905-453-2222.
- Water and wastewater: Halton Region owns and maintains the water and sewer system, but Halton Hills Hydro does the billing. Setting up your hydro account is what moves your water billing. For questions about the system itself, Halton Region is reachable at 311.
- Natural gas (Enbridge Gas): Transfer or open your account at enbridge.com. If you're moving into a new build, confirm gas has actually been connected rather than assuming.
- Internet and phone: Book installation now. Some providers want two weeks or more for a technician, and availability in the rural pockets outside the Georgetown core is thinner than in the GTA.
- Home insurance: Transfer or update the policy. Don't let the old one lapse before the new one starts.
1 week before move day
- Your totes arrive. Start with the rooms you use least.
- Label lids, not sides. Lids face up when totes stack in a truck.
- Confirm the move time with your truck or movers, and re-confirm elevator bookings if either end has one.
- Pack an essentials tote you keep with you: medication, chargers, documents, a change of clothes, coffee.
- Empty, defrost, and dry the fridge and freezer.
- Confirm utilities are switching on the right date at both addresses.
Move day
- Walk the old place before you leave: closets, the back of cupboards, the garage, under the stairs.
- Take meter readings at both addresses.
- Photograph the condition of both places, especially if you're renting.
- Keep the essentials tote in your own vehicle, not the truck.
- Hand over keys, garage remotes, and mailbox keys.
First week in your new Georgetown home
- Confirm the first bill from Halton Hills Hydro shows the right address and the right start date.
- Check waste and recycling collection days for your new address through Halton Region. Collection days change by street, not by town.
- Register at the new school if you haven't already.
- Find your nearest ServiceOntario and finish anything outstanding.
- Unpack at a sensible pace. You've got a week before we collect the totes.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Ontario requires working alarms on every storey and outside sleeping areas.
Frequently asked questions
Who provides electricity in Georgetown?
Halton Hills Hydro, which covers Georgetown, Acton, and the rest of Halton Hills. If you're moving from Brampton or Mississauga you're changing providers, since those are Alectra territory.
Who bills for water in Georgetown?
Halton Hills Hydro does the billing. Halton Region owns and maintains the water and wastewater system itself. Set up your hydro account and the water billing follows, which is the opposite of how Peel Region works.
Which school board serves Georgetown?
Halton District School Board for public schools, Halton Catholic District School Board for Catholic. Moving from Peel means a full board change, so start the transfer early.
How long do I have to update my driver's licence?
Six days after moving, under Ontario rules. Book the ServiceOntario appointment before move day; the week after a move disappears faster than you expect.
Is there a GO station in Georgetown?
Yes, Georgetown GO sits on the Kitchener line into Union. If your commute depends on it, check the current schedule before committing to a date, since off-peak service is lighter than on the Lakeshore lines.
If you're still working out how many totes you need, the room-by-room count guide is more reliable than guessing from square footage. New to rentals? Here's how the whole thing works, from booking to pickup.