How to book a service elevator for a Toronto condo move

Start with your property manager, not the truck

Nearly every condo corporation in Toronto requires a reserved service elevator, a certificate of insurance naming the corporation, and a scheduled loading-dock window. Many also charge a refundable deposit and restrict moves to certain days and hours. If those are not in place, security can turn a crew away at the door — even one that arrived on time.

Ask your building for three things: the available move windows on your date, the exact insurance wording they need, and any deposit or form required. Send us the manager's contact and we handle the insurance certificate and elevator request from there.

How far ahead to book

• Month-end and weekend dates: two to three weeks, longer downtown and in Liberty Village where slots are scarce.
• Mid-month weekdays: often a few days is enough.
• Statutory holidays and Sundays: many buildings do not allow moves at all — check before you commit to a closing date.

Working inside a four-hour window

Most buildings give a fixed window rather than a whole day. The way to finish inside it is preparation: pack fully the night before, empty the balcony and locker, disassemble anything you can, and label boxes by room so nothing is sorted in the hallway.

On our side, we arrive before the window opens, protect the elevator and common areas, and stage everything at the elevator so loading is continuous instead of trip-by-trip.

Buildings with tight access

Downtown, Yorkville and Liberty Village buildings often sit on narrow streets with streetcar tracks or bike lanes and no legal place for a full-size truck to sit. Where that is the case we scout the address in advance and shuttle with a smaller vehicle so the dock window is still met.