A low-energy automatic operator opens a door on a button press or a wave, holds it open, and closes it slowly enough to be safe without guard rails or sensors around the swing path. It is the standard solution for barrier-free access, and it is increasingly specified simply because heavy entrance doors are difficult for a lot of people to use.
Typical range: $2200–$8500 CAD. Ranges are typical for the GTA and depend on the door, the hardware and the time of day. We confirm the price before dispatching.
Accessibility requirements
The Ontario Building Code sets maximum opening forces for doors on a barrier-free path of travel, and the AODA design-of-public-spaces requirements apply to certain new construction and major renovation. Where a door cannot meet the opening-force limit — a heavy exterior door with a closer sized to fight wind load frequently cannot — an automatic operator is the practical route to compliance.
It is worth checking what actually applies to your building before assuming. Requirements differ between new construction, renovation and existing buildings, and the honest answer is sometimes that you are not obliged to do anything. We will tell you that where it is the case.
Low-energy versus full-power operators
Low-energy operators open slowly and with limited force, which is why they can be activated by a push button without needing sensors and guard rails around the door swing. They are the right choice for the overwhelming majority of accessible entrances.
Full-power automatic doors open fast and require a full sensor package — presence detection in the swing path, safety beams, and specific signage and layout provisions. They belong in high-traffic retail entries, not on an office side door.
What a complete installation includes
- The operator, sized for the door weight, width and exposure
- Interior and exterior actuators — push plates, touchless wave sensors, or both
- Wiring between actuators and operator, which on an exterior actuator often means a bollard or a core drill
- Integration with the lock, so the door unlocks before it tries to open
- Access control integration where the door is credentialed, sequenced so a card read releases the lock then triggers the operator
- Signage as required
- Commissioning to the opening force, speed and hold-open time requirements
The integration detail that gets missed
On a locked door with an operator, the sequence matters. The lock must release before the operator starts to pull, or the operator drives the door against a locked latch. This destroys operators, and it is a common fault on installations where the operator and the access control were fitted by different trades who did not coordinate.
We handle both sides of that interface, which is the main practical reason to have one contractor do the door rather than two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an automatic door opener for accessibility compliance?
Not automatically. The requirement is about opening force and clear width on a barrier-free path, and some doors meet it with a correctly adjusted closer. An operator becomes the answer where the door physically cannot meet the force limit, which is common on heavy exterior doors. What applies to your building depends on whether it is new construction, a renovation, or existing stock, so it is worth establishing that before spending anything.
How much does an automatic door operator cost?
Installed cost depends heavily on the site. The operator itself is a minority of the total on many jobs — the significant variables are getting power to the door, getting wiring to an exterior actuator, whether the existing door and frame can carry an operator, and whether lock integration is needed. A straightforward interior door with power nearby is at the low end; an exterior entrance needing a bollard, a core drill and lock integration is at the high end.
Can an automatic operator be added to my existing door?
Usually, provided the door and frame are sound and the frame can take the operator's mounting loads. Doors that are already misaligned or hanging on worn hinges need that corrected first, because an operator will not tolerate a door that binds — it will fault out or destroy itself. We assess the door before quoting the operator.
What maintenance do automatic doors need?
Annual service is the sensible interval: checking opening force and speed against spec, testing actuators, verifying the safety behaviour, and inspecting the door and hinges the operator depends on. Operators fail early mainly when they are working against a door problem nobody addressed, so the door inspection is as important as the operator service.
Automatic Operators across the GTA
We provide automatic door operators & accessibility throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Pick your city for local detail, or call and we will tell you straight away whether you are in range.
Related services
Door Closers
Surface, concealed and floor-spring closers supplied, adjusted and replaced — including the fire-rated assemblies that have to self-close and positively latch to pass inspection.
Access Control Systems
Card, fob, mobile and biometric access control designed, installed and commissioned — on platforms you own rather than are locked into.
Commercial Door Repair
Doors that bind, drag, sag, will not latch or will not close — diagnosed at the door and frame rather than blamed on the lock.
Electric Strikes
Electric strikes supplied and installed with the correct fail-safe or fail-secure behaviour, proper power and clean frame preparation.