Toronto Hydro is launching a massive city-wide repair blitz after a child was shocked while walking on a downtown sidewalk.

The child received the jolt after stepping on a circular metal ground plate that covers underground wires at the corner of Dundas and Sumach Streets.

The child, who was on a school field trip, was not seriously injured. Other children were nearby, but were not harmed. The school principal contacted Toronto Hydro.

The incident comes after two dogs were killed in the past two months after receiving shocks on a sidewalk at Keele and Annette Streets, in the west end of the city. There have been other reports of dogs receiving non-lethal shocks in other parts of the city.

Hydro president David O'Brien said the company is taking the problem seriously.

Starting tomorrow morning, all non-emergency hydro workers will be assigned to check and repair every ground plate, also known as a handwell, in the city. The workers will start in the downtown core, where the oldest hydro equipment is, and where problems have been reported.

The operation will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the repairs in older sections of the city expected to be complete by the end of February.

"We are redeploying our entire workforce," O'Brien told CBC News. "We have about 600 employees that will be moved off their regular jobs and will be focusing on going down every street."

Toronto Hydro started inspecting handwells after the first dog died in November, but with the latest incident involving a child, the company is increasing the scope of its operations.

The problem stems from a combination of weather and aging infrastructure, Toronto Hydro officials said. Salty, slushy water seeps into handwells, comes into contact with corroding wires and releases electricity. Hydro workers will resolve the problem by encasing all handwell wiring in rubber and plastic to create a water-tight barrier.

In the meantime, people should not be afraid to walk on Toronto's sidewalks, but should try to step around any handwells they spot, O'Brien said. Handwells are metal lids that sit flush in the sidewalk and are about the size of a small plate.

O'Brien said anyone who has concerns about a handwell releasing stray voltage should contact the Toronto Hydro hotline at (416) 222-3773.