In short
- Ottawa's Licensing By-law lets snow plow driveway markers go in from October 20 and requires them out by April 30.
- Markers sit at least 1.5 m (5 ft) from a sidewalk, or 2.1 m (7 ft) from the street where there is no sidewalk, and the by-law bars them between the sidewalk and the street.
- Height is capped at 1.22 m (4 ft) above the ground; materials are wood, plastic, fibreglass or metal, and lit markers fall outside the rule.
- Two markers per driveway may carry the company's logo or phone number. Two more are allowed on private property if they carry nothing at all.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway marker, 48-inch, red | $5.97 each | Home Depot Canada listing; at the 4-foot limit before it goes in |
| Driveway marker with reflector, 58-inch | $10.98 each | Home Depot Canada listing; set about 10 inches deep to meet the limit |
| Fibreglass markers, 46-inch, tube of 30 | $69.91 per tube | Home Depot Canada listing |
| Seasonal residential contract, Ottawa | $300–$1,800+ per winter | HomeStars Ottawa cost section; check whether markers and extras for walls or beds are inside the figure |
| Seasonal contract, single or double driveway | $495–$545 | One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s published rates; its terms include markers each season |
Sources. By-law text: City of Ottawa, Businesses regulated by the Licensing By-law No. 2002-189, Schedule 4 Snow Plow Contractors, sections 23 to 26 and the definition of snow plow driveway marker in Licensing By-law No. 2002-189, seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa, SNOW KNOWledge brochure, seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa, Clearing snow from your property, seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa, Report property damage by city vehicle, seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa, The right of way, seen 29.10.2026. Marker prices: Home Depot Canada, driveway marker listings, seen 29.10.2026. Contract prices: HomeStars, snow removal in Ottawa, cost section, seen 29.10.2026. One Kanata–Stittsville firm: seasonal rates and terms and conditions, seen 29.10.2026.
What a marker does for the operator
After a 20 cm overnight fall, the line between asphalt, lawn and garden bed is gone. The operator reads the edge from the markers. Without them, the edge is a guess, and sod, interlock borders, garden beds and the curb corner take the risk.
Markers also sit inside the contract. One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s terms exclude damage to fixed objects hidden under snow and left unmarked, so an unmarked garden wall is the owner’s risk. Read the obstacle clause in your seasonal contract with that in mind.
The City’s marker rules, line by line
Ottawa regulates markers in Schedule 4 of the Licensing By-law, the part that covers snow plow contractors. Section 24 lists the conditions:
- Dates. In the ground no earlier than October 20, out no later than April 30.
- Location. At least 1.5 m (5 ft) from a sidewalk. With no sidewalk, at least 2.1 m (7 ft) from the travelled part of the street. The strip between the sidewalk and the street is off limits.
- Material. Wood, plastic, fibreglass, metal, or a mix of them, supports included.
- Size. At most 1.22 m (4 ft) tall measured from the ground. Wood, plastic or fibreglass markers up to 10.1 cm (4 in) wide; metal ones up to 10 mm across, with a cap or guard on any exposed metal end.
- Count and wording. Two per driveway, one on each side, showing only the contractor’s logo or phone number. Two extra plain markers are allowed on private property.
The by-law defines a marker as temporary and non-illuminated. Section 23 requires the company to give each client the Schedule 4 rules, on paper or as a link; the City’s SNOW KNOWledge brochure sums them up.
Where the City’s land starts
The setbacks make sense once you know who owns the front of the lot. The City’s right of way covers the road, shoulder, sidewalk, driveway access and the boulevard beside private property.
So the grass beside your lot, between the property line and the road, is City land. The by-law makes the owner of residential land responsible for cutting it. The City also uses the right of way to store snow, and the plow leaves the windrow at the driveway mouth. The setbacks keep contractor markers off that strip. geoOttawa shows the approximate property line.
Store-bought markers and the 4-foot limit
On 29.10.2026 Home Depot Canada listed a 48-inch marker at $5.97, a 58-inch one with a reflector at $10.98, and thirty 46-inch fibreglass markers for $69.91.
The by-law measures height from the ground. A 48-inch marker sits at the 4-foot cap before it goes in; a 58-inch one needs about 10 inches underground. Lit LED stakes fall outside the non-illuminated definition, and metal markers must stay within 10 mm across and carry a cap or guard on any exposed end.
HomeStars puts Ottawa residential season contracts at $300 to $1,800+ per winter. Ask whether markers, and extras for walls or beds, are inside that figure.
Walls, steps and beds beside the driveway
The branded pair shows the edges. The harder cases sit beside them. One Kanata–Stittsville firm asks owners to flag anything jutting toward the driveway for extra markers: interlock steps, retaining walls, cement porches, raised patio stones, garden beds, ramps. Its drivers keep 2 ft from garage doors, and movable items go 4 ft from the edge before each storm.
Count the hazards before the first snow. The by-law allows two plain markers beyond the branded pair, and a wall and a bed use that up fast. Ask how the company will mark the rest within the rule. Gravel lanes bring their own terms: the same firm leaves raking stones off the lawn in spring to the owner. See gravel driveways.
When a marker, lawn or curb gets hit
Lawn damage depends on whose machine did it. The City says its equipment sometimes damages lawns and rural roadside mailboxes; staff inspect in spring and reseed what City vehicles caused. Mailboxes hit by snow thrown from the plow wing do not qualify.
Contractor damage follows the contract. One Kanata–Stittsville firm restores damage it causes, apart from damage reasonably expected from snow removal, excludes scrapes on driveways and curbs, and wants a report within 7 days. More: snow removal damage.
Who takes your request
Ottawa Snow Desk passes your request to one independent local snow removal company. That company calls you back, agrees the markers and the season with you, and does the clearing.
Questions people ask
Who puts the markers in, me or the snow company?
Either can. One Kanata–Stittsville firm installs them at the start of every season. The City’s page also speaks to homeowners who set their own: wood, plastic, fibreglass or metal, no larger than a hockey stick, set back from the street or sidewalk.
Can a marker go on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street?
The by-law bars markers between a sidewalk and the travelled part of the street. Where there is a sidewalk, they go at least 1.5 m (5 ft) back from it. Where there is none, they stand at least 2.1 m (7 ft) from the street edge.
How many markers can one driveway have?
Two per driveway, one on each side, showing only the company’s logo or phone number. The by-law allows two more on private property if they carry nothing at all.
When must the markers come out?
By April 30. They cannot go in before October 20, even if you book in September.
Can solar lights or lit stakes serve as markers?
The by-law defines a snow plow driveway marker as temporary and non-illuminated, and the City’s brochure says markers cannot be illuminated. Lit garden stakes fall outside that definition.
A marker snapped and the pieces are on my lawn. Whose job is it?
Both sides carry a duty. Section 25 makes the company remove a damaged marker and its pieces once it knows; section 26 puts the same duty on the owner. Send the company a photo.
The City plow tore up the grass at the end of my driveway. Who fixes that?
Report it through 3-1-1 at any time. City staff inspect in early spring after the melt, and damage caused by City vehicles is repaired with topsoil and grass seed.
