In short
- Environment Canada's 1981–2010 normals put Ottawa airport at about 223 cm of snow a year; about 208 cm of it falls from November to March.
- The 13 winters measured at the airport from 2013–14 to 2025–26 ranged from about 134 cm to about 330 cm, and averaged about 236 cm.
- Between November 1 and March 31, 3 of those 13 winters passed 275 cm, one firm's cap, and 2 passed 300 cm, another firm's cap.
- One Kanata–Stittsville firm logged 37 service days in winter 2025–26; 13 of them were for plow ridges with no new snow.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal contract, residential, Ottawa | $300–$1,800+ | HomeStars Ottawa page, per winter |
| Season at a 5 cm trigger, driveway fitting 2 / 4 / 6 cars | $475 / $530 / $630 + HST | One firm’s 2026–27 quote form; season cap 275 cm |
| Each cm over the 275 cm cap | $1.60 on a $440 base | Same form’s own example; the surcharge follows the contract price, opt-in or opt-out |
| Season, single / double driveway, Kanata and Stittsville | $495 / $545 | One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s published rates; cap 300 cm at the airport |
| Each cm over that 300 cm cap | about $1.67 on a $500 base | Worked from the same firm’s $500 ÷ 300 cm example |
Sources. Snowfall normals: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Int’l A (climate ID 6106000), read through the ECCC climate normals data service, seen 29.10.2026. Measured winters: ECCC daily climate data, Ottawa Intl A (climate ID 6106001) and monthly summaries, same data as ECCC historical climate data, seasons totalled by us, seen 29.10.2026. Prices: HomeStars, Snow removal companies in Ottawa, cost section, seen 29.10.2026. A snow removal firm’s 2026–27 quote form, season 1 Nov 2026 to 31 Mar 2027, seen 29.10.2026. One Kanata–Stittsville firm: terms and conditions, residential rates, service log 2025–26 and service log 2024–25, seen 29.10.2026. City rules: When roads and sidewalks get plowed, Significant Weather Events, Winter Weather Parking Bans and Clearing snow from your property, seen 29.10.2026.
A normal Ottawa winter, month by month
Environment Canada’s climate normals for Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier airport cover 1981 to 2010. The months that matter for a contract:
| Month | Snowfall, cm | Days with 5 cm+ | Days with 10 cm+ | Days with freezing rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | 3.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 20.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
| December | 52.5 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 4.4 |
| January | 53.9 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 3.7 |
| February | 43.3 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 2.6 |
| March | 38.3 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 2.4 |
| April | 11.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
A season that runs November 1 to March 31 covers about 208 of the 223 cm in a normal year. The other 15 cm or so falls in October and April, outside most contract dates.
Thirteen winters measured at the airport
Single winters swing well away from the average. Daily records from the current airport station (Ottawa Intl A), totalled by season:
| Winter | October to May, cm | November to March, cm | Days with 5 cm+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | 242 | 242 | 16 |
| 2014–15 | 195 | 187 | 13 |
| 2015–16 | 203 | 183 | 8 |
| 2016–17 | 310 | 303 | 24 |
| 2017–18 | 235 | 219 | 22 |
| 2018–19 | 312 | 290 | 22 |
| 2019–20 | 204 | 197 | 16 |
| 2020–21 | 177 | 171 | 12 |
| 2021–22 | 196 | 188 | 13 |
| 2022–23 | 330 | 329 | 22 |
| 2023–24 | 134 | 111 | 9 |
| 2024–25 | 271 | 253 | 18 |
| 2025–26 | 259 | 258 | 17 |
The light winter of 2023–24 had 9 days with 5 cm or more; the heavy one before it had 22. Days are calendar days, so a storm that spans midnight can show as two smaller days.
Season caps against the record
One firm’s 2026–27 quote form caps its November 1 to March 31 season at 275 cm, then charges in proportion to the contract price: $1.60 a centimetre on its own $440 example, opt-in or opt-out. One Kanata–Stittsville firm runs November 1 to April 1 or up to 300 cm recorded at the airport, with a surcharge worked from its $500 ÷ 300 cm example. Both may waive a small excess.
Applied to the November to March totals above:
- 2022–23, about 329 cm. About 54 cm over 275, roughly $87 at $1.60. About 29 cm over 300, roughly $49 at the $500 rate.
- 2016–17, about 303 cm. About 28 cm over 275, roughly $44. Only 3 cm over 300.
- 2018–19, about 290 cm. About 15 cm over 275; under 300.
The other ten winters stayed under both caps. The form leaves open what opt-out means for service past the cap, so ask. More clauses: seasonal contract.
Snow days and service days
One Kanata–Stittsville firm publishes a log of every outing. For 2025–26 it lists 37 service days from November 9 to March 20, 45.5 passes in all; 13 of those days were for street or sidewalk plow ridges with no new snow. The airport had 17 days with 5 cm or more that winter. For 2024–25 the log shows 28 service days, December 4 to April 8, against 18 such days.
Local snow also differs from the gauge. In February 2025 the firm logged 32 cm on the 13th and 40 cm on the 16th, two passes each; the airport recorded 26.8 and 33.4 cm. Your trigger depth decides which smaller falls bring a visit.
Big storms, freezing rain and the snow that stays
Days with 25 cm or more average about 0.4 a year. The two biggest days at the airport station since 2012 were 51.2 cm on February 16, 2016 and 47.8 cm on January 17, 2022. In storms like these the City may declare a Significant Weather Event, which pauses its plowing timelines. Residential streets wait for 7 cm or more and take 10 to 16 hours after the last snowflake, so a street ridge can land after a driveway is cleared; the City puts that windrow on the property owner (windrow clearing). A forecast of 7 cm or more, or freezing rain, can bring a parking ban from November 15 to April 1.
Freezing rain or drizzle comes on about 16 days a year, most often in December and January. Snow also stays: the normal depth on the ground is about 24 cm in January and 28 cm in February, with about 52 days a year at 20 cm or more. When the banks run out of room, snow hauling comes up.
Reading a contract against these numbers
Put these questions to the company before you sign:
- Which gauge counts toward the cap: the airport, or the crew’s own measurement on the ground?
- Which dates count toward the cap, and is snow in October or April covered?
- What is the surcharge per centimetre on your own price, and what happens if you opt out?
- Does a return for plow ridges or drifts, with no new snow, count as a visit?
- Is ice from freezing rain handled, or is salting a separate line?
In your request, give the driveway size in cars, the trigger you prefer (5 cm, or the 2 cm option) and your street type: residential or main road.
Who takes your request
Ottawa Snow Desk is a request service. Your request goes to one independent local snow removal company, which calls you back, quotes the winter against your driveway and does the clearing.
Questions people ask
How much snow does Ottawa get in a normal winter?
Environment Canada’s 1981–2010 normals for Ottawa airport give about 223 cm a year, with January and December the heaviest months at about 54 and 53 cm. Snow falls on about 63 days, and about 15 of them bring 5 cm or more.
Where is the snow measured for a season cap?
One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s terms count its 300 cm cap as recorded at Macdonald-Cartier airport. One firm’s 2026–27 quote form sets a 275 cm threshold for the season without naming the gauge in the form text, so ask which measurement the company uses before you sign.
How often does a winter go over the cap?
At the airport, November-to-March snow passed 275 cm in 3 of the 13 winters from 2013–14 to 2025–26 (2016–17, 2018–19, 2022–23) and 300 cm in 2.
Why did the crew come more often than it snowed?
Plow ridges, drifts and second passes on long storms all bring a crew back. Ask whether a ridge-only return is part of the season price.
Does a snow contract cover freezing rain?
Ottawa airport averages about 16 days a year with freezing rain or drizzle. One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s terms leave salting and de-icing out unless the contract lists them, so ask for ice work as its own line.
