In short
- HomeStars puts Ottawa driveway and sidewalk clearing at $40–$150 a visit and residential seasons at $300–$1,800+.
- On one Ottawa company's figures, a $520–$700 double driveway season pays for itself after about 4 to 9 visits at $80–$140.
- Ottawa airport averages about 15 days a winter with 5 cm or more (1981–2010). One Kanata and Stittsville firm logged 37 outings in 2025–26.
- Per-centimetre charges start after a season cap: 250, 275 or 300 cm on published 2026–27 terms.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway and sidewalk, per visit | $40–$150 | HomeStars Ottawa page |
| Residential season | $300–$1,800+ | HomeStars Ottawa page |
| Double driveway: season / one visit with walkway | $520–$700 / $80–$140 | One Ottawa company’s advertised 2026–27 estimates |
| Each cm above a 275 cm cap | $1.60 on a $440 base | One Almonte-area firm’s 2026–27 form, its own example |
| Per visit after a 250 cm allowance | $45–$75+ | One Ottawa firm, its seasonal clients only, HST extra |
| Hourly, residential | $60–$100 an hour | HomeStars Ottawa page |
Sources. HomeStars, Snow removal companies in Ottawa, cost section and FAQ, seen 29.10.2026. One Ottawa company’s advertised estimates: 2026 homeowner pricing guide, published 07.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. One Almonte-area firm: 2026–2027 quote form, seen 29.10.2026. One Ottawa firm’s after-cap rates and trigger options: pricing page, seen 29.10.2026. One Kanata and Stittsville firm: service logs, winter 2025–26, service logs, winter 2024–25, 300 cm limit, winter 2026–27, seen 29.10.2026. One Ottawa firm’s monthly and hourly rates: home page price cards, page undated, seen 29.10.2026. Monthly plans: a paving firm’s Ottawa guide, published 05.11.2024, seen 29.10.2026. Snowfall: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Int’l A, climate ID 6106000, seen 29.10.2026. City: Snow removal services: what consumers need to know and Clearing snow on your property, seen 29.10.2026. Ontario: Your rights when signing or cancelling a contract, seen 29.10.2026.
Four ways a snow price gets written
Per visit. You pay each time the crew clears. One Ottawa company advertises $80–$140 for a driveway and walkway, $60–$100 for a windrow-only visit and $120–$220 for a dig-out after 25 cm or more.
Per season. One price for the winter, with a visit after each snowfall above the agreed depth. One Almonte-area firm asks $475, $530 and $630 plus HST for driveways fitting 2, 4 and 6 cars on its 2026–27 form. The clauses are on seasonal contracts.
Per centimetre. On published terms, this is an overage that starts once the season passes a cap.
By the hour. HomeStars lists $60–$120 an hour for one-time service in Ottawa.
All four buy the same driveway. What changes is who carries a heavy winter: the company on a season, up to its cap; you, per visit or per hour.
How many trips an Ottawa winter takes
Environment Canada’s 1981–2010 normals for Ottawa airport give about 223 cm of snow a year on about 63 days. About 15 of those days bring 5 cm or more.
Real winters bring more trips than that. One Kanata and Stittsville firm publishes a log of every outing. In winter 2025–26 it went out 37 times between 9 November and 20 March: 24 times after fresh snow and 13 times only for ridges left by City street and sidewalk plows. In 2024–25 it logged 28 outings, 10 of them with no snowfall recorded: courtesy passes, drifts and plow ridges.
The City makes property owners responsible for the windrow. On a per-visit plan, each return for that ridge is one more visit you book and pay. See windrow clearing.
Where the season pays for itself
Divide the season price by one visit. The Ottawa company above lists a double driveway season at $520–$700 and a visit at $80–$140. At $520 ÷ $140 the season pays off by the 4th visit; at $700 ÷ $80, at about 9. Its visit includes a walkway, so for a bare driveway the real number sits toward 9. An average winter passes that.
Per visit still suits some homes: people who clear most falls themselves, a house sold mid-winter, weeks spent away. See one-time snow removal.
Storm days matter too. HomeStars says seasonal customers often get priority during major storms and avoid higher emergency rates. One Ottawa firm sells one-time clearing at premium pricing, subject to availability.
Per-centimetre charges and the season cap
Three published season terms carry a ceiling:
- 275 cm, then per cm. The Almonte-area form bills each extra centimetre in proportion to the contract price: a $440 base ÷ 275 cm is $1.60 per cm. On its $530 double that works out to about $1.93, or about $48 for 25 cm over. You opt in or out on the form.
- 250 cm, then per visit. One Ottawa firm bills $45 single, $55 double, $65 triple and $75+ oversized per visit after 250 cm, plus HST, at a rate fixed in the agreement.
- 300 cm. The Kanata and Stittsville firm’s 2026–27 limit.
The 223 cm average sits under all three, so the overage bites in a heavy winter. The trigger moves the visit count: the 250 cm firm says its 2.5 cm option means roughly double the visits of its 5 cm plan. See trigger depth.
Hourly and monthly rates
Hourly suits work with no fixed size: a deep dig-out, banks pushed back in February, ice. HomeStars puts residential work at $60–$100 an hour and plowing at $75–$150, higher for emergency work in major storms. One Ottawa firm bills $70 per worker-hour, so two workers for an hour count as two.
The same firm lists a flat $180 a month. A paving firm’s 2024 guide puts monthly plans at $100–$200. Ask which months are billed.
Paying for a season safely
A season puts money up front. The City of Ottawa warns of people who take payment for a whole season and never return. It advises a low deposit, payments in stages, such as post-dated cheques, proof of a City snow plow contractor licence, and the same company name on the flyer and the contract.
Ontario lists snow removal among contracts over $50 that should be in writing. A written estimate in the contract can be exceeded by 10% at most unless you sign a change. A contract signed at home can be cancelled within 10 days of receiving the written agreement.
What to put in your request
- Driveway size in cars, any walkway or steps, a photo of the driveway end.
- Season, per visit, or “compare both”.
- The trigger, and if ridge returns should be included.
- Dates away, and if you clear some falls yourself.
Who takes your request
Ottawa Snow Desk passes your request to one independent local snow removal company. That company calls you back, prices the driveway by the season, the visit or the hour, and does the clearing.
Questions people ask
How many visits make a seasonal contract worth it?
Divide the season price by one visit. On one Ottawa company’s figures, $520–$700 against $80–$140 breaks even at 4 to 9 visits. Ottawa airport averages about 15 days a winter with 5 cm or more, before any ridge trips.
Will a per-visit customer get cleared during a big storm?
Often later. HomeStars notes that seasonal customers often get priority during and after major storms and that on-demand service may take longer in heavy snowfall.
Do return trips for the City plow ridge count as visits?
On a per-visit plan, yes. The City makes owners responsible for the windrow, and one Ottawa company prices a windrow-only visit at $60–$100.
Should I pay the whole season up front?
The City of Ottawa warns of people who take payment for a season and never return. It advises a low deposit and payments in stages over the contract.
I am away for part of the winter. Which model fits?
Per visit covers the weeks you are home. Give your dates in the request and ask whether the company prices a part season.
