Roof snow removal in Ottawa: a crew on the roof, the snow off the eaves
Describe the roof, how much snow sits on it and where it will land. We pass the work order to one independent Ottawa company that clears roofs, and it calls you to price the job.
In short
- 01Roof snow removal for a house runs about $200 to $1,000+ in Canada, more for larger or steeper roofs (HomeStars guide, updated August 2026).
- 02Ottawa's Property Maintenance By-law: owners or occupants keep roofs free of snow or ice that might create an accident hazard.
- 03On conviction, fines under that by-law start at $500 and run up to $10,000 for each day an offence continues.
- 04Snow thrown off a roof lands on the driveway or walkway. One Orléans driveway firm excludes it from its contracts and charges extra to clear it.
Typical ranges
Source HomeStars, Snow Removal Costs For Driveways and Roofs, Canada-wide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. By-law: City of Ottawa, Property Maintenance By-law No. 2005-208, Section 5 and fines, seen 29.10.2026. Roof snow on driveways: an Orléans snowblowing firm’s terms and conditions 2026–27, seen 29.10.2026. Contractor licence scope: City of Ottawa, SNOW KNOWledge brochure, seen 29.10.2026. Snow off roads and sidewalks: City of Ottawa, Clearing snow from your property and Use and Care of Roads By-law No. 2003-498, seen 29.10.2026. Estimates: Ontario, Your rights when signing or cancelling a contract, seen 29.10.2026. We found no Ottawa-specific published roof snow prices.
What to ask before you book
- Q1How do you price this roof: flat fee, by the hour, by area?
- Q2How does your crew stay safe on a pitched roof, and who is responsible if someone is hurt?
- Q3Can I see proof of your liability insurance before you go up?
- Q4How do you protect the shingles, vents, skylights and eavestroughs while you work?
- Q5Do you clear the snow that lands on the driveway and walkway, or is that extra?
Before the visit
- Photos of the roof from the ground, front and back, showing how much snow sits on it.
- Roof type: pitched shingle, metal, flat, a porch or garage roof.
- Storeys, and where a ladder can stand.
- What sits below the eaves: walkway, driveway, deck, air conditioner, gas meter, shrubs.
- Skylights, solar panels, vents and satellite dishes on the roof.
- Any water stain inside or ice at the eaves, and when you first saw it.
Write the roof the way a crew reads it
Three facts set up the job before anyone climbs:
- The roof. Pitched or flat, shingle or metal, one storey or two. A porch, a garage and a house roof are three different jobs.
- The snow. How deep, roughly, and whether it has packed or turned to ice at the eaves. Photos from the ground help.
- What sits below. The snow comes off the roof and lands somewhere. Walkways, the driveway, a deck, an air conditioner, the gas meter and shrubs all matter.
Pick a timeframe on the form. Say if water is coming in. That changes how fast the company wants to come.
What sets the price
HomeStars names roof size and slope among the factors, with larger or steeper roofs costing more because of the time and the technical work. Add access: a ladder spot, a second storey, a roof over a glass sunroom. Ask whether the price is flat for the job or by the hour, and whether moving the fallen snow off your walkway and driveway is included.
What the by-laws say about roof snow
Ottawa’s Property Maintenance By-law puts the roof on the owner or occupant: keep roofs and the land around the building free of snow or ice that might create an accident hazard.
Snow from the roof stays on your property. The City’s Use and Care of Roads By-law bars anyone from pushing, plowing or dumping snow onto a road, and the City asks residents to keep snow off sidewalks, pathways and parks.
Get it in writing
Ask for the price, what is included and the date in writing, and keep it with your driveway contract. If your seasonal driveway company excludes roof snow, as one Orléans firm’s 2026–27 terms do, book that cleanup with it or with the roof crew. Ontario guidance says a written estimate in a contract caps the bill at 10% above it unless you sign a change.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Snow Desk is a request service. We pass your work order to one independent local company that clears roofs. That company calls you, looks at the roof, prices the job and does the work.
Questions
01Does the City of Ottawa make me clear my roof?
Section 5 of the Property Maintenance By-law requires every owner or occupant to keep the roofs of a building and the land around it free of snow or ice that might create an accident hazard. A person convicted under the by-law faces a fine of $500 to $10,000 for each day the offence continues.
02What does roof snow removal cost?
HomeStars’ Canada-wide guide puts residential roof snow removal at about $200 to $1,000+, with larger or steeper roofs costing more for the extra time and technical work. We found no published Ottawa price list, so the company prices your roof after it sees it or your photos.
03Will my driveway contract clear what comes off the roof?
Check the contract. One Orléans snowblowing firm’s 2026–27 terms exclude snow from roof removal from all its programs and clear it for an extra charge. Tell both companies the date so they can plan it.
04Does a roof crew need the City snow plow licence?
The City’s snow plow contractor licence covers businesses that clear snow with a vehicle. People using hand shovels or equipment that needs no vehicle fall outside it. Ask a roof crew for proof of liability insurance directly.
05Can the company deal with ice at the eaves?
Write it in the work order. HomeStars notes that ice dams are a common cause of roof leaks. The company tells you on the call whether it handles ice and how, and a roofer may be the next call if water already got in.