In short
- At Ottawa airport the snow on the ground averages 20 cm through March and about 4.6 cm by the last day of the month (Environment Canada normals, 1981–2010).
- City staff look at lawn damage from City plows in early spring, after the melt, and repair it with topsoil and grass seed.
- City rules say driveway markers come out by April 30. One Orléans firm pulls its markers by April 15 and takes damage reports until May 15.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grass seed | $0.10–$0.20 per sq ft | HomeStars, Canada-wide |
| Sod | $1.50–$3.00 per sq ft | HomeStars regional table, Ontario row |
| Topsoil or triple mix | $40–$50 per cubic metre | HomeStars Ottawa landscaping guide, material only |
| Sealing a single-car asphalt driveway | $180–$280 | HomeStars, Canada-wide, about 400 sq ft |
| Sealing a double-car asphalt driveway | $250–$400 | HomeStars, Canada-wide, about 800 sq ft |
| Yard regrading | $1,200–$4,500 | HomeStars Ottawa landscaping guide |
| Drainage system | $1,800–$7,000 | HomeStars Ottawa landscaping guide |
Sources. Snow normals: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Int’l A (climate ID 6106000), via the MSC GeoMet API, seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa: Report property damage by city vehicle, 3-1-1, damaged or missing infrastructure, Water pooling and flood control, Street sweeping operations, How to prevent basement flooding, City right of way and your property, Licensing By-law 2002-189, Schedule 4, snow plow contractors, all seen 29.10.2026. Contract terms: one Kanata–Stittsville firm’s published terms and one Orléans firm’s published terms, version 1.5, seen 29.10.2026. Prices: HomeStars, How Much Does Grass Sod Cost?, published 30.06.2026; HomeStars, A Guide to Landscaping Costs in Ottawa, published 30.06.2026; HomeStars, Driveway Sealing Cost, published 30.06.2026; all seen 29.10.2026. Ontario: Your rights when signing or cancelling a contract, seen 29.10.2026.
What the melt uncovers, and when
In Environment Canada’s 1981–2010 normals for Ottawa airport, snow on the ground averages 20 cm through March and about 4.6 cm on the last day of the month. In April the average drops to about 1 cm, and by April 30 it is close to zero. The lawn edge, the curb and the asphalt come out from under the banks in April.
That timing matters for claims. City staff look at lawn damage after the melt, while some contract deadlines count from the day the damage happened. A gouge made in January may only show in April, so check what your contract says about damage hidden under snow.
The spring dates to put on the calendar
| Date | What happens | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| April 1 | Seasonal service ends | Two published Ottawa contracts |
| April 15 | Markers removed | One Orléans firm’s terms |
| April 30 | Latest date for markers to come out | City Licensing By-law, Schedule 4 |
| May 15 | Last day to report damage | One Orléans firm’s terms |
| 7 days after the damage | Report window | One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s terms |
April still brings snow. The airport averages 11.3 cm of snowfall in April and 0.6 days a year with 5 cm or more. Book a single visit for that kind of storm; the one-time snow removal page explains how those visits are priced.
Who repairs what after the winter
| Damage found in spring | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Boulevard grass torn by a City plow | City, after a 3-1-1 report: topsoil and grass seed |
| Broken curb or gutter | City land; report it on the 3-1-1 damaged infrastructure page |
| Rural mailbox post hit by a City plow | City: a temporary post, the permanent fix after the frost |
| Grass, asphalt or steps hit by your contractor | The damage clause in your contract |
| Gravel stones thrown onto the lawn | The owner, under one Kanata–Stittsville firm’s terms |
| Cracked, heaved or soft old asphalt | The owner, under one Orléans firm’s terms |
| A broken marker and its pieces | Both the contractor and the owner, as soon as either knows |
The City’s right of way runs past the road to the sidewalk, the entrance to your driveway and the boulevard beside your lot. The City lists space to store snow among the uses of that strip. The snow removal damage page compares the two published damage clauses.
Meltwater on the driveway and at the walls
The City warns that a fast rise above zero can bring flooding. Its crews clear snow and ice from catch basins on roads and sidewalks, and clear roadside ditches at the outlet end for the spring melt.
Melt reaches houses too. The City’s basement flooding page lists keeping snow away from the foundation, so the melt cannot seep through the walls, and sloping ground away from the house. A snow company that piled snow against a wall all winter can be asked to place it elsewhere next season, or to haul a pile away: see snow hauling.
Street sweeping starts once most snow and ice is off the road edges, and runs around the clock in the suburbs. Debris raked off the lawn must stay off the roadway under the Use and Care of Roads By-law.
What spring repairs cost in Ottawa
HomeStars figures for common spring fixes:
- Lawn edge. Seed runs $0.10–$0.20 per square foot (HomeStars, Canada-wide); sod in Ontario $1.50–$3.00 per square foot (HomeStars regional table). Topsoil or triple mix is $40–$50 per cubic metre in Ottawa, material only.
- Asphalt. Sealing costs $180–$280 for a single-car driveway of about 400 sq ft and $250–$400 for a double of about 800 sq ft (HomeStars, Canada-wide); crack filling and patching raise it. HomeStars puts the right season for sealant at late spring through early fall.
- Water. Ottawa regrading runs $1,200–$4,500 and a drainage system $1,800–$7,000; HomeStars says Ottawa’s clay-heavy soil makes drainage excavation more labour-intensive.
HomeStars calls spring through early summer the busiest landscaping season in Ottawa, which moves both dates and prices.
Making a claim with the snow company
Put it in writing, by email, inside the window your contract gives. Include the date you found the damage, photos taken from the street and up close, and your photos of the same spot from the fall. The driveway markers page covers what a moved or missing marker does to a claim.
If the company offers to repair, ask for the price in writing. Ontario says most agreements over $50 must be in writing, and a final price can be at most 10% above a written estimate unless you sign a change.
Keep notes for next fall: snow piled on a garden bed, steps clipped near the edge. Put them in your next request, with the driveway surface, what was repaired and which edges need extra markers.
Who takes your request
Ottawa Snow Desk passes your request to one independent local snow removal company. That company calls you back, explains its own spring dates and damage terms, and does the work.
Questions people ask
A City plow tore up the grass by the street. When does it get fixed?
Report it through 3-1-1 at any time. City staff look at lawn reports in early spring, once the snow and ice have melted, and schedule damage from City vehicles for repair with topsoil and grass seed.
My contract ended April 1 and it snowed on April 10. Who clears it?
Two published Ottawa contracts run to April 1, so later snow is yours to arrange, usually as a one-time visit. Ottawa airport averages 11.3 cm of April snowfall and 0.6 days a year with 5 cm or more.
When do the driveway markers have to come out?
Schedule 4 of the City’s Licensing By-law sets April 30 as the latest date for removing snow plow driveway markers. A contractor can set an earlier date: one Orléans firm removes its markers by April 15.
Gravel from my driveway ended up all over the lawn. Whose job is that?
Check your contract. One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s terms make owners of gravel driveways responsible for raking the stones off the lawn in spring.
My rural mailbox post was knocked over by a City plow in January.
Report it to the City. Staff put in a temporary post, and the permanent repair waits until spring, after the frost is gone. A box damaged by snow thrown from the plow’s wing does not qualify.
Meltwater sits at the end of my driveway by the catch basin. Who do I call?
The City calls some pooling around a catch basin in wet weather normal. A damaged or missing catch basin, or a damaged ditch, goes on the 3-1-1 page for damaged infrastructure; call 3-1-1 for a hazard to people or property.
