In short
- Three of the four Ottawa-area season contracts read for this page start a standard visit at 5 cm; the fourth firm lists 4 cm.
- One firm's 2026–27 form: $475 + HST a season for a single driveway at 5 cm, $830 + HST when 2 to 5 cm snowfalls are cleared too.
- One East Ottawa firm sells clearing of 2.5 to 4.9 cm snowfalls as a flat $250 + HST add-on to its 5 cm contract.
- Ottawa airport averages 63 days of snowfall a year, and 15 of them bring 5 cm or more (Environment Canada, 1981–2010).
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Season, 5 cm trigger, driveway fitting 2 / 4 / 6 cars | $475 / $530 / $630 + HST | One Almonte-area firm’s 2026–27 quote form |
| Season, 2 cm trigger, same three sizes | $830 / $935 / $1,105 + HST | Same form; adds snowfalls of 2 to 5 cm, about 75% above its 5 cm price |
| Add-on for snowfalls of 2.5 to 4.9 cm | $250 + HST per season | One East Ottawa firm; flat rate on top of its 5 cm contract, no per-visit charge |
| Season at 5 cm, single or double driveway | $495 or $545 | One Kanata–Stittsville firm’s published rates for those areas |
| Driveway clearing, one visit | $30–$90 | Canada-wide HomeStars guide |
| Seasonal driveway contract | $350–$1,000+ | Canada-wide HomeStars guide |
Sources. One Almonte-area firm: Snow Clearing Sign Up 2026-2027 quote form, Standard (5 cm) and Premium (2 to 5 cm) options, walkway terms, 275 cm threshold, seen 29.10.2026. One East Ottawa firm: Ultra 2.5 cm snow clearing service and residential services and FAQ, seen 29.10.2026. One Ottawa firm with a 4 cm threshold: snow removal service, seen 29.10.2026. One Kanata–Stittsville firm: terms and conditions and cost of residential snow removal, seen 29.10.2026. Canada-wide ranges and the extra-depth charge: HomeStars, snow removal cost guide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Snowfall days: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Int’l A, seen 29.10.2026. City thresholds: City of Ottawa, When roads and sidewalks get plowed, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, Your rights when signing or cancelling a contract, seen 29.10.2026.
What the trigger number measures
The trigger is the depth of new snow that puts your driveway on the crew’s route. Below it, the snow stays until a snowfall reaches the line. Three details in the wording decide how that works.
One snowfall or a running total. An East Ottawa firm’s FAQ says service begins once 5 cm falls on the driveway during one snow event, and smaller amounts are left out. A Kanata–Stittsville firm charges extra to clear under 5 cm on a day without snowfall. Two light falls can add up to 5 cm on the ground and still trigger nothing.
Where it is measured. The East Ottawa firm uses Environment Canada reports together with its own readings on site.
What sits outside it. Both firms leave drifting snow out of the service.
How often each depth falls in an Ottawa winter
Environment Canada’s 1981–2010 normals for Ottawa airport:
| Snowfall in a day | Days a year |
|---|---|
| 0.2 cm or more | 63 |
| 5 cm or more | 15 |
| 10 cm or more | 5 |
That leaves close to 48 days a year with some snow under 5 cm; January alone has about 16 snowfall days, 4 of them at 5 cm or more. The normals do not count days between 2 and 5 cm, so the number of extra visits a lower trigger brings in a given winter has no published figure.
What a lower trigger costs on published lists
| Offer, + HST | 5 cm season | Lower option | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almonte-area form, single (2 cars) | $475 | $830 at 2 cm | $355 |
| Same form, double (4 cars) | $530 | $935 at 2 cm | $405 |
| Same form, triple (6 cars) | $630 | $1,105 at 2 cm | $475 |
| East Ottawa add-on, any driveway | own 5 cm contract | 2.5 to 4.9 cm | $250 flat |
The form’s 2 cm contract runs about 75% above its 5 cm price at every size, so the gap grows with the driveway. The East Ottawa add-on is one price for everyone, with driveway-only service, a walkway package or their own shoveller. A Kanata–Stittsville firm lists area rates of $495 single and $545 double at 5 cm. Whole-season totals are in the snow removal cost guide.
A storm that crosses the line
A low trigger changes small snowfalls. In a big one, the published terms keep the regular schedule. The 2 cm form says that when a snowfall is expected to pass 5 cm, drivers go out on the regular schedule, and the East Ottawa firm says its add-on leaves storm routing as it is.
Passes per storm sit in a separate clause. The Kanata–Stittsville terms allow one or more clearings at 5 cm and up, and one clearing for a snowfall under 7 cm, after the City plows finish. Seven centimetres is the City’s own line for residential streets, which may take 10 to 16 hours after the last snowflake. Residential sidewalks go at 5 cm, downtown sidewalks at 2.5 cm. A street plow pass can leave a ridge across a cleared driveway; see windrow clearing.
One Ottawa firm lists a 4 cm threshold. A trigger above 5 cm, such as 7.5 cm, appears on none of the lists read for this page; if a quote offers one, ask what it saves and how many passes it allows.
Driveway and walkway on different numbers
The form that clears driveways from 2 cm starts walkway shovelling at 5 cm and sells walkways only with that contract. The Kanata–Stittsville walkway crews start after a 5 cm snowfall ends and may take up to 12 hours. A light snowfall can leave a clear driveway and a white path to the door; the walkway and steps page covers that add-on. The East Ottawa add-on clears the walkway too, where the contract has one.
A lower number buys more visits in light snow and less packed snow under the tires. The East Ottawa firm describes the add-on for seniors, people with mobility concerns and residents who leave early. A household that parks in the garage and leaves later may find 5 cm enough.
The trigger wording to get in writing
Ontario lists snow removal among services over $50 that should come with a written contract. A written estimate in the contract caps the final price at 10% above it unless you sign a change. HomeStars lists extra snow depth among charges that can sit on top of a base price. The seasonal contract page covers the other clauses. Get these in writing:
- The trigger for the driveway and, separately, for walkways and steps.
- Per snowfall or a total over several days, and where it is measured.
- The price of the lower option: a separate plan or an add-on.
- Passes per storm, and a return trip after the City plow.
- The charge for a visit below the trigger.
In your request, give the depth you want, the driveway size in cars, any walkway, when the car leaves in the morning, and who in the home cannot shovel.
Who takes your request
Ottawa Snow Desk passes your request to one independent local snow removal company. That company calls you back, sets the trigger and the price in its own contract, and does the clearing.
Questions people ask
What trigger depth do Ottawa snow contracts use?
Of four Ottawa-area firms read for this page, three start a standard visit at 5 cm and one lists a 4 cm threshold. Two of the 5 cm firms sell a lower depth as an option: one from 2 cm, one from about 2.5 cm.
How much more does a 2 cm or 2.5 cm trigger cost?
On one firm’s form, the 2 cm contract for a single driveway is $830 + HST against $475 at 5 cm, a gap of $355. An East Ottawa firm adds clearing of 2.5 to 4.9 cm snowfalls for a flat $250 + HST a season.
It snowed 2 cm on Monday and 3 cm on Tuesday. Does that reach 5 cm?
Usually it does not count. The East Ottawa firm’s FAQ says service starts once 5 cm falls during one snow event and that smaller amounts are left out. Ask the company whether separate light falls add up.
With a 2 cm option, does the crew come earlier in a big storm?
On the published terms read here, it does not. One form says that when a snowfall is expected to pass 5 cm, drivers go out on the regular schedule. The East Ottawa add-on keeps the same routing in larger storms.
Who measures the depth?
The East Ottawa firm uses Environment Canada reporting with its own readings on site. A Kanata–Stittsville firm counts its 300 cm season cap at Ottawa airport. Ask which applies to your street.
