In short
- The front walk, steps, porch and garage strip are hand work, usually priced as an add-on to the driveway.
- One firm's 2026–27 form prices walkways at $200, $230 and $260 + HST by length, sold only with its 2 cm premium driveway contract.
- HomeStars' Ottawa page lists de-icing at $90–$180 an hour or a price per application.
- Ontario law sets a 60-day written notice for injury claims caused by snow or ice.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Walkway add-on, up to 5 ft / 5–10 ft / 10–15 ft | $200 / $230 / $260 + HST | One firm’s 2026–27 season form; walks up to 5 ft wide |
| Premium season, 2 cm trigger, driveway fitting 2 / 4 / 6 cars | $830 / $935 / $1,105 + HST | Same form; walkways come only with this contract |
| Driveway and sidewalk, per visit | $40–$150 | HomeStars Ottawa page; varies with driveway size and snowfall |
| Ice management and de-icing | $90–$180 per hour | HomeStars Ottawa page; or per application |
Sources. One firm’s 2026–27 quote form, season 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 (form.jotform.com/262174170184252), walkway terms and prices, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Snow removal services in Ottawa, cost section, seen 29.10.2026. One Ottawa firm’s published service and FAQ pages (snow removal service, FAQ), seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa: Clearing snow from your property, When roads and sidewalks get plowed, Salt and abrasive materials (grit), Get help clearing snow, SNOW KNOWledge brochure, seen 29.10.2026. Ontario: Occupiers’ Liability Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.2, ss. 3 and 6.1 and Your rights when signing or cancelling a contract, seen 29.10.2026.
Where the machine stops and the shovel starts
A tractor or large blower clears the driveway. The front walk, the concrete steps, the porch landing, a side path to the back door and the strip against the garage door are hand work. Companies price them separately, sell them as an add-on to a seasonal contract, or leave them out.
One Ottawa firm describes its walkway service as one visit once the snow has stopped, covering walkways, steps, front entrances and a few feet out from the garage, with plastic shovels to avoid marking surfaces. Another firm’s 2026–27 form prices a walk up to 5 feet wide, including the area in front of the garage doors; wider walks, large landing pads and attached patios cost extra.
How the walkway add-on is priced
That form prices walkways for the season by length: $200 up to 5 ft, $230 for 5 to 10 ft, $260 for 10 to 15 ft, all + HST. Walkways come only with its premium contract, which clears the driveway from 2 cm at $830, $935 and $1,105 + HST for driveways fitting 2, 4 and 6 cars. The standard 5 cm driveway-only contract is $475, $530 and $630. A premium driveway for two cars with a short walk therefore comes to $1,030 + HST there ($830 + $200).
For single visits, HomeStars’ Ottawa page lists $40–$150 per visit for residential driveway and sidewalk snow removal, depending on driveway size and snowfall amount. It gives no separate figure for a walk and steps alone, so ask for that line in your quote.
Two triggers, one storm
Depth decides the first gap. The same form clears premium driveways from 2 cm and walkways from 5 cm, so a light snowfall can leave the driveway done and the walk white. Visit count decides the second: a crew that comes once after the snow stops leaves the steps covered during a long storm.
The City clears residential sidewalks at 5 cm, and its routes may take 12 to 16 hours after the last snowflake. The City’s rules say snow from your property may not be pushed or shovelled onto streets, sidewalks, pathways or parks, so tell the company where it may pile snow on your lot.
Salt and grit on the steps
Shovelling and de-icing are often sold apart. One Ottawa firm’s FAQ says it offers no residential salting. HomeStars’ Ottawa page lists ice management at $90–$180 an hour or per application, by surface area and material. On streets, the City uses grit in colder temperatures, when salt stops working, so ask what goes on your steps in a deep cold snap and who supplies it. Products, pets and concrete are on the salting and sanding page.
The surface and who lives there
Name the surface in your request: poured concrete, interlock, flagstone or wooden porch boards. Mention railings, a ramp or a side door used daily. Older adults and people with disabilities can use the City’s Snow Go program, which matches residents with someone to clear driveways and walkways at an affordable rate; Snow Go Assist helps eligible low-income older adults and people with disabilities pay. See the seniors’ snow help guide.
Falls on ice and the paper trail
Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act requires an occupier to take reasonable care that visitors are reasonably safe. Since 29 January 2021, section 6.1 adds a deadline: an injury claim caused by snow or ice needs written notice within 60 days, served in person or by registered mail on at least one of the occupier or the contractor hired to remove snow or ice. Whichever receives it must pass a copy to the other. Keep the signed contract with the company’s legal name and address.
What the written quote should list
Ontario’s consumer rules cover snow removal contracts. A written estimate in the contract caps the final price at 10% above it unless you sign a change, and a contract signed at home has a 10-day cooling-off period. The quote should list each path, the steps and porch with sizes, the hand-work trigger, visits per storm, salt as its own line, season dates and HST.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Snow Desk passes your request to one independent local snow company. That company calls you back, prices the walkway and steps, and does the work.
Questions to ask the company
- Which paths, steps and landings are in the price, and what walk width does it assume?
- At what depth does the shovel crew come, and is it the driveway's trigger?
- How many shovel visits per storm?
- Is salt or grit on the steps included, and who supplies it?
- Can the walkway and salt lines and the total with HST go in the written contract?
Have this ready for the call
- Every path you want cleared: front walk, side path, back door, garage strip
- A rough length and width for each
- The number of steps and the size of the porch or landing
- The surface: concrete, interlock, flagstone or wood
- Where shovelled snow may go, and beds to keep it off
Questions people ask
Does a seasonal driveway contract include the front walk?
Ask which paths the price names. On one firm’s 2026–27 form the driveway price covers the driveway only, and walkways cost $200–$260 + HST more.
Why is my driveway cleared at 2 cm and the walk at 5 cm?
Some contracts set two triggers. That same form clears premium driveways from 2 cm and walkways from 5 cm. Ask for the lower depth in writing if you want it.
Can the shoveller throw snow onto the City sidewalk?
The Use and Care of Roads By-law prohibits placing snow or ice on the City right-of-way, sidewalks included. The snow from your walk stays on your lot.
Someone fell on my steps. Is there a deadline?
Section 6.1 of Ontario’s Occupiers’ Liability Act requires written notice within 60 days for an injury claim caused by snow or ice. A lawyer can say how it applies.
Does a shovel-only crew need a City snow plow licence?
The City’s snow plow licence excludes people clearing snow with a shovel or a manual snow-blower. Any company you hire still needs a valid business licence.
