This matters more than a service-area page usually does. Ottawa's Access By-law (No. 2026-139) and Zoning By-law (No. 2026-50) stop at the City boundary. If you are in Embrun, Russell, Rockland, Casselman or Limoges, those by-laws are not your rules, and advice written for Ottawa homeowners can send you to the wrong office with the wrong application.
Inside the City of Ottawa
Ottawa's rules apply: access permit to construct or modify a vehicular access or an access culvert, then a road cut permit; width caps under section 606 of the Zoning By-law; permitted surfaces under section 601(5); and a mandatory City hardscaping contractor licence for whoever does the work.
We also work across Orléans, Cumberland, Gloucester, Nepean, Kanata, Stittsville, Manotick, Greely, Osgoode, Metcalfe, Richmond and North Gower. All City of Ottawa, all under the rules above — the urban or rural distinction decides your width cap. Work out which applies to you →
Outside the City of Ottawa
Different municipality, different entrance permit, different requirements. And if your frontage is on a county road or a provincial highway rather than a local street, the permit comes from that road authority instead.
We also work in Marionville, Bourget, Hammond, St-Albert and the surrounding concessions. Tell us the address and we'll tell you which authority you are dealing with.
One thing that doesn't change at the boundary
The ground. Eastern Ontario clay, a metre-plus frost depth and thirty-odd freeze– thaw cycles a season apply equally on both sides of every municipal line. The base spec we build to is the same whether the permit comes from Ottawa or from your township, because the physics is the same.
Not sure whose rules apply to you?
Send the address. Telling you which municipality and which road authority you're dealing with costs us nothing and saves you a wasted application.