Can a wheelchair ramp go in my front yard in Barrhaven?

Yes, a wheelchair ramp can go in your front yard in Barrhaven. Under both City of Ottawa Zoning By-laws 2008-250 and 2026-50, wheelchair ramps have no setback limit, meaning the zoning rules do not push them back from the lot line the way they do for ordinary steps.

A couple of things to confirm before you build:

Both by-laws apply to permit applications complete on or after March 11, 2026, with the most restrictive provision governing. For a ramp described as anything other than a plain wheelchair ramp, such as a porch lift or a platform with a lift, By-law 2026-50 uses the broader term "accessibility structures and devices" and gives those no setback limit either, but the by-law does not define that term precisely. If your ramp includes a lift or a more complex structure, ask the City of Ottawa whether it falls under that category.

The zoning rules apply on your lot. If the ramp needs to extend past your lot line onto the road allowance, that is City property and requires a separate conversation with the City.

Permits and Building Code

Ramps are not on the City's published list of projects that need a permit, and they are not on the list of projects that do not need one either. The City's page on decks notes that a deck at a main entrance needs a permit, so it is worth asking Building Code Services how a ramp and landing at your front entrance will be treated before work starts. The owner and the builder are equally responsible under the Building Code Act if a required permit is not obtained.

The Ontario Building Code sets the house rules for ramps. For a ramp serving a single dwelling unit, the minimum width is 860 mm, the maximum slope is 1 in 10, and there must be a landing at the top and bottom of any ramp steeper than 1 in 50 and wherever a door opens onto the ramp. Landings must be at least as wide and as long as the ramp is wide, though a landing that does not turn need not be longer than the lesser of the ramp's width or 1 100 mm. A handrail is not required if the ramp rises 400 mm or less. The surface must be wear-resistant, slip-resistant, smooth and even.

For a sense of cost, published 2025-26 prices for a short modular entrance ramp run roughly $2,000 to $4,000. A longer ramp or one with a greater rise, landings, handrails or custom work will cost more. The permit fee for alterations is $12.75 per $1,000 of construction value, with a minimum of $117, based on the City's January 1, 2026 fee schedule.

When you have two written quotes in hand, put them side by side and check that each one lists the same scope: the ramp length and rise, whether landings and handrails are included, who pulls the permit and pays the fee, and what patching or finishing work is covered at the house entry, along with the start and completion dates for each.