What an Entrance Ramp Costs in Ottawa, and What May Help Pay for It
Published guides put a short modular ramp at roughly $2,000 to $4,000; long or custom ramps cost more. For a ramp at a house, the Building Code's limit is a slope of 1 in 10, so a 450 mm rise needs at least 4.5 m of ramp. Below the price are the programs that list ramps; each program decides who is eligible and what it pays.
1 What published guides show
- Short modular ramp $2,000 to $4,000 installed
Long or custom-built ramps cost more; we found too few published prices to give that range.
Published Ontario and Canadian installer guides, 2025–26; installed. Yours will differ. How we set these ranges
2 Programs that may help pay
- Home Accessibility Tax CreditSee its conditions
- Ontario Renovates (City of Ottawa)Lists ramps among eligible accessibility modifications.
- Home and Vehicle Modification ProgramLists modular ramps; concrete ramps are not eligible. Outdoor ramps with concrete work: applications April 1 to October 31.
- Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax CreditSee its conditions
The CRA's medical expense examples include buying and installing outdoor or indoor ramps if the person cannot use stairs. The CRA sets the conditions.
Each program decides who is eligible and what it pays; nothing here is subtracted from the price. Checked September 2026.
3 Plan the order
Some programs will not pay for work done before they approve it, so the order matters.
- Get written quotes. Price, scope and dates, in writing. March of Dimes: from a registered medical vendor, supplier or contractor. Ontario Renovates: verified project quotes.
- March of Dimes: apply, then wait for authorization. No repayment for costs before it. Applications for outdoor lifts and ramps with concrete work are accepted only from April 1 to October 31.
- Ontario Renovates: apply, then wait for approval. Work before approval is not eligible; open until March 31, 2027.
- Settle the permit question. Ramps are not on the City's permit lists; ask Building Code Services how your ramp and landing will be treated.
- Sign a written contract, then start.
- Keep invoices and receipts for a tax claim. The CRA decides each claim.
4 The rules that apply
Ramps are not on either of the City of Ottawa's permit lists. The City's deck page says a deck at the main entrance needs a permit, so ask Building Code Services how your ramp and landing will be treated. Both zoning by-laws set no projection limit for wheelchair ramps on your own lot.
5 What a fair quote lists
- The rise, the run and the slope (no steeper than 1 in 10)
- The width (at least 860 mm for one home)
- Landings, handrails and any guard
- The surface finish
- Who asks the City about a permit, and the dates
Ask before you sign
- Is the ramp modular? (the March of Dimes program funds modular ramps; concrete ramps are not eligible)
- What slope are you building to?
- Will you give me a written quote I can send to a funding program first?
6 Accessibility IQ answers about this
- Two ramp quotes in Stittsville are thousands apart, why?
- Wheelchair ramp to my Ottawa front door: what price range is normal?
- What does a short modular ramp cost in Nepean?
- What should a written quote for a Gloucester ramp list?
- How much is a ramp with a landing and handrails in Ottawa?
- When does a home ramp in Ottawa need a guard?
- What goes into the price of an entrance ramp in Gloucester?
- How wide does a ramp at an Ottawa home need to be?
Questions
How steep can a ramp at my house be?
No steeper than 1 in 10 for an exterior ramp serving a house (Article 9.8.5.4). The 1 in 12 slope is the barrier-free standard for public buildings, which does not apply to houses.
Does March of Dimes fund concrete ramps?
Its list says modular ramps; concrete ramps are not eligible. Applications for outdoor lifts and ramps with concrete work are accepted only from April 1 to October 31. The program decides eligibility.
More on the work itself: Entrance Ramps · All costs and programs
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