# Artificial Turf Installation in Ottawa > Artificial grass in Ottawa: Kanata, Orléans, Barrhaven and Nepean yards, long winters, Leda clay, the city's tree by-law, prices and a free request. Canonical: https://artificialturfcanada.ca/areas/ottawa Last updated: 2026-10-24 The longest, coldest winters of any big city in Ontario, sensitive Leda clay in parts of the city, and a strict tree by-law. One request reaches an Ottawa turf installer. ## At a glance - **Built for long winters**: A deep, draining base and careful snow clearing keep turf flat through Ottawa's freeze-thaw. - **Leda clay**: Parts of Ottawa sit on sensitive marine clay. The base and grading need care. - **Strict tree rules**: Ottawa's tree by-law protects many private trees. Check before digging near one. - **Second-biggest market**: After Toronto, Ottawa searches for artificial grass more than any Ontario city. ## Communities covered Kanata, Orléans, Barrhaven, Nepean, Stittsville, Gloucester, Manotick, The Glebe, Westboro, Riverside South ## Local rules to check Ottawa's tree protection by-law needs permits for many private trees, with smaller size thresholds inside the inner urban area. Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley conservation authority regulated areas. Snow storage: keep plowed snow off turf where you can. free utility locates (Ontario Dig Authority) before any digging. ## Turf in Ottawa Ottawa has the coldest winters and the most snow of any big city in Ontario, and it's also the province's second-biggest market for turf: Ottawa searches for **artificial grass** outnumber every Ontario city except Toronto. Most jobs are suburban backyards in Kanata, Orléans, Barrhaven, Nepean and Stittsville, along with smaller urban yards in the Glebe, Westboro and Old Ottawa South. ## Winter Turf does well in Ottawa winters if the base is right. A compacted stone base that drains is what stops frost from heaving the surface; turf laid over soil goes lumpy after one freeze-thaw cycle. Snow can stay on the turf all winter. If you clear it: - Use a plastic shovel or a blower, and leave a thin layer. - No metal-edged shovels or blades. - Avoid piling plowed driveway snow on the turf all season; the weight compacts the infill and the melt leaves grit and salt behind. - Rinse salt and grit off in spring and brush the fibres back up. City sidewalk and road plows push snow onto boulevards and front yards. Turf on a front lawn takes that hit every winter, so a front-yard install should expect a spring clean-up. ## Leda clay Parts of Ottawa and the surrounding area sit on Leda clay, a sensitive marine clay left by the ancient Champlain Sea. It drains very slowly and can lose strength when disturbed or saturated. For a turf install it mostly means a careful excavation, a base that drains to a planned outlet, and no water directed toward foundations. On steep or valley lots, ask the installer and the conservation authority before any grade changes. ## Trees Ottawa's tree protection by-law requires permits for many trees on private property, with smaller size thresholds inside the inner urban area than in the suburbs. Excavation that injures a protected tree's roots can count. If big trees are near the turf area, check the city's current rules and ask the installer how they'll protect the root zone. ## Popular jobs - Suburban backyards in Kanata, Orléans and Barrhaven. - [Pet turf](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/pet-turf) dog runs. - Play areas over a [safety pad](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/playground-turf). - [Putting greens](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/putting-greens) and golf simulator rooms for the off-season. - Indoor turf for training facilities. ## Around Ottawa - **The Glebe, Old Ottawa South and Hintonburg:** older homes on narrow lots under mature trees, with tight access. - **Westboro:** infill homes with small, newly graded yards. - **Kanata and Stittsville:** 1980s to 2000s suburbs and newer subdivisions with standard yards. - **Barrhaven and Riverside South:** newer subdivisions with compact yards and engineered grading. - **Orléans:** established and newer east-end suburbs. - **Manotick and rural Ottawa:** larger lots along the Rideau, often on wells and septic systems. Ottawa's short, intense summers also bring heat. South-facing backyards in newer subdivisions with few trees get full sun all afternoon, so plan some shade before turfing a dog run or play area. The city's indoor training centres, domes and clubs keep sports turf in demand year-round, alongside backyards. ## Getting a quote Measure the area, note big trees, where plowed snow ends up, and whether water sits in the yard. One installer who works Ottawa gets back to you. Published prices are in the [cost guide](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-cost-ontario). ## Ottawa facts that change a turf job Checked October 29, 2026 · Artificial Turf Canada ### Climate - Snowfall: 223.5 cm a year - Rain and snow: 943.4 mm a year - July average high: 26.5 °C - Days above 30 °C: 13 - Days at or below 0 °C: 154.9 About 13 days a year top 30 °C, when turf in full sun gets much hotter than grass. With 223.5 cm of snow a year, plan where cleared snow goes: a plastic shovel or blower, not a steel blade. Source: [Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport](https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=ON&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&climate_id=6106000&dispBack=0) ### Lawn watering rules We couldn't confirm a current lawn-watering rule from an official Ottawa page, so we don't state one. ## Questions people ask ### Does artificial grass survive an Ottawa winter? Yes, on a properly compacted, draining stone base. Clear snow with a plastic shovel or blower, or let it melt, and brush the turf up in spring. ### Do I need a tree permit to install turf in Ottawa? Possibly, if the work could injure or remove a protected tree. Ottawa's tree by-law has smaller size thresholds inside the inner urban area. Check before digging near trees. ### How much does artificial grass cost in Ottawa? Ontario installers publish $10–$20 per sq ft for an installed backyard, before HST. ## Related - [Artificial Turf in Winter: Snow, Ice and Freeze-Thaw in Canada](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-winter) - [Artificial Turf Installation in Kingston](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/areas/kingston) - [Playground and Daycare Turf](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/playground-turf) - [Golf Turf for Tee Lines and Simulators](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/golf-turf)