Can heaved concrete in Manotick be resurfaced level?

Resurfacing will not fix heaved concrete: an overlay goes on the slab as it is, and the movement comes from below.

The question to answer first is what caused the heave. According to the National Research Council's Canadian Building Digest 182, coarse-grained soils such as sands and gravels do not heave, while clays, silts and very fine sands will support the growth of ice lenses. Whether sensitive marine clay (also called Champlain Sea clay) applies to your lot is a question for a contractor or engineer. The 2024 Ontario Building Code's appendix also notes that fast-growing trees can draw down moisture in clay soils and cause settling. These are possibilities to have a contractor look at, not a diagnosis of your specific slab.

What a contractor needs to assess before recommending any repair path is the extent of the heave, whether the affected slab is a single panel or several, what is underneath it, and whether the cause is still active. Options that exist for heaved concrete include slab lifting, which may be called mudjacking or slab jacking, partial removal and replacement of the affected panels, or full removal and replacement. We found no published Ottawa price range for lifting or partial replacement, so ask for those costs itemized in any quote.

If removal and replacement is the route, the 2024 Ontario Building Code sets 32 MPa as the compressive strength standard for exterior flatwork, and the Code's appendix cautions that adding water to concrete on site can reduce strength and increase the tendency to shrinkage cracking. We found no Code specification for thickness, base depth, reinforcement or a vapour barrier for an exterior patio or walkway; those should be in the contractor's written specification.

A few things worth confirming before work starts:

• The City of Ottawa's Hardscaping Contractor Licence has been required since March 1, 2026 for businesses that install or alter concrete pads, walkways, patios and steps on private property. The Licensing By-law also excludes "minor repairs or minor alterations", which it does not define, so ask the City whether your job counts. Ask to see the licence and check the City's published list of licensed contractors yourself.
• The licence requires the contractor to carry commercial general liability insurance of at least two million dollars and automobile liability insurance of at least two million dollars, and to provide a written contract and a copy of the City's Landscaping Education Guide.
• If any part of the heaved slab is in or near the City right of way, the Access By-law 2026-139 governs work there. Resurfacing an existing access does not require a permit under that by-law, but any change to the location or dimensions does.
• If the repair involves breaking ground, a locate request must be submitted through Ontario Dig Authority before digging begins. Locates are free and required by the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012. Ask who will submit the request.

Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, if the agreement is signed somewhere other than the contractor's place of business and is over fifty dollars, you have ten days to cancel it after receiving the written copy, and the contractor cannot charge more than ten per cent above any estimate included in the agreement.

The most useful question to ask before committing to any repair method is: what is causing the heave, and will this repair address that cause or only the surface?