Does Ottawa allow a concrete walkway in the right of way?

The City of Ottawa allows a concrete walkway in the right of way, but only as a pedestrian access, and only within specific limits set by the Access By-law (No. 2026-139), which the City enacted on April 8, 2026.

Under Section 18 of that by-law, a residential pedestrian access in the right of way may be built without an access permit if it meets all of the following conditions: it does not exceed 1.8 metres in width; it is not within 0.6 metres of a fire hydrant; it is not within 1.8 metres of a vehicular access; and there is no modification to the curb or sidewalk. There is one additional limit that matters on narrower lots: where the frontage is 12 metres or less and there is an existing vehicular access, a pedestrian access is not permitted in the right of way unless the City approves it otherwise.

If any of those conditions are not met, an access permit is required before work begins. Section 20(1) of the by-law states that no person shall construct, reconstruct, relocate or alter an access without first obtaining a permit. The 2026 fee for a standard access permit is $208. If the work requires any road activity, the contractor must also obtain a road cut permit before work starts, and the City says processing including the road cut permit takes six to eight weeks.

One thing worth knowing about the right of way itself: the Landscaping Education Guide notes that the size of the City right of way varies between properties and may be wider than you think. The geoOttawa mapping tool shows the approximate line, but for an exact property line you would need a licensed surveyor. The guide also states that in the right of way, the only hard landscaping allowed is a driveway and a walkway; stepping stones and other loose rocks are not a permitted access there.

On the private property side of the line, both Zoning By-law 2008-250 and Zoning By-law 2026-50 apply to applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, with the most restrictive provisions from both by-laws applying. Under 2026-50, the maximum width of a walkway leading to a front or exterior side lot line is 1.8 metres, and the cumulative width of all walkways plus all driveways and parking spaces in a front or exterior side yard must not exceed 50 per cent of the lot width. Confirm the rules that apply to your specific lot with the City before work starts.

The contractor doing this work needs a City of Ottawa hardscaping contractor licence, which has been required since March 1, 2026, for businesses that install walkways and pathways on private property or alter any portion of the highway as part of adjacent hardscaping work. Before you hire anyone, ask them to show you their licence and check their name against the City's published list of licensed hardscaping contractors yourself.