Should my Ottawa driveway contractor handle Ontario One Call?

Yes, your driveway contractor should absolutely handle the Ontario One Call locate request — this is standard practice and the contractor's responsibility, not yours as the homeowner.

Ontario One Call (call 1-800-400-2255 or submit online) is the mandatory utility locate service that identifies underground gas lines, electrical cables, water mains, telecommunications, and other buried infrastructure before any excavation begins. In Ontario, it's legally required to call at least 5 business days before digging, and contractors who fail to do this face significant liability for utility strikes.

Why contractors handle this themselves: Professional paving contractors know exactly what excavation depths and areas their project requires, can accurately mark the work zone boundaries, and understand how to interpret locate markings. They also carry the liability insurance for utility strikes — if a homeowner calls in the locate request incorrectly or the contractor works outside the marked area, insurance coverage becomes complicated. Most importantly, the locate request must specify the exact nature of excavation work (driveway removal, base preparation depth, drainage installation) which requires construction expertise.

The process typically works like this: Your contractor calls Ontario One Call 5+ business days before starting excavation, provides the project address and detailed scope of work, and utility companies send crews to mark their underground infrastructure with spray paint and flags. Gas lines are marked in yellow, electrical in red, water in blue, telecommunications in orange. The contractor then plans excavation to avoid these utilities or arranges for professional utility relocation if necessary.

Red flags if a contractor asks you to handle it: Any contractor who expects the homeowner to call Ontario One Call is either inexperienced or trying to shift liability. Professional paving contractors in Ottawa handle dozens of locate requests annually and have established relationships with utility companies. They know that homeowners often provide incomplete or inaccurate information that leads to inadequate locates, creating safety hazards and project delays.

Ottawa-specific considerations: Many Ottawa neighbourhoods have shallow utility lines due to the rocky Canadian Shield subgrade in western areas and clay soils in eastern areas. Gas lines to homes built in the 1970s-1990s may be only 600-900mm deep, well within the excavation zone for proper driveway base preparation (which requires 450-600mm depth). Bell and Rogers telecommunications often run shallow service lines to homes that aren't always accurately mapped.

Your role as homeowner: Simply provide the contractor with accurate property boundaries and inform them of any utilities you know about (pool equipment, irrigation systems, private electrical runs to garages or sheds, septic systems in rural areas). The contractor handles everything else.

When to be concerned: If your contractor starts excavating without visible utility markings on your property, stop work immediately. Utility strikes can cause gas leaks, power outages, water main breaks, and telecommunications outages affecting entire neighbourhoods. In Ottawa's dense suburban areas, a single utility strike can affect dozens of homes and result in emergency response, evacuation, and tens of thousands in repair costs.

Need help finding a driveway contractor who follows proper safety protocols? Ottawa Driveways can match you with experienced local professionals who handle all permitting and safety requirements correctly.