Are locates free for a small fence job in Nepean?

Yes, locate requests are free. The Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 requires anyone who digs, including with a hand shovel, to request a locate before breaking ground, and the request costs nothing regardless of the size of the job.

The request goes through Ontario Dig Authority. Their guidance says to submit at least 5 business days before you dig, and the utilities have up to 5 business days to respond. Ontario Dig Authority does not mark the lines itself; each utility sends its own locator. A standard request can be made no more than 30 days before the planned dig date.

The law uses the word "excavator" for anyone who breaks ground. On a hired job, the contractor is the excavator and carries the obligation to request the locate. On a do-it-yourself job, the homeowner is the excavator. Either way, the request must be made and answered before any post hole is dug, even a single one for a small fence in Nepean.

One thing worth asking your installer: whether they will handle the locate request or expect you to. Get the answer in writing before work starts. Also ask about any private lines on your property, such as a line running to a garage, shed or outdoor structure. We found no statement from Ontario Dig Authority on whether privately owned lines will be marked, so raise the question directly when you submit or when the locator visits.

If you are getting quotes from more than one installer, put the following side by side in writing before choosing: the height and material specified, the total length of the run, the post method and depth the installer is quoting, gates listed as their own line with a separate price, and removal and disposal of any existing fence, including whether posts are set in concrete.