Does my backyard fence height count from my side or theirs in Ottawa?

The City of Ottawa Fence By-law, as published on ottawa.ca, answers this directly: height is measured from the grade at the base of the fence, and where the ground is higher on one side, from the higher side. So if your neighbour's yard sits higher than yours, the fence height is measured from their grade, not yours.

"Grade" in the by-law means the finished ground right next to the fence. The by-law specifically excludes artificial embankments or berms from that measurement, so if someone has built up a berm against the fence, that raised soil does not move the measuring point higher or give you extra height to work with.

The limit for a backyard fence on residential property is 213 cm (about 7 feet). A few additions are permitted in side and rear yards only: decorative caps on structural posts may go up to 15 cm above that limit, a gate may exceed it by up to 30 cm, and an archway forming part of an entrance may reach 250 cm. None of those allowances apply in a front yard.

One situation the by-law does not address is a fence sitting on top of a retaining wall or a raised deck. If your fence is mounted above grade on a structure like that, the by-law text does not say where measurement starts, so confirm that specific setup with the City of Ottawa before building.

If you are ready to get quotes, the request form on this site sends your project details to local Ottawa fence installers listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory.