How do I start a fence-viewing in Ottawa?

Fence-viewing in Ottawa is governed by Ontario's Line Fences Act, and the process starts with a written notice to the municipal clerk. Before going that route, talk to your neighbour directly, because the Line Fences Act process is for situations where the two of you cannot agree, and arbitration does not apply where one owner has already built or rebuilt the fence on their own and then wants the neighbour to pay.

If direct conversation has not worked, here is how the process runs under the Line Fences Act. You notify the City of Ottawa's municipal clerk that you want fence-viewers appointed. The City's Delegation of Authority By-law (2025-69, section 45) lets City staff appoint fence-viewers to carry out the Act. Three fence-viewers then visit the site, examine the fence line, and issue an award. The award sets out where the fence goes and how costs are divided, with the default being that each owner builds a designated half, or one owner builds and the other pays half, unless that would be unjust. Any award must conform to the City of Ottawa Fence By-law (No. 2003-462), so the height limits, materials rules and other requirements still apply.

A few things to know before you call the clerk. We could not confirm which parts of Ottawa the process covers, whether there is a seasonal blackout, or what the current fee is, so ask the City directly whether the process applies to your property and what it costs. The fence-viewers' award does not change who owns the land; it only sets the fence arrangement. If you disagree with the award, you have 15 days after receiving it to appeal to the referee, and the referee's decision is final. An unpaid share can be added to the tax roll.

One more point: the municipal guide to the Line Fences Act notes that the City cannot decide where the actual property boundary sits. That is a civil matter between the owners. If the boundary itself is in dispute, only an Ontario Land Surveyor, under the Surveyors Act and the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors, can survey and certify the line. A fence contractor cannot do that.

If you are at the stage of getting quotes while this is sorted out, put the two written quotes side by side and check that each one lists the same height and material, the same linear footage, how the posts are set and how deep, gates as a separate line item, and removal and disposal of any existing fence, so you are comparing the same job.