Is composite fencing worth the higher price in Riverside South?

Composite fencing runs about $55 to $95 or more per linear foot installed, based on published 2025-26 Ontario installer pricing. That is above pressure-treated wood at $30 to $65 and cedar at $45 to $85, so the gap is real and worth thinking through before you commit.

Whether that gap makes sense for your property comes down to what you are comparing and what the quote actually includes. Composite panels vary in thickness, surface texture and how the frame is built, so two composite quotes at different prices may not be describing the same product. Ask each installer to specify the panel construction, the post material and spacing, and the fastening system, so you are comparing the same fence. The Fence By-law, as published on ottawa.ca, requires every fence other than cedar, redwood or treated wood to be protected by paint, preservatives or another weather-resistant material, and the finished side must face the street and neighbouring properties. Ask the installer how the product you are being quoted meets that requirement.

The Fence By-law also requires any fence to be stable, vertical, of good-quality materials suitable for the purpose, kept in good repair, safe and free from accident hazards. That applies to composite the same as any other material. We found no government or association figure for how long composite holds up compared to wood, so any lifespan claim in a sales conversation is the installer's own position, not a published standard. Ask for it in writing.

A few things that affect the composite price on a specific Riverside South lot:

• length of the run and number of corners
• gate count and size (pedestrian gates add about $500 to $1,500 each; driveway gates about $800 to $2,200)
• removal and disposal of an existing fence, roughly $5 to $15 per linear foot, more if posts are set in concrete
• ground conditions along the fence line

The request form on this page forwards your project to fence installers listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory.

The question that settles it for your yard: which composite product, by name, each quote is for, and what its maker says in writing about finish and care.