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Ottawa · City of Ottawa

Basement Flooding Rebate in Ottawa

Backwater valve up to $2,500 · sump pump up to $3,000 for Ottawa homeowners through the City of Ottawa Residential Protective Plumbing Program (RPPP).

Program facts last verified September 4, 2026 against City of Ottawa sources — programs can change or close at any time; confirm current amounts with City of Ottawa before signing a contract.

Storm season is here. July's storms flooded 1,900+ basements in Ottawa and drenched the GTA. Most Ontario cities pay part of the cost of flood protection — before the next one.

Find my city’s program →

Basement flooded right now? Emergency steps first →

Ottawa’s Residential Protective Plumbing Program pays fixed rebates for flood-protection plumbing: $1,000 for an interior backwater valve (sanitary or storm), $2,500 for an exterior storm valve, $1,500 for a sump pump with battery backup in an existing pit — or $3,000 where a new pit must be built — plus 100% of the building permit fee. Unlike percentage-based programs, the City pays the LESSER of your actual cost or the rebate amount, so smaller jobs can be covered in full.

Why Ottawa homes need this

The July 1, 2026 (Canada Day) record rainstorm — 118 mm at the airport — brought more than 1,900 flooded-basement reports to 3-1-1 in a single day, the city’s worst flooding event in years. Sewer surcharge during extreme rain is exactly what the RPPP devices protect against, and the City raised the rebate amounts in spring 2025 (By-law No. 2025-89) to get more of them installed. Older homes whose foundation drains and laterals predate modern code benefit most.

What the rebate covers

✓Interior sanitary backwater valve — up to $1,000
✓Interior storm backwater valve — up to $1,000
✓Exterior storm backwater valve — up to $2,500
✓Sump pump with battery backup in an existing pit (primary or secondary) — up to $1,500
✓Sump pump with battery backup and construction of a sump pit (primary or secondary) — up to $3,000
✓Building permit fee (plumbing work) — 100% of the current fee

Combined under the backwater valve up to $2,500 · sump pump up to $3,000 program cap. Per-measure limits may apply — confirm current amounts with City of Ottawa before you start.

Read this before you spend a dollar

Get the building permit BEFORE any work begins — the Building Code Act requires it, and the permit plus its inspection report are mandatory attachments — then apply after the work with the paid, itemized invoice, within 18 months of the permit’s issue date (12 months for permits issued before July 1, 2026). Work done without a permit cannot be rebated.

Who qualifies

How to apply

  1. 1Discuss device options with a licensed plumber or contractor and review the City’s eligibility rules.
  2. 2Obtain the building permit — required before construction.
  3. 3Have the contractor install the device(s), then contact the City to arrange the building permit inspection.
  4. 4Pay the contractor and keep the itemized, paid invoice.
  5. 5Apply online or on paper with proof of ownership, the permit, the inspection report and the paid invoice — within 18 months of the permit’s issue date.

A building permit and inspection are required — and unlike most programs, Ottawa reimburses 100% of the permit fee on top of the device rebate.

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Other rebates you may be able to stack

Compassionate Grant — City of Ottawa ($1,000)

A one-time $1,000 payment to an owner or tenant whose basement flooded from municipal sewer surcharge (an event after March 1, 2025, with proof of over $1,000 in damage). The rules: report the flood to the City via 3-1-1 or the online form within ONE CALENDAR MONTH of the event, apply within one year of the flood, and normally no second grant within five years. For the July 1, 2026 weather event the City extended the reporting deadline to October 1, 2026 and waived the five-year rule (ottawa.ca, checked September 4, 2026) — confirm current status on ottawa.ca.

Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) — provincial

Activated for parts of Ottawa for the July 1, 2026 flooding: up to 90% of eligible costs to a maximum of $250,000 per application, with a $500 deductible that may be waived for low-income households. Application deadline: November 16, 2026 (ontario.ca, updated July 15, 2026). Honest caveat: sewer-backup damage is reimbursed for low-income households; for other households the DRAO guidelines generally exclude it. Insurance payouts are deducted. Check activation areas on ontario.ca.

The work behind the rebate

Ottawa areas covered

The program applies city-wide. Ottawa neighbourhoods include:

OrléansKanataBarrhavenNepeanGloucesterVanierWestboroAlta VistaStittsvilleRiverside SouthCentretownSandy Hill

Common questions

How much is the Ottawa basement flooding rebate?

The Residential Protective Plumbing Program pays $1,000 for an interior backwater valve (sanitary or storm), $2,500 for an exterior storm valve, $1,500 for a sump pump with battery backup in an existing pit, $3,000 where a new pit is built, plus 100% of the building permit fee. The City pays the lesser of your actual cost or the rebate amount — smaller jobs can be fully covered.

Do I need pre-approval before starting work?

There is no pre-approval step on the City’s program page — but two things are mandatory: a building permit BEFORE the work (required under the Building Code Act; the permit and its inspection report must be attached to your application) and applying within 18 months of the permit’s issue date (12 months for permits issued before July 1, 2026). Work done without a permit cannot be rebated.

Is my home eligible?

Your property must be served by City of Ottawa sewers, and the home must be built before January 1, 2004 for storm-related work or before January 1, 2012 for sanitary-related work (newer homes were already required to have these devices by code). Replacing an existing device does not qualify.

My basement flooded in a storm — what money can I get?

Three separate streams: (1) the City’s $1,000 Compassionate Grant if the flood came from sewer surcharge — report it via 3-1-1 within one calendar month of the event and apply within a year (for the July 1, 2026 weather event the City extended the reporting deadline to October 1, 2026 and waived the once-in-five-years rule); (2) the provincial DRAO program (up to 90% of costs, max $250,000) where the Province activates it — activated for the July 1, 2026 flooding with applications due November 16, 2026, though sewer-backup damage is generally covered only for low-income households; (3) the RPPP rebate to make sure it never happens again — get the building permit first, then apply within 18 months of its issue date.

Will the City pay for my flood damage?

Liability claims against the City for storm sewer surcharge rarely succeed. What exists instead: the one-time $1,000 Compassionate Grant (a flood must be reported within one calendar month via 3-1-1 — extended to October 1, 2026 for the July 1, 2026 event), provincial DRAO assistance where the Province activates it, your own insurance (sewer-backup coverage is an optional endorsement), and the RPPP — which pays for prevention so the next storm does not flood you again.

Other areas

Source: City of Ottawa Residential Protective Plumbing program page and Compassionate Grant program page (ottawa.ca; the RPPP amounts match the By-law No. 2025-89 schedule announced April 2025), the Ontario DRAO page (ontario.ca, updated July 15, 2026), and CP24 reporting of the City’s July 1, 2026 storm figures. Last verified September 4, 2026. ClaimRebate.ca is independent and not affiliated with the City of Ottawa or the Province of Ontario. Official program page →