Is $12 a square foot fair for asbestos ceiling removal in Kanata?

Published Ontario contractor prices read in September 2026 put textured or popcorn ceiling removal where asbestos is confirmed at $6 to $12 per square foot, so $12 sits at the top of that range. Whether it is fair depends on what the quote actually includes.

The ceiling area is one factor, and the Type the contractor assigns on site matters too. Under O. Reg. 278/05, the Type depends on whether the material is friable and how much of it is disturbed. The no-splitting rule in section 12(5) means the total area worked consecutively in the same room counts, even if the job is broken into smaller visits. A contractor needs to assess the material in person before confirming the Type, and you should ask for the Type in writing before work begins.

If the material is friable, one square metre or less is Type 2 and more than one square metre is Type 3. Type 3 brings additional requirements: every worker must have completed the Asbestos Abatement Worker Training Program and every supervisor the Asbestos Abatement Supervisor Training Program, both approved by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and those must be in place before work starts. The constructor or employer must also notify, orally and in writing, an inspector at the nearest Ministry of Labour office before commencing. A clearance air test under section 18 of the regulation is required after Type 3 work; published prices for that test run about $300 to $800, and it is worth confirming whether that is included or billed separately.

Before accepting the quote, check that it covers:

• the Type the contractor has assessed and why
• Type 3 training records and the inspector notice, if that Type applies
• where the asbestos waste is going, since Ontario Regulation 347 requires the disposal site to have agreed in advance to accept it
• whether the clearance air test is included or is an add-on
• a current WSIB clearance, which you can search online

A $12 quote that bundles the clearance test, proper waste disposal and all Type 3 requirements is a different value from one that does not. The general asbestos removal range published by Ontario contractors is $8 to $15 per square foot, so $12 is not out of range, but the scope written into the contract is what makes it fair or not.

The request form on this page sends your job details to local abatement contractors listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory, so you can collect a few quotes and compare what each one actually covers.