What Asbestos Popcorn Ceiling Removal Costs in Ottawa, and Which Type It Is
$6 to $12 per square foot
Popcorn or textured ceiling removal where the material contains asbestos, published Ontario contractor prices read in September 2026. General asbestos removal: about $8 to $15 per square foot.
Published Ontario contractor prices read September 2026 · reviewed 2026-09-28 · how we set these ranges
A textured ceiling finish is not a ceiling tile under the regulation, so its Type turns on whether the finish is friable and how much of it is disturbed, or, if it is non-friable, on how it is taken off. The contractor assesses friability on site.
Which Type is my job?
Pick what the contractor tells you after assessing the material on site. The regulation's own line for that case is marked below. Nothing here replaces the contractor's assessment: ask for the Type in writing.
All the lines that can apply to this job are listed below.
- Type 2 Finish friable, one square metre or less
“The removal or disturbance of one square metre or less of friable asbestos-containing material during the repair, alteration, maintenance or demolition of all or part of machinery or equipment or a building, aircraft, locomotive, railway car, vehicle or ship.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(3), paragraph 2
- Type 3 Finish friable, more than one square metre
“The removal or disturbance of more than one square metre of friable asbestos-containing material during the repair, alteration, maintenance or demolition of all or part of a building, aircraft, ship, locomotive, railway car or vehicle or any machinery or equipment.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(4), paragraph 1
- Type 1 Finish non-friable, removed intact
“Installing or removing non-friable asbestos-containing material, other than ceiling tiles, if the material is installed or removed without being broken, cut, drilled, abraded, ground, sanded or vibrated.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(2), paragraph 2
- Type 1 Finish non-friable, wetted, hand tools
“Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material if, i. the material is wetted to control the spread of dust or fibres, and ii. the work is done only by means of non-powered hand-held tools.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(2), paragraph 3
- Type 2 Finish non-friable, not wetted, hand tools
“Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material if, i. the material is not wetted to control the spread of dust or fibres, and ii. the work is done only by means of non-powered hand-held tools.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(3), paragraph 6
- Type 2 Finish non-friable, power tools with HEPA
“Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material if the work is done by means of power tools that are attached to dust-collecting devices equipped with HEPA filters.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(3), paragraph 8
- Type 3 Finish non-friable, power tools without HEPA
“Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material, if the work is done by means of power tools that are not attached to dust-collecting devices equipped with HEPA filters.”
O. Reg. 278/05, section 12(4), paragraph 5
Section 12(5): "Work on ceiling tiles, drywall or friable asbestos-containing material is classified according to the total area on which work is done consecutively in a room or enclosed area, even if the work is divided into smaller jobs."
Disagree with the contractor about the Type? Section 12(6) says who settles it.
What the Type changes
Training, an inspector notice and a clearance air test depend on the Type. See what Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 each require.
Ask before you sign
- Which Type are you quoting, and what did you find that puts it there?
- Is the clearance air test in the price if the job is Type 3?
- Which disposal site has agreed to accept the waste?
- Is the lab report included, or do I need to arrange testing first?
More on this work: Asbestos Abatement & Removal
Quick answers
Is my popcorn ceiling Type 3?
It is Type 3 if the finish is friable and more than one square metre of it is removed or disturbed in the room, or if a non-friable finish is cut or sanded with power tools that are not attached to HEPA dust collectors. The contractor decides friability on site; ask for the Type in writing.
Can I split the ceiling into small jobs to stay under one square metre?
Not for ceiling tiles, drywall or friable asbestos-containing material: section 12(5) classifies that work by the total area worked consecutively in a room or enclosed area, even if the work is divided into smaller jobs.
Want this done at your place?
Tell us what you found or suspect and we'll get you a real quote from a local Ottawa abatement contractor. We send it out to local contractors for you. Free, no pressure.