Does the 18-month rule start from the permit in Ottawa's rebate program?

It does. Under the City of Ottawa's Residential Protective Plumbing Program, the 18-month window runs from the date the building permit is issued, not from the date the work is finished or the inspection is done.

The City changed this from 12 months to 18 months on July 1, 2026. If your permit was issued before that date, ask the City how the change applies to it. The application must be received by the City within that period, along with proof of ownership, the permit, the inspection report, and a paid, itemized invoice from the contractor.

A few other conditions are worth knowing before you count on the rebate. The City rebates the lesser of the maximum amount or the actual cost of the work, so a job that costs less than the maximum gets the lower figure. The property must be residential and located in the City of Ottawa. For a sanitary backwater valve, the building must have been built before January 1, 2012. For a storm backwater valve, before January 1, 2004. The device cannot have been installed by the City, and rebates are not available for maintaining, repairing or replacing an existing device.

The maximum rebates from the City's table are: indoor sanitary backwater valve $1,000; storm backwater valve $1,000; outdoor storm backwater valve $2,500; primary or secondary sump pump with battery backup in an existing pit $1,500; primary or secondary sump pump with battery backup and construction of a new pit $3,000; and the building permit fee (plumbing work only) at 100 per cent of the current fee.

One important caution: the City lists the program as currently under review. Check ottawa.ca before making any financial decisions that depend on receiving a rebate, because the amounts, conditions or the program itself could change.

Before booking the work, ask the contractor who applies for the permit, since the 18-month clock starts on its issue date.