Is a crack that leaks only in spring still a waterproofing job in Ottawa?

A crack that leaks only in spring still needs attention, and whether the fix is classified as waterproofing under Ontario's Building Code depends on what is driving the water in, not on the season. The City of Ottawa names groundwater from snowmelt and heavy rain as one of the ways water enters a basement.

Ontario's Building Code sets the dividing line at hydrostatic pressure. Where hydrostatic pressure occurs, waterproofing is required under clause 9.13.3.1. Where it does not, dampproofing under clause 9.13.2 may be sufficient. The Code gives no number or test for when hydrostatic pressure occurs, and the answer for your house turns on what a contractor finds when they look at the wall, the soil conditions and the drainage situation. Ask each contractor you speak with which protection their quote covers and why they chose it.

The crack itself is a separate question from the membrane behind the wall. Crack injection is one repair option; opening the wall from the outside to apply a continuous membrane and check the drain tile is another. A contractor has to look at the crack, the wall type and what is happening around the foundation before recommending one over the other. National Research Council research notes that many basements are wet because too much surface water gets into the soil beside the building, from grading combined with roof run-off, which is worth raising with whoever you hire.

Published Ontario contractor pricing for crack injection runs about $500 to $1,500 per crack, and one Ottawa source quotes from about $300 for epoxy. Exterior waterproofing, which involves excavating to the footing and applying a membrane with drainage, runs from about $100 to $350 per linear foot of wall, with deeper foundations and tight access pushing the cost higher. Interior drain and sump systems run from about $70 to $150 per linear foot. These are published 2025-26 ranges, not a quote for your house.

When you have two written quotes in front of you, set them side by side and check that each one names the same wall or walls and the same linear footage, states clearly whether the scope is dampproofing or waterproofing, and says whether the drain tile is being replaced and where it will discharge.