Streetlighting
The City of Ottawa maintains over 76,000 streetlights on public property, in partnership with Envari Energy Solutions Inc. Some decorative streetlights, and those on private property, are maintained by other agencies.
The LED Street Light Conversion Project was completed in 2022, maximizing all opportunities for increased roadway safety, while ensuring energy and maintenance cost savings. Approximately 58,000 standard streetlight fixtures were converted from high-pressure sodium (HPS) to Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology.
As of 2022, the converted fixtures are achieving on average 64% energy savings with an associated cumulative energy reduction of approximately 21,700,000 kWh. Maintenance costs for these fixtures have been reduced by 50%.
In addition to energy and maintenance savings, the conversion to LED has the following benefits:
- More precise roadway lighting levels through the use of a Lighting Controls System;
- Enhanced monitoring through daily reporting of malfunctioning streetlights;
- Enhanced safety because of improved LED colour rendering; and,
- A reduction in trespass light and reduced light pollution.
Street lighting response times
| Nature of Problem | Investigation Response Time |
|---|---|
| Residential | |
| 1 to 9 lights out | Maximum 7 working days |
| 10 to 20 lights out | Next working day |
| More than 20 lights out | Within 24 hours |
| Arterials, Commercial and Industrial Roads | |
| 1 to 4 lights | Maximum 7 working days |
| 5 to 10 lights | Next working day |
| More than 10 lights out, or all lights within an intersection | Within 24 hours |
These are timelines to dispatch a crew for investigation. In the event repairs cannot be completed at that time, restoration times can vary significantly.
Gateway Speed Limit Signs
As of May 1, 2018, Ontario municipalities can now use new gateway speed limit signs to designate roadways within residential areas with a reduced speed limit of less than 50 km/h.
Gateway speed limit signs are posted at each entry and exit point to a community where lower speeds are in effect. The Entry Gateway Speed Limit Sign identifies the beginning of a legal speed limit that applies to all roadways within an area. The Exit Gateway Speed Limit Sign marks the end of the lower speed limit. All streets that fall within the posted entry sign and exit sign are designated with the same speed limit identified on the gateway signs. Samples of Gateway Speed Limit Entry and Exit Signs are shown below:
Roadside Memorial Sign Program
Program
The Roadside Memorial Sign Program, established in 2015, assists families or groups who wish to have a roadside memorial sign installed along a City-owned right-of-way in remembrance of a loved one who has passed away as a result of a traffic incident.
Process
- Only residents of Ottawa may be commemorated through this program.
- A request may be made by a family member or friend.
- An application form must be completed and signed by an immediate family member of the nominee.
- An Ontario Provincial Offences Act check is required for the nominee. The check is initiated and reviewed by the City of Ottawa. Any outstanding conviction or infraction may result in the disqualification of an application.
- A sworn affidavit* must be submitted by the nominator with the application form (see page 4 of the application package).
- The cost of a roadside memorial sign is $250 (plus HST), which includes the cost of fabrication and maintenance of the sign for two (2) years.
- After two years, the nominator will be given the option for the sign to be removed and provided to them or to be left up without maintenance.
- Nominators will be given a one-time option of having a new sign installed for $250 (plus HST).
- The nominator can ask for the sign to be removed and turned over to them at any time.
*Any fees associated with a sworn affidavit are the responsibility of the nominator.
Signs
- The installed sign will read: “Drive Safely, in memory of ‘name(s) of victim(s)’.”, with black lettering over a white background
- The dimensions of the sign will be approximately: 24” L x 35” H
- The sign will contain both English and French messaging
Application
Should you wish to purchase a roadside memorial sign, please contact 3-1-1.
Underground locates
Digging near Your House?
Before you dig, call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 or visit their website.
The City and other services have underground locates running in many backyards, front yards and side lots. Underneath your house, you could find:
- Gas pipelines
- Electrical services
- Telephone and cable TV infrastructure
- Water and sewer connections
- Streetlight or traffic signal wiring
Ontario One Call co-ordinates with all organizations who own infrastructure in your area.
Therefore, all residents and excavators must call before they dig. Locates are free to obtain and should be requested at least 5 days prior to any planned excavation. You may not proceed with your digging until all locates are identified. If locates are not obtained and infrastructure is damaged, the homeowner and/or contractor is 100 per cent responsible for all costs associated with repairs.
Do You Need Emergency Locates?
For emergency locates, please call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255. As of June 15, 2014, the City of Ottawa will no longer action direct requests for locates.
Decommissioned street name signs
Buy your own little piece of Ottawa. Park Place and Boardwalk have nothing on names like Bank Street and Laurier Avenue. There’s opportunity to own select City of Ottawa street name signs as they become available due to operational maintenance replacements. Street name signs are replaced when streets are re-named, and when signs from former municipalities are removed from service to avoid duplication.
These decommissioned signs can be purchased for $10 each. Signs can be picked up and paid for at 175 Loretta Avenue North. If a requested street name is unclaimed for one month, it will go back into the inventory.
Select your favourite signs from the alphabetical list below. All signs are sold on a first come, first serve basis. The list below will be updated as signs are purchased or as new signs become available. Check back periodically to see if your sign has made the list.
To request a street name sign or for any further questions: StreetNameSigns@ottawa.ca
If you do not receive a response to your email, the sign has already been sold.
| Starting street letter | Street name | Number available. |
|---|---|---|
| A | Acacia Ave | 3 |
| Adley Rd | 1 | |
| Ahearn Ave | 1 | |
| Alenmede Cres | 1 | |
| Aleutian Rd | 2 | |
| Alfred St | 1 | |
| Alton St | 2 | |
| Amberdale Cres | 1 | |
| Amesbrooke Dr | 1 | |
| Andora Ave | 1 | |
| Applewood Cres | 1 | |
| Arch St | 2 | |
| Argyle Ave | 1 | |
| Arnot Rd | 1 | |
| Ashdale Ave | 1 | |
| Atwater St | 2 | |
| Avenue Rd | 2 | |
| Azurite Cres | 1 | |
| B | Baffin Ave | 1 |
| Banbury Cres | 1 | |
| Barwell Ave | 1 | |
| Beaumont Rd | 1 | |
| Beausoleil Dr | 1 | |
| Begonia Ave | 1 | |
| Billings Ave | 3 | |
| Bittern Crt | 1 | |
| Blackhorse Crt | 1 | |
| Blossom Dr | 3 | |
| Bowman Rd | 1 | |
| Brian Coburn Blvd | 1 | |
| Briar Ave | 1 | |
| Briar Hill Dr | 2 | |
| Bristol Ave | 1 | |
| Brookdale St | 1 | |
| Buell St | 1 | |
| C | Cabot St | 2 |
| Camborne Cres | 1 | |
| Camrose St | 1 | |
| Canborne Cres | 1 | |
| Carmelia Ave | 1 | |
| Castleton St | 1 | |
| Cedarbank Ave | 1 | |
| 0 | ||
| Chatelain Ave | 1 | |
| Circle Pl | 1 | |
| Claridge Dr | 1 | |
| Clifton Rd | 1 | |
| Cobalt Ave | 1 | |
| Cobourg St | 1 | |
| Colindale Ave | 1 | |
| Conrad Ave | 1 | |
| Constance Creek Dr | 1 | |
| Cork St | 2 | |
| Cornerstone Priv | 1 | |
| Cornice St | 1 | |
| Cornish St | 1 | |
| Cory St | 1 | |
| Courtice Ave | 1 | |
| Crawford Side Rd | 1 | |
| Crescent Rd | 1 | |
| Crestview Rd | 1 | |
| Crestview Rd | 1 | |
| Crossfield Ave | 1 | |
| Cypress Crt | 1 | |
| D | Dauphin Rd | 1 |
| Delmar Dr | 5 | |
| Denbury Ave | 1 | |
| Des Serins Ln | 1 | |
| Domalatchy Pl | 1 | |
| Donnington Pl | 1 | |
| Dorset Dr | 2 | |
| Dorval Ave | 1 | |
| Dunelm St | 1 | |
| Dunvegan Rd | 1 | |
| Durocher St | 2 | |
| E | Eastbourne Ave | 1 |
| Eastlane Rd | 1 | |
| Edenbrook | 1 | |
| Elliot | 1 | |
| Ellery | 1 | |
| Ellsett Dr | 1 | |
| Ellsworth Ln | 1 | |
| Elmira Dr | 1 | |
| Elmwood Ave | 1 | |
| Emerald Ave | 1 | |
| Emslie Ave | 1 | |
| Evaston Ave | 1 | |
| Evered Ave | 1 | |
| F | Faircrest Rd | 1 |
| Fairdale Ave | 1 | |
| Fairmeadow Cres | 1 | |
| Falaise Rd | 1 | |
| Fernhill Rd | 1 | |
| Finchley Dr | 1 | |
| Forward Ave | 1 | |
| Fringewood Dr | 1 | |
| G | Gaultois Ave | 1 |
| Gilbey Dr | 1 | |
| Glencairn Ave | 1 | |
| Glenview Ave | 1 | |
| Goodman Dr | 1 | |
| Goren Ave | 2 | |
| Grand Gala Dr | 1 | |
| 0 | ||
| H | Halldon Pl | 1 |
| Hamlet Rd | 1 | |
| Harwood Ave | 1 | |
| Heritage Glen Drive | 1 | |
| Herridge St | 3 | |
| Higwood Dr | 1 | |
| Highfield Cres | 1 | |
| Hilliard Ave | 2 | |
| Hillsdale Pl | 1 | |
| Howick St | 1 | |
| Howland Ave | 2 | |
| I | Illinois Ave | 2 |
| Irvin Pl | 1 | |
| Isidore St | 1 | |
| J | Jefferson St | 1 |
| K | Kaladar Ave | 1 |
| Kesler Ave | 1 | |
| Killbarry Cres | 1 | |
| Kimdale St | 1 | |
| Kindersley Ave | 1 | |
| Kinglet Way | 1 | |
| Kirchoffer Ave | 1 | |
| L | Lindenlea Dr | 1 |
| Lockhead Rd W | 1 | |
| Loisisana Dr | 2 | |
| Lispstan | 1 | |
| Longwood Ave | 1 | |
| Lovitt Rd | 1 | |
| Lowrey St | 1 | |
| Lyall St | 1 | |
| Lyndale Ave | 2 | |
| M | Mackay St | 1 |
| Magnus Ave | 1 | |
| Macfarlane | 2 | |
| Manchester St | 1 | |
| Madelaine Meilleur | 1 | |
| Manor Ave | 1 | |
| Marlowe Cres | 1 | |
| McGillivray St | 1 | |
| McQuaig St | 2 | |
| Melfort St | 1 | |
| Micmac St | 1 | |
| Middleton Dr | 1 | |
| Millbrook Cres | 1 | |
| Monteith St | 1 | |
| Montfort St | 2 | |
| Mountcrest Ave | 1 | |
| Mutchmor Rd | 1 | |
| N | Navaho Dr | 1 |
| Neelin Dr | 1 | |
| Newhaven St | 2 | |
| Newland Dr | 1 | |
| Northgraves Cres | 1 | |
| Norwood Ave | 1 | |
| O | Oakbriar Cres | 1 |
| Oakwell Dr | 1 | |
| Oakwood Ave. | 1 | |
| Oberon St | 1 | |
| Okee St | 1 | |
| Ondrovic Gate | 1 | |
| Orchard Ave | 2 | |
| Oriska Way | 1 | |
| P | Palen Ave | 1 |
| Palm St | 1 | |
| Parkhill Cir | 1 | |
| Patro St | 2 | |
| Plesser St | 2 | |
| Plover Ln | 1 | |
| Premier Ave | 2 | |
| Putman Ave | 1 | |
| Q | Queenston Dr | 1 |
| Quinton St | 1 | |
| R | Radstock Priv | 1 |
| Ramsey Cres | 1 | |
| Rector Ave | 1 | |
| Redcor Cres | 1 | |
| Renfield Rd | 1 | |
| Rhodes Crt | 1 | |
| Rickwood St | 1 | |
| Ridgecrest Priv | 1 | |
| Rockway Cres | 1 | |
| Roseglen Priv | 1 | |
| Rosetta Ave | 1 | |
| Roycroft Lane | 1 | |
| S | Saunderson Dr | 3 |
| Sauterne Park | 1 | |
| Saville Row | 1 | |
| Scotia Pl | 1 | |
| Shamir Ave | 1 | |
| Shoreham Av | 1 | |
| Silverbell Cres | 1 | |
| Simcoe St | 1 | |
| Southern Rd | 1 | |
| Springhurst Ave | 3 | |
| St-Ambroise Ave | 1 | |
| Stevenage Dr | 1 | |
| Stratford St | 1 | |
| Streamline St | 1 | |
| Summerview Terr | 1 | |
| Sunnymede Ave | 1 | |
| Sunnyville | 1 | |
| T | Tavistock Rd | 1 |
| Tedder Ave | 1 | |
| Terrebonne Dr | 2 | |
| Thessaly Circle | 2 | |
| Thornwood Rd | 1 | |
| Tompkins Ave | 1 | |
| Tupper Ave | 1 | |
| Turnberry Rd | 1 | |
| U | Ullswater Dr | 1 |
| V | Valley Dr | 1 |
| Valmarie Ave | 2 | |
| Vaan Rd | 1 | |
| Verglas Lane | 1 | |
| Virginia Dr | 1 | |
| W | Westpark Dr | 1 |
| Westlane Rd | 1 | |
| Weston Drive | 3 | |
| Westview Ave | 1 | |
| Whitburn Ave | 1 | |
| Whitemarl Dr | 1 | |
| Windermere Ave | 1 | |
| Willard | 2 | |
| Winfield Ave | 1 | |
| Wingate Dr | 1 | |
| Winona Ave | 4 | |
| Wolverton Cres | 1 | |
| Woodgate Way | 1 | |
| Wyndale Cres | 3 |
The City of Ottawa is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the street lighting system within City boundaries. City staff administer the program and maintain the system through the services of several lighting maintenance contractors.
In order to expedite repairs and reduce confusion, please provide a municipal address that references the street light or sign’s location.
Please call 3-1-1 if the streetlight issue is related to the following:
- Traffic signals or traffic signs.
- Hand hole cover open or missing exposing wires
- Knocked down streetlight
- Damaged light such as broken glass, hanging arm, Construction activity (square or rectangular cut in road)
- Missing or loose manhole cover
For all emergency requests call 3-1-1. If this service is not available to you please call 613-580-2400. All other Service Requests will be triaged and addressed as operations allow.