Private property towing in Ottawa removes vehicles that violate posted parking rules on lots we are authorized to enforce. Ottawa Parking Enforcement runs the entire chain, from the documented violation to the tow truck on site to the impound paperwork, for condo boards, property managers, and businesses across the greater Ottawa area. Call (613) 362-3362.
What makes private property towing in Ottawa different
Private property towing in Ottawa is not the same job as a roadside tow or a municipal tow. A roadside tow is a service the driver requests. A municipal tow is ordered by a city bylaw officer. Private property towing happens because a vehicle broke the posted rules on land that belongs to someone else. That difference shapes every part of the workflow.
For private property towing to hold up, the lot has to be signed correctly, the violation has to be documented, and the tow has to be authorized by the property owner or their representative. Skip any of those steps and you have a dispute on your hands. We do all three on every job, every time, on private lots across the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
This page focuses on private property towing specifically. For an overview of our full towing service, including unauthorized parking towing and abandoned vehicle removal, follow the category link.
The sign is the rule: If the lot is not signed clearly with the rule and the consequence, a private property tow in Ottawa can get reversed. Our first step on any new property is a signage audit, before we ever remove a single vehicle.
Properties we tow from across Ottawa
Most of our private property towing in Ottawa happens on the same handful of property types. Residential condo and apartment lots where visitor spaces get abused. Retail plazas where commuter parking eats into customer spots. Office buildings where the tenant mix has outgrown the lot. The towing service is the same. The frequency and timing change by property type.
Common Ottawa private property towing scenarios
Condo and apartment buildingsRepeat visitor stall abuse, vehicles in numbered owner spots, contractor trucks left overnight, fire route blockers during winter storms.
Retail and restaurant lotsCustomers from other businesses, transit park and ride users, vehicles left after hours, oversized trucks blocking flow.
Office and professional buildingsVisitor parking overflowed by tenants, after hours trespass, unmoved vehicles for weeks, abandoned cars during winter.
Industrial and storage propertiesUnauthorized trailers, vehicles dropped and forgotten, after hours intrusion, blocked dock access.
How a private property tow in Ottawa actually runs
Here is what happens from the moment a vehicle gets flagged on your Ottawa property to the moment the impound paperwork lands in your inbox. The chain is documented end to end. If a driver disputes the tow weeks later, we can produce every photo, time stamp, and sign that backs it up.
Private property towing workflow
1
Vehicle flaggedPatrol officer or property contact identifies a vehicle that violates a posted rule on the lot.
2
DocumentationPhotos of the vehicle in position, the plate, the posted sign that was broken, and a time stamped report.
3
Tow authorizationAuthorized property contact approves the tow, either case by case or through the standing enforcement plan we built with them.
4
Tow dispatch and on site workTruck arrives, hooks the vehicle, removes it without damaging the lot or surrounding vehicles. Every move is logged.
5
Impound, notification, recoveryVehicle held at a secure impound. Driver gets clear recovery instructions. Property owner gets the report.
Ottawa winter and private property towing
Winter is when private property towing in Ottawa picks up the most. Snow storms cover fire routes, drivers leave vehicles overnight after a slippery commute home, and snow contractors cannot do their job around abandoned cars. From late November through March we run more tow calls than any other time of year, especially in condo lots along Riverside Drive and the retail strips on Merivale Road and near Bayshore.
We work directly with your snow contractor when needed. If a vehicle is blocking the plow, we get it out so the contractor can finish their pass. That coordination matters when you are paying for snow removal that gets delayed by one stubborn vehicle. The same workflow runs during summer construction periods when work zones inside your lot need to stay clear.
Fire route violations are immediate: A vehicle in a posted fire route on your Ottawa property is towed without warning. This protects you from liability under Ontario fire safety expectations. We have zero tolerance on this.
What it costs (and who pays)
For routine private property towing in Ottawa, the vehicle owner pays the recovery fees when they reclaim the vehicle. The property owner pays nothing for a tow that is part of an active enforcement plan. We make the cost structure clear up front so there are no surprises for you or the driver. The driver always has a clear path to recover their vehicle.
Private property towing fees in Ottawa (paid by the vehicle owner)
Standard passenger vehicle towRecovery fee + admin
After hours, weekend, holidayAfter hours rate applies
Storm response and emergency removalEmergency rate applies
Daily storage at our impoundDaily storage rate
Property owner on active planNo charge to property
Setting up private property towing on your Ottawa lot
If you are a property manager, condo board member, or business owner thinking about private property towing in Ottawa, the first conversation is short. We come to your lot, walk the signage, look at where the abuse is happening, and write you a plan. The plan is in writing. It covers the rules, the patrol schedule, the notice and ticket steps, and when removal kicks in.
If you only need an occasional tow, that is fine too. We just need compliant signage on the lot, an authorized contact who can approve the tow, and a documented reason for the removal. That gets you the same clean process without a full enforcement plan in place.
Frequently asked questions about private property towing in Ottawa
Yes, in most cases. We need confirmation that the lot is signed correctly, that the vehicle is in violation of a posted rule, and that you are authorized to approve the tow. Once those are confirmed we can usually dispatch a truck within 30 to 60 minutes anywhere in the greater Ottawa area.
You need compliant signage that states the rules and the consequence (including towing at the owner's expense), and an authorized person to approve the tow. We audit your signage before any work begins and replace anything that does not hold up.
A regular tow is called by the driver who needs help. A private property tow is called by the landowner because a vehicle broke the posted rules on their property. The paperwork, the authorization process, and the impound chain are all different, and the property owner is the customer, not the driver.
The vehicle owner pays recovery fees and storage when they reclaim the vehicle. Property owners on an active enforcement plan are not billed for routine private property towing. We confirm the full fee schedule with you before the first tow.
Every tow we run is documented with photos, time stamps, plate records, and proof of posted signage. If a driver disputes, we hand you the complete file. That documentation is what makes private property towing in Ottawa stick. It is the reason we do not cut corners on paperwork.
Yes. We run private property tows day and night across the Ottawa-Gatineau area. After hours, weekend, and storm response rates apply for the driver. Properties with active plans get priority dispatch around the clock.
Need a vehicle towed from your Ottawa lot?
Call our team and we will walk you through the next step.
