This fall, hiring a two-person moving crew and a moving truck in Ottawa costs about 130–145 per hour on a regular day. On a peak day, the rate rises to $149 to $169 an hour. These figures come from a current Ottawa rate card and don’t include 13% HST.
If you’re moving in October or November, you’ve probably found that quotes are hard to compare. One mover offers a lower hourly rate, another bills in a different way, and a third gives you a single flat price. Ottawa movers’ hourly rates are only one part of the total. This guide shows the full rate table for fall 2026, the billing rules that turn an hourly rate into a final bill, the peak dates to watch this fall, and a simple way to line up quotes so you can see which one really costs less.
What Ottawa Movers Charge Per Hour This Fall
The table below shows a real fall 2026 rate card from an Ottawa moving company. Other movers will price a little higher or lower, but it gives you a current reference point when quotes start coming in. The hourly rate covers both the crew and the truck, so there’s no separate truck rental on top.
| Crew Size | Regular Days (Per Hour) | Peak Days (Per Hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers + truck | $130 – $145 | $149 – $169 |
| 3 movers + truck | $189 – $195 | $199 – $209 |
| 4 movers + truck | $240 – $250 | $250 – $269 |
Rates as of October 2026, before 13% HST.
Most people start with the cost of 2 movers and a truck in Ottawa, since that crew handles most apartments and small condos. A third mover adds about $50 to $60 an hour. On a larger home, that extra person can cut enough time off the day to cover part of the cost. On a one-bedroom with an easy elevator, it usually won’t. If a quote lists a bigger crew than you expected, ask the mover to explain why.
For what a standard job includes, see this overview of local moving services.
4 Billing Terms That Change Your Final Bill
The hourly rate is where the bill starts. The billing terms decide where it ends, and every Ottawa mover sets its own. Two quotes with the same hourly rate can end up far apart because of these four terms.
1. The Minimum Charge. Most movers bill a minimum number of hours, even if the crew finishes sooner. Minimums of 2 or 3 hours are common. A higher minimum mostly affects small jobs. If you’re moving one sofa across town, a 3-hour minimum costs you an extra hour for work you didn’t need.
2. How Time Is Rounded. After the minimum, some movers bill in 15-minute steps, others in 30-minute steps, and some round up to the next full hour. On a move that takes 3 hours and 10 minutes, that’s the difference between paying for 3 hours and 15 minutes or for 4 full hours.
3. How Travel Is Charged. Some movers bill travel by the hour, often from the moment the truck leaves their yard. Others charge one flat transportation fee. With a flat fee, a slow drive along the Queensway at rush hour doesn’t change your total. With hourly travel, it does.
4. Whether Tax Is Shown. Moving services in Ontario carry 13% HST, and it’s the one term that’s the same for every mover. What differs is how quotes show it. Some list prices before tax and some after. A quote that leaves HST off looks 13% cheaper than it really is, so check before you compare.
Peak Days Cost More: Here’s How Much
Many Ottawa movers charge a higher rate around the end of the month. That’s when most leases end and start, so crews are fully booked. Each mover sets its own peak window. A common one runs from the 27th to the last day of the month, plus the 1st and 2nd of the next month, which is the window used in the rate table above. Ask each mover which dates they count as peak.
Fall 2026 dates in a 27th-to-2nd peak window October 27 to November 2 November 27 to December 2
To see how peak vs regular moving rates in Ottawa play out, take one move. Say 2 movers need 4 hours:
- On A Regular Day At $145 An Hour: $580, or $655.40 with HST
- On A Peak Day At $169 An Hour: $676, or $763.88 with HST
That’s $96 more before tax, or $108.48 with HST, for the same crew doing the same work.
How much extra you pay per hour depends on the size of the crew:
| Crew Size | Extra Per Hour On A Peak Day |
|---|---|
| 2 movers | $19 – $24 |
| 3 movers | $10 – $14 |
| 4 movers | $10 – $19 |
If your lease gives you any room, a mid-month date usually keeps you on the regular rate. With a 27th-to-2nd window, even shifting from the 28th to the 26th is enough.
Fall Conditions That Add Hours To Your Move
Hourly rates don’t automatically drop in fall. What fall changes is how long a move takes and how easy it is to get the date you want. That’s how fall moving costs in Ottawa can go up while the hourly rate stays the same.
Early September Is Crowded. Student and lease moves bunch up around September 1. By October, the calendar opens up, and regular-rate dates are easier to book.
Wet And Icy Days Slow The Crew. October rain means more time wrapping furniture and laying down floor protection. A November snowfall turns a quick carry down the driveway into a slower, more careful one. On an hourly bill, every extra 15 minutes shows up.
The Days Get Short. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. For most of November, it’s dark in Ottawa before 5 p.m. A large move that starts at noon may end in the dark, and loading a truck by streetlight takes longer. A morning start gives the crew full daylight.
Winter Parking Bans Begin. From November 15 to April 1, the City of Ottawa can declare a winter weather parking ban when Environment Canada forecasts 7 cm or more of snow. Overnight bans run from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and daytime bans from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., so a ban can land right on moving day. If your building only has street parking, check for a ban the day before and confirm with your mover where the truck will park.
Still choosing a month? This guide to the best time of year to hire movers compares the seasons.
The Lower Hourly Rate Isn’t Always The Cheaper Quote
You can’t compare two hourly rates until you know how each mover bills. Ask every mover about the four billing terms above, especially the minimum, the rounding, and the travel charge. Then check two more things on each quote:
- Is it an hourly rate or a flat price?
- How many movers is the quote for?
Here’s a made-up example that shows why this matters. Say your move takes 3 hours and 15 minutes.
- Quote A is $135 an hour. It rounds up to the next full hour and charges 1 hour of travel. You pay for 4 hours of work plus 1 hour of travel: 5 × $135 = $675.
- Quote B is $145 an hour, billed in 15-minute steps, with a flat transportation fee. You pay for 3.25 hours: 3.25 × $145 = $471.25, plus the flat fee.
Quote A looks $10 an hour cheaper, but it costs $203.75 more in labour on this job. Quote B only comes out behind if its flat fee is more than that.
Whichever quote you pick, get it in writing. A number given over the phone can’t be checked later. A written one makes it easy to spot any change on moving day.
How To Get The Lowest Total This Fall
The hourly rate matters, but your date and the billing rules matter just as much. A regular-day booking, a morning start, and quotes compared on the same terms will lower your total more than hunting for the lowest rate.
If you want a wider view, look at average moving costs by home size and what drives moving costs in Ottawa.
Moving this fall and want a firm number for your date? Share your inventory and move date with a local Ottawa moving team and ask for a written quote. You’ll know exactly what your move costs before the first box is packed.
