Ontario 811: Before You Dig Guide for Homeowners

You're ready to dig deck footings for your new backyard project. Before you pick up that shovel or book the excavator, you need to call Ontario One Call (811) to locate underground utilities on your property.

This isn't optional advice—it's the law. And ignoring it can cost you $25,000 in fines, cause serious injuries, or leave your neighbourhood without gas, internet, or electricity for days.

Here's exactly how the 811 system works, when you need to use it, and what happens after you call.

What Is Ontario One Call (811)?

Ontario One Call is a free notification service that connects homeowners and contractors with utility companies before any ground disturbance. When you call 811 (or submit a request online), the service alerts all registered utility owners in your area to come mark the location of their buried infrastructure.

The service is mandated under Ontario Regulation 213/91 (the "dig safe" regulation). It covers:

• Natural gas lines
• Electrical cables
• Telecommunications (Bell, Rogers, fibre optic)
• Water mains
• Sanitary and storm sewers
• Cable TV lines

Ontario One Call does NOT locate:

• Private utilities on your property (like lines to detached garages or sheds)
• Abandoned service lines
• Irrigation systems
• Low-voltage landscape lighting cables

If you have private utilities, you're responsible for locating them yourself or hiring a private locator.

When You Must Call 811 in Ontario

You're legally required to submit a locate request at least 5 business days before digging if your project involves:

• Excavating more than 30 cm (12 inches) deep
• Installing deck footings, fence posts, or helical piles
• Trenching for drainage, electrical, or irrigation
• Driving ground screws or augers
• Using heavy equipment (excavators, Bobcats, post hole augers)

Even if you're digging by hand, call 811. A shovel can easily rupture a gas line or sever a fibre optic cable.

Projects that don't require a locate:

• Planting shallow perennials or small shrubs (under 30 cm)
• Hand-trowel gardening in existing beds
• Aerating your lawn

When in doubt, call. The service is free and takes 10 minutes.

How to Submit a Locate Request

Option 1: Call 811

Available 24/7, including weekends and holidays. You'll speak with an operator who will collect:

• Your name, phone number, and property address
• The type of work (deck, fence, landscaping, etc.)
• The excavation start date
• The excavation area (e.g., "backyard, 20 feet from house")

The call takes about 5-10 minutes. You'll receive a locate ticket number—keep this. It's your proof of compliance if anything goes wrong.

Option 2: Submit Online

Visit ontario1call.ca and fill out the online locate request form. You'll need:

• Property address and legal description (lot/plan number)
• Site diagram or sketch showing where you'll dig
• Project type and dig date
• Contact information

Online requests are processed during business hours. If you submit on a Friday evening, the 5-business-day countdown doesn't start until Monday.

What Happens After You Call 811

Step 1: Utility Companies Are Notified

Ontario One Call sends your locate request to every registered utility company operating in your area. This typically includes:

• Enbridge (natural gas)
• Waterloo North Hydro, Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro, or Cambridge & North Dumfries Hydro (electricity)
• Bell, Rogers, Cogeco (telecom and cable)
• Your municipality (water and sewer)

Step 2: Locators Visit Your Property

Within 5 business days, each utility company will send a locator to mark their buried infrastructure. They'll use:

• Spray paint (colour-coded by utility type)
• Marking flags
• Wooden stakes for precise locations

Utility colour codes in Ontario:

• Red = Electric power lines, cables, conduit
• Yellow = Natural gas, oil, petroleum
• Orange = Telecommunications, cable TV, fibre optic
• Blue = Potable water
• Green = Sanitary sewers, storm drains
• Pink = Survey markings
• White = Proposed excavation limits (marked by you)

Locators don't need your permission to access your property. They'll mark utilities even if you're not home.

Step 3: You Mark Your Dig Area

Before locators arrive, use white spray paint or flour to outline the area where you'll be digging. This helps locators focus their work and ensures they mark the entire excavation zone.

For a deck project, mark:

• The perimeter where footings will go
• Any trenching routes for stairs or posts
• Access paths for equipment

Step 4: Verify Marks Before Digging

Once all utilities are marked (you may see multiple colours), walk the site and verify:

• All expected utilities are marked (if you know you have gas, confirm yellow marks)
• Marks are visible and clear
• No marks intersect your planned footing locations

If marks fade or are unclear, call 811 again for a re-mark. Locate marks are only valid for 30 days in Ontario. If your project is delayed beyond 30 days, you must request a new locate.

What If You Hit a Utility Line?

Even with locates, accidents happen. Marks can be inaccurate (locators use detection equipment, not X-ray vision), or old undocumented lines may exist.

If you strike or damage a utility:

1. Stop digging immediately

2. Move people and equipment away from the area

3. Call 911 if there's a gas leak, electrical sparking, or risk of fire/explosion

4. Call the utility company (the emergency number is on your gas meter, electrical panel, or utility bill)

5. Call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 to report the incident

Do NOT attempt to repair the line yourself. Even a small nick in a gas line can cause a catastrophic leak hours later.

Penalties for Digging Without a Locate

If you dig without calling 811 and damage a utility, you can face:

• Fines up to $25,000 for individuals under Ontario Regulation 213/91
• Fines up to $1,000,000 for corporations
• Liability for all repair costs, including emergency crews, equipment, and service restoration
• Liability for damages to neighbours (e.g., if you cut their internet or gas service)

Even if you don't hit anything, you can still be fined if an inspector discovers you dug without a valid locate ticket.

How Accurate Are 811 Locates?

Utility locates are generally accurate to within 30-60 cm (12-24 inches) horizontally. Depth estimates are less reliable.

Why locates aren't perfect:

• Locators use electromagnetic detection equipment, which can be thrown off by other metal objects, soil conditions, or interference
• Old paper maps may be inaccurate or incomplete
• Private lines installed by previous homeowners aren't in utility databases
• Lines can shift over time due to frost heave, settling, or root growth

Best practices when digging near marked utilities:

• Hand dig within 1 meter (3 feet) of any marked utility
• Use a plastic-tipped probe or wooden stake to gently feel for buried lines
• Never use a jackhammer, auger, or excavator bucket directly over marks
• Expose the line carefully and confirm depth before using power equipment

If you're installing deck footings with helical piles, the installer will hand-dig or probe first to verify the coast is clear before driving the pile.

Does Calling 811 Delay Your Deck Project?

The 5-business-day wait is the most common frustration. Here's how to minimize delays:

1. Call 811 Before You Book Your Contractor

Submit your locate request as soon as you decide to build. Don't wait until the builder is ready to start. By the time you've finalized your deck quote and pulled your permit, your locate will be ready.

2. Submit Your Locate Request When You Apply for the Permit

Deck permits in Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge can take 2-6 weeks to process. Submit your 811 request at the same time. By the time the permit is approved, your site is marked and ready.

3. Plan for Mark Expiry

If your builder can't start within 30 days of the locate, you'll need to call 811 again for a refresh. Communicate timelines with your contractor to avoid re-marks.

4. Request Locates Early in the Week

If you submit a request Friday afternoon, the 5-business-day clock doesn't start until Monday. Submitting Monday or Tuesday gets you marks by the following week.

What About Deck Footings Less Than 48 Inches Deep?

Ontario's frost line is 48 inches (1.2 m)—the minimum depth for deck footings to avoid heave. Even though you're digging deep, most utilities are buried shallower than that:

• Gas lines: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches) deep
• Electrical: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches) deep
• Water mains: 1.8-2.4 m (6-8 feet) deep to avoid freezing
• Telecom/cable: 30-60 cm (12-24 inches) deep

You'll encounter gas, electric, and telecom lines long before you reach frost depth. Calling 811 is non-negotiable for deck footings.

Can You Dig if Not All Utilities Respond?

Sometimes a utility company won't send a locator within the 5-day window. Maybe they don't have infrastructure in your area, or they're backlogged.

You can legally begin digging if:

• 5 business days have passed since your locate request
• You've made a good-faith effort to contact non-responding utilities
• You dig cautiously and assume unmarked utilities may exist

Never assume "no marks = no utilities." Hand-dig carefully, especially near property lines where service laterals typically run.

If you're uncomfortable starting without full locates, call Ontario One Call back and ask for a status update. They can contact utilities directly.

Do You Need 811 for Every Deck Footing?

Yes. Even if you're only digging four holes for a small 10×10 deck, call 811. Gas lines don't care how small your project is.

For larger decks with 12+ footings spread across your yard, a single locate request covers the entire excavation area. You don't need separate requests for each hole—just make sure your white marks outline the full dig zone.

What If You're Using Helical Piles Instead of Concrete Footings?

Helical piles are screwed into the ground using a hydraulic driver, often without excavation. But the spiral blades can still sever utilities, and the torque can shift or damage nearby lines.

Always call 811 before installing helical piles. Your installer will hand-dig or probe along the pile path to verify clearance before driving.

Common 811 Myths Debunked

Myth 1: "I dug here before and there were no lines"

Utilities are constantly being added, upgraded, or rerouted. A locate from five years ago (or even last year) is irrelevant today.

Myth 2: "I'm only digging 6 inches, so I don't need to call"

Telecom and gas lines can be as shallow as 12 inches. If you're within spade's reach, call 811.

Myth 3: "I'll be careful—I don't need locates"

Careful digging doesn't help if you don't know where the lines are. Most utility strikes happen to people who thought they were being cautious.

Myth 4: "The city will mark my private utilities"

No. 811 only covers utilities owned by registered companies. Your irrigation line, your shed's electrical feed, and your old septic line are your responsibility to locate.

Myth 5: "Locates cost money"

Ontario One Call is 100% free for homeowners and contractors. There's zero excuse not to use it.

Deck Projects and 811: Real-World Timeline

Here's what a typical deck build in Kitchener looks like with 811 in the mix:

Week 1: Finalize design, measure site, request quotes

Week 2: Choose builder, sign contract

Week 3: Submit permit application + call 811

Week 4-6: Permit review (City of Kitchener averages 2-4 weeks)

Week 5: Utility locates completed (within 5 business days of 811 call)

Week 7: Permit approved, builder schedules work

Week 8: Excavation begins (locates still valid—submitted 5 weeks ago)

By timing your 811 call with your permit application, you don't add any delay to the project.

What If You're Building a Low Deck Without Footings?

Low decks built on deck blocks or gravel pads (no excavation) don't require 811 locates—unless you're grading, trenching for drainage, or digging to level the pad.

If you're just setting blocks on the surface, you're clear. But if you're moving soil, scraping grade, or digging even 6 inches for leveling, call 811.

How to Prepare Your Property for Locators

Make it easy for utility locators to do their job:

1. Mark your dig area in white (spray paint or flour)

2. Clear the excavation zone of toys, furniture, firewood, tarps

3. Unlock gates or leave a note if your dig area is in a fenced backyard

4. Leash dogs or keep them inside on locate days

5. Trim tall grass or weeds so marks are visible

Locators work on tight schedules. If they can't access your yard or see your white marks, they may skip your property and you'll have to request a re-mark.

What Happens If Marks Fade Before You Dig?

Locate marks are valid for 30 calendar days from the date of the original request. After 30 days, you must submit a new request.

If marks fade due to rain, snow, or lawn mowing before 30 days, you can request a re-mark by calling 811. Re-marks are free and typically completed within 2-3 business days.

Pro tip: Take photos of all utility marks with your phone immediately after they appear. If marks fade and you're still within the 30-day window, the photos help you dig safely while waiting for the re-mark crew.

Does 811 Apply to Rural Properties Outside KWC?

Yes. Ontario One Call covers the entire province, including rural areas in Wilmot Township, Woolwich Township, and North Dumfries.

Rural properties often have:

• Propane lines to buried tanks
• Private wells with buried electrical feeds
• Septic systems with distribution lines
• Long driveways with buried hydro or telecom

Even if you're on a farm or acreage, call 811. Rural service lines can run hundreds of feet from the road to your house, crossing prime deck-building locations.

Common Questions

How much does it cost to call Ontario One Call?

Free. There are no fees for homeowners or contractors to submit locate requests. Utility companies fund the service.

Can I dig the same day I call 811?

No. You must wait at least 5 business days before digging. If you call Monday, the earliest you can dig is the following Monday (assuming no holidays). Weekends and statutory holidays don't count as business days.

What if I need to dig in an emergency (e.g., a burst pipe)?

For genuine emergencies, call 811 and select the emergency option. Utility companies will prioritize your request and may send locators within hours. You can also call individual utilities directly (e.g., Enbridge's emergency line for gas).

Do I need a new locate if I'm digging in the same spot months later?

Yes. Locates expire after 30 days. Even if nothing has changed on your property, utilities may have been added or rerouted. Always submit a fresh request if more than 30 days have passed.

What if the builder I hire says they'll "handle the locate"?

Verify that they actually submitted a request and received a ticket number. Some builders skip this step to save time. Ask to see the locate ticket confirmation. If they can't produce one, submit the request yourself and delay the start date if needed. You're the property owner—you're liable if something goes wrong.

Can I remove or paint over utility marks after I'm done digging?

Utility marks will fade naturally within a few weeks due to rain, mowing, and UV exposure. You can speed this up by spraying them with water or mowing over flags. Don't paint over marks until your project is 100% complete—you may need to reference them later if issues arise.