Wheelchair Ramp Slope and Size Guide (Canada, 2026)

The steepest slope CMHC recommends for a home wheelchair ramp in Canada is 1:12 (8.3%): about 300 mm of ramp for every 25 mm of rise, or 1 foot of ramp for every inch. So a porch 457 mm (18 in.) above the ground needs a ramp 5.5 m (18 ft) long, before landings. CMHC recommends gentler slopes of 1:15 to 1:20 for anyone with limited strength, and as of 2026 Ontario's Building Code requires a maximum of 1 in 12 for barrier-free ramps in public buildings.

Families who call us are usually surprised by the length. Three steps at the door of an Ottawa bungalow can mean 5.5 to 7.3 m (18 to 24 ft) of ramp, plus landings. Here are the numbers, how to measure, and when a lift beats a ramp.

Do this next:

• Measure the rise at your parent's door (steps below), then find your ramp length in the table.
• Compare wheelchair ramp installers, ranked by Confidence Score, and get two site visits.
• Estimate what the ramp gets back at tax time with our free Home Renovation Tax Credit Calculator.

What is the right slope for a wheelchair ramp?

1:12 is the steepest you should build, and 1:16 to 1:20 is what most seniors can manage on their own. The ratio means 1 unit of rise for every 12 units of length. CMHC's ramp fact sheet says many people find 1:12 hard to use independently, and that slopes of 1 in 15, 1 in 18 or 1 in 20 "require less effort."

Our take: If your parent pushes their own chair or uses a walker, build to 1:16 if the yard allows it. A 1:12 ramp they can't climb alone keeps them housebound just as surely as the steps did. CMHC's tip is a good one: have your parent try a public ramp at the post office, bank or library first, since those are built to 1:12 or gentler.

How long does a wheelchair ramp need to be for your step height?

Multiply the rise by the second number in the ratio. Here is the length of the sloped part only, rounded:

Then add the landings. CMHC wants a flat area of at least 1,500 x 1,500 mm (60 x 60 in.) at the top and bottom, and a rest landing at least 1,500 mm long so that no single run is longer than 6 m (20 ft) for most users, and never more than 9 m (30 ft). A 610 mm (24 in.) rise at 1:12 is about 7.3 m of slope plus three landings: roughly 12 m (40 ft) of ramp, often folded into an L or a switchback.

How do you measure the rise for a ramp?

The rise is the vertical distance from the ground where the ramp will end to the top of the door threshold, not to the top step. Here's how to get it right:

1. Lay a long, straight board on the threshold and hold it out over the steps, level.
2. Measure straight down from the board to the ground at the bottom step.
3. If the ground slopes away from the house, measure again where the ramp would land, because a falling grade adds rise.
4. Check the door swing: the top landing has to be flat and clear of it.

Our take: Measure twice and photograph the tape. A guessed "about two feet" often means a modular ramp one section short.

How wide should a home ramp be, and what about landings and handrails?

CMHC recommends a clear width of 1,000 mm (39 in.) between the handrails, handrails on both sides at 860 to 915 mm (34 to 36 in.), and a level landing at the top and bottom. Ontario's barrier-free rules for public buildings are close to CMHC's and are a useful benchmark:

The Ontario column comes from the barrier-free ramp article (Division B, 3.8.3.4) of the 2012 Ontario Building Code, as summarized by the City of Oshawa. Ontario's 2024 Building Code took effect January 1, 2025, so confirm current figures with your building department. The national standard behind public-building accessibility is CSA/ASC B651:23, Accessible design for the built environment.

CMHC also suggests round rails 30 to 40 mm across that can be gripped the whole way, contrasting colours for low vision, and good lighting.

How do you keep a wheelchair ramp safe in a Canadian winter?

A covered ramp is best; failing that, place it where snow and roof drip won't land, and choose a surface you can shovel and salt. CMHC's winter advice for ramps:

• Put the ramp on the side of the house least exposed to drifting snow and wind-blown rain, and away from the roof edge.
• Choose a surface that can be shovelled, and leave a gap under the rails so snow can be pushed off.
• Broom-finished concrete stands up best to ice chipping, salt and sand. Grated metal lets snow fall through.
• Painted or stained wood turns slippery when wet; sand-in-paint needs redoing about every three years.
• Keep the cross slope no steeper than 2% and drains outside the path, so water doesn't pool and freeze.

Our take: The ramp is only as safe as its snow clearing. Before the first storm, add the ramp to your parent's snow removal contract, in writing, and ask for it to be cleared and salted by 8 a.m. A ramp that is clear by noon is no use for a 9 a.m. dialysis ride.

What types of wheelchair ramps are there, and what do they cost?

For most homes, a modular aluminium ramp is the right first choice: about $1,500 to $6,000 installed in 2026, reusable, and up in a day or two. Typical prices are illustrative installed ranges from our wheelchair ramps directory, not official figures:

Length drives cost: every extra 152 mm (6 in.) of rise adds 1.8 m (6 ft) of ramp at 1:12. CMHC also warns that settlement and frost heave can shift a modular ramp, so the base matters.

Our take: Portable ramps are the most misused product in this category. They're fine in the trunk for visits, but on a daily entrance they're usually too steep and have no rails. If the need is daily, buy a proper modular ramp with handrails.

When is a ramp the wrong answer?

When the rise is more than about 760 mm (30 in.), or the yard can't fit the length, a porch lift or vertical platform lift is usually better. CMHC says ramps are most useful up to about 760 mm; beyond that, a lift may be the better strategy.

A lift also suits a parent who can't manage any slope. If the trouble is inside the house too, compare our stair lift cost guide and home elevator cost guide.

What does a premium accessible entrance look like?

The best entrances don't look like ramps at all. CMHC's "landscape approach" grades the walkway itself to 1 in 20 or gentler, so no railings are needed unless there's a drop-off. At the upper end, families choose:

• A graded, curving stone or interlock walkway that reaches the door at the same level, designed with the garden.
• A covered ramp or entry, so snow and freezing rain never reach the surface.
• A heated surface, which CMHC calls positive but expensive.
• An enclosed, weather-rated porch lift finished to match the house.
• A garage entry: a short ramp or platform lift inside the garage, out of the weather, often the smartest premium choice in a two-car Oakville or Burlington home.

Our take: If budget allows, the garage entry beats the grand front ramp for daily life. It's dry, private and right beside the car. Save the landscaped front walkway for when you're redoing the yard anyway.

Do you need a permit to build a wheelchair ramp in Ontario?

Often for a permanent built ramp, rarely for a portable one, so ask your municipality before work starts. CMHC says permits are generally not needed for minor level changes, landscaped slopes or portable ramps, but are usually required for longer ramps or a significant change in level.

Ontario's Building Code accessibility page says houses "are not affected by most of the other accessibility requirements," so a home ramp needn't meet the barrier-free rules above. The general ramp rules still apply: under the 2012 code, as North Bay summarizes, a ramp serving one home must be at least 860 mm wide and no steeper than 1 in 10 outdoors.

In Toronto, the city's building permit page doesn't list ramps, but it requires a permit for a deck more than 60 cm (24 in.) above ground, and a raised ramp landing can be just that. Call Toronto Building, or your own city, and have the installer handle the permit.

Can you get help paying for a wheelchair ramp?

• Home Accessibility Tax Credit: a ramp is a textbook renovation to help someone "gain access to" their home, in the CRA's words. For someone 65 or older or eligible for the Disability Tax Credit, it's 14% of up to $20,000 of expenses for 2026, so up to about $2,800. See our Home Accessibility Tax Credit guide.
• Medical Expense Tax Credit: the CRA's medical expense details list ramps as an example of renovation costs for a person with a severe and prolonged mobility impairment, and the same expense can also count for the HATC.
• March of Dimes (Ontario): the Home and Vehicle Modification Program offers up to $15,000 lifetime for home modifications to Ontario residents with a mobility disability and combined income under $60,000 (contributions are required over $35,000). Its March 2025 application funds modular ramps, considers a built ramp only when an OT has documented that a modular ramp won't work, lists concrete ramps as ineligible, and accepts outdoor ramp applications that need poured concrete only from April 1 to October 31.
• Ontario ADP: the Assistive Devices Program lists "home renovations (including ramps, porch lifts, etc.)" as not covered.

How do you choose a ramp installer and avoid pressure sales?

Get two in-home quotes, and ask each installer to:

1. Measure the rise themselves and state the slope they're quoting (1:12, 1:16 or other) in writing.
2. Show the full layout on a drawing, with every landing and its size, and the handrails on both sides.
3. Explain the base and anchoring for frost heave, and who handles the permit.
4. Quote one all-in price: ramp, installation, removal of old steps if needed, permit and disposal.
5. Confirm a buy-back or removal price for a modular ramp, in case needs change.

Be wary of anyone who pushes a same-day signature. In Ontario, most contracts over $50 signed at home come with a 10-day cooling-off period to cancel.

Our take: Book an occupational therapist before the quotes. An OT measures your parent's chair and strength and recommends the slope and width, March of Dimes requires an OT letter, and it turns "we need a ramp" into a spec every installer prices the same way.

How do you manage a ramp project for a parent, including from a distance?

• Put your name and number on the contract as the contact, so the installer calls you about changes, not only your parent.
• Ask for photos of the base, the landings and the finished ramp with a level on it, and keep the drawing.
• Do a first ride together before the final payment.
• Pay by cheque or e-transfer from your account, never cash to a crew at the door.
• Set a seasonal check: loose rails, lifting sections and worn grip tape each spring and fall, and snow clearing every winter.

If your parent says they don't need a ramp, start with what they want to keep doing: getting to church, the garden, their Ottawa hair appointment. Ask them to try a ramp at the library first, so the choice is theirs. Our free care conversation guide has words for the harder talks. For the rest of the house, see our aging in place guide and the wheelchair accessible bathroom guide.