Best Moving Companies in Ottawa: 2026 Local Guide

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Ottawa has a competitive moving market, with dozens of companies competing for residential and commercial moves. Below are seven moving companies to compare, starting with our own, followed by a snapshot table and the questions to ask before you sign.

Looking for Ottawa movers? Visit our main Ottawa moving company page for services, coverage areas, and a fast written quote.

How We Ranked

Men In Trucks is listed first because it is our company. The other six are companies we chose to include for comparison. Their positions are list order, not scores, and they are not rated against each other.

The 7 Best Movers in Ottawa for 2026

1. Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — Best Overall, Best for Long-Distance and Commercial

Founded: 2010 | Reputation: one of the highly rated Ottawa movers on Google | Insurance: licensed and insured | Phone: 613-800-0917 | Website: mitmoving.ca

Men In Trucks Moving Inc. is a federally incorporated, family-owned Ottawa moving company that has been moving Ottawa homes and businesses since 2010. The team is led by owner Mohamed Abu Saida, who personally signs off on customer escalations. Base hourly rates are published: from $150/hr for 2 movers and $195/hr for 3 movers, plus HST, with a 3-hour minimum plus a one-hour travel fee inside Ottawa. Your written quote shows the exact rate for your date. A $100 Interac e-Transfer confirms the booking.

Why we list it first: it is our company. It publishes its base hourly rates, handles residential, commercial and long-distance moves, and offers warehouse storage.

Best for: Long-distance moves Ottawa → Toronto / Montreal / GTA, commercial and office relocations, white-glove furniture and antique delivery, senior residence moves on published base hourly rates.

Pros: Direct owner contact line, published base hourly rates, warehouse storage, in Ottawa since 2010, services in English/French/Arabic.

Cons: Peak-season (May–September) and end-of-month dates fill first, so book those early. We do not lead on everything: several companies on this page have been in business much longer, and some have more Google reviews.

→ Get a Men In Trucks quote

2. AMJ Campbell Ottawa — Best for Cross-Country and International

AMJ Campbell’s Ottawa location page lists an Ottawa address and says it has operated in Ottawa since 1984. It lists home and office moving, storage and warehousing, packing, and US and international moves. The page shows no hourly rate, so ask it for a quote.

Best for: Cross-country, US and international moves, and office relocations.

3. First Rate Movers Ottawa — Best for Full-Service Packing

Ottawa mover that publishes its local rates. Its local rates page lists average rates of $55/hr for a truck plus $65/hr per mover, about $185/hr for two movers and a truck, lower at quieter times of the month and in winter and higher at peak times such as weekends, month-end and much of the summer. It adds a one-hour travel charge on local moves, and it charges a $200 administrative fee to book a local move, which it credits against the final bill (non-refundable if you cancel or postpone). Its site also lists packing, storage and moves within Ontario, including between Ottawa and Toronto; the page we checked does not say how long it has been in business.

Best for: Customers who want packing services with the move.

4. Two Men and a Truck Ottawa — Best for National-Brand Recognition

Franchise moving brand; its website says its Canadian locations are Canadian owned and operated. Its Ottawa page lists local and long-distance moving, packing, piano moving, junk removal and storage. It shows no hourly rate and does not say when the Ottawa location opened, so ask it for a quote.

Best for: Customers who prefer a recognizable national brand name. See our dedicated Two Men and a Truck Ottawa alternative comparison.

5. Beba Moving — Best for Small Moves and Studio Apartments

Ottawa mover that says it has operated since 2014. Its website publishes hourly rates, including one-mover and labour-only options, and lists apartment, condo, house and office moves, long-distance moves, packing, storage and junk removal.

Best for: Customers who want a choice of crew size, from a single mover or labour-only help to a larger crew with a truck.

6. Augusta Movers Ottawa — Best for Established Local Track Record

Moving company based in Toronto; its website names it Augusta Movers Toronto Inc. Its long-distance page says its crews make regular trips to and from cities including Ottawa, and it offers a back-haul service for moves from Ottawa to Toronto. It lists storage services; the pages we checked show no hourly rate and do not say how long it has been in business. For a move within Ottawa, ask which crew and truck would do the job.

Best for: Customers moving between Ottawa and Toronto who want a Toronto-based company’s quote to compare.

7. You Move Me Ottawa — Best for Branded Customer Experience

Moving brand with locations in the United States and Canada. Its locations page lists no Ottawa location; its nearest Ontario locations are Toronto and Guelph-Kitchener-Waterloo. Its website lists local and long-distance moves and free virtual or in-person estimates; the pages we checked show no hourly rate and do not mention storage or say how long it has been in business. Check that it serves your address before you book.

Best for: Customers who want a quote from a multi-city moving brand.

Other Ottawa Movers Worth Comparing

These companies are not in the list above, but they are also worth a quote. The details below are from their own websites. Check each company’s current rates, availability and reviews directly before you book.

• Adam’s Moving: local residential and commercial mover that says it has served the Ottawa region since 1969.
• Boyd Moving: long-running Ottawa mover that says it has operated since 1947, with local and long-distance services.
• Cassidy’s: Ottawa-area moving and storage company that says it has been in business since 1908.
• Parkview Moving: Ottawa mover that says it has operated since 2010, with local, long-distance, packing and storage services listed on its website.

Whichever company you shortlist, the six questions further down and our Ottawa moving cost guide will help you compare written quotes on the same terms.

Best Mover by Specific Need

• Best for residential moves in Ottawa: Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — published base hourly rates, knowledgeable about Ottawa neighbourhood quirks (the Glebe parking, Vanier triplex stairs, Kanata high-rise elevator booking).
• Best for office movers in Ottawa and commercial relocations: Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — IT decommissioning included, four-mover crews for larger offices.
• Best for long-distance moves out of Ottawa: Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — one written flat-rate quote per long-distance move; routes include Toronto, Montreal, the GTA, the Maritimes and Western Canada.
• Best for white-glove furniture delivery: Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — premium handling for antiques, fine art, fragile electronics, pianos, large appliances.
• Best for piano moves in Ottawa: Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — uprights, grands and specialty pianos moved on a piano board and dolly, with stairs planned in the quote; see what a piano move costs in Ottawa before you compare.
• Best for senior residence moves: Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — unhurried pace on published base hourly rates, and move-in coordination with Ottawa retirement residences.
• Best for storage during a move: Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — secure indoor warehouse storage in the Ottawa area.
• Best for international or transborder relocation: AMJ Campbell — its Ottawa location page lists US and international moves.

Best Local Movers in Ottawa for Hourly Moves

For most moves inside the city — a condo in Centretown, a townhouse in Barrhaven, a family home in Kanata or Orléans — the deciding factors are the hourly rate, the minimum booking, and how travel time is billed. Men In Trucks publishes its base hourly rates, minimum and travel fee (see the Men In Trucks profile above), and the hourly movers page lists what is included. First Rate Movers, Beba Moving and Ottawa Pro Movers also publish rates on their websites; Two Men and a Truck’s Ottawa page and Parkview’s home page showed no hourly rate when we checked, so ask them for a quote. For a studio or one-bedroom, a two-mover small move is usually the better booking.

Best Movers for House Moves in Ottawa

A three- or four-bedroom house is where crew size and truck size matter most. Men In Trucks staffs house moves with three or four movers; the 2026 Ottawa moving cost guide shows typical totals by home size, including the stairs, long-carry and heavy-item line items that change a house quote. For a larger home it is also worth getting a quote from one of the long-established Ottawa companies: Cassidy’s, Boyd Moving and Adam’s Moving say on their websites that they have operated since 1908, 1947 and 1969 respectively. If the sale and the purchase do not close on the same day, moving and storage bridges the gap without a second loading day.

Budget Movers in Ottawa: What a Low Rate Actually Buys

Marketplace and classified-ad movers can advertise very low rates, so check what the price includes: insurance, a proper truck, furniture pads and a confirmed crew. Whoever you hire, ask for a current certificate of insurance before you pay a deposit. The most reliable way to lower a bill is not a cheaper crew but a smaller job: pack yourself, or book a partial packing service for the kitchen only; move mid-week and mid-month; and book a small-move crew when the load fits in one truck run.

Most Reliable Movers in Ottawa: How to Judge It

Reliability shows up in three places: whether the crew arrives in the window it promised, whether the crew that loads is the crew that unloads, and how clearly the quote states what happens if the day runs long. Ask every company on this list the six questions further down before signing. Men In Trucks puts its rate, minimum and travel rule in writing before the day; the furniture protection standards we use on every job are described on the furniture-moving page.

Best Mover by Ottawa Neighbourhood

• Kanata moves: Men In Trucks — Bridlewood, Kanata Lakes and Hazeldean coverage.
• Stittsville and Richmond: Men In Trucks — new-build streets off Hazeldean and Fernbank, Jackson Trails and Crossing Bridge.
• Nepean and Barrhaven: Men In Trucks in Nepean and in Barrhaven — Barrhaven big-box parking, Nepean bungalow attic clearance.
• Orleans and east-end: Men In Trucks — Innes Road corridor, Convent Glen, Avalon.
• Gloucester, Blossom Park and Hunt Club: Men In Trucks — airport-corridor access, Beacon Hill and Blackburn Hamlet townhome rows.
• Centretown, the Glebe, Sandy Hill: Men In Trucks — narrow-street parking, walk-up apartments, character-home stairs.
• Manotick / Greely / rural south: Men In Trucks — long-driveway access, rural delivery routing.
• Gatineau (Quebec side): Men In Trucks — interprovincial moves, Hull / Aylmer / Gatineau coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing an Ottawa Mover

How much does a moving company in Ottawa typically cost?

Hourly rates vary with crew size, the date and the company, and so do minimums and travel charges. Several companies publish their rates online, including First Rate Movers, Beba Moving and Ottawa Pro Movers, so compare quotes for the same crew size and date. Men In Trucks publishes base hourly rates from $150/hr for 2 movers and $195/hr for 3 movers, plus HST, with a 3-hour minimum plus a one-hour travel fee inside Ottawa; your written quote shows the exact rate for your date.

What insurance should an Ottawa mover have?

Ask for a current certificate of insurance showing general liability and cargo coverage, and ask how a damage claim is valued and what the deductible is. Men In Trucks is licensed and insured, with its certificate available on request.

How far in advance should I book a mover in Ottawa?

For end-of-month moves between May and September (peak season), book 2-3 weeks ahead. Off-peak and mid-month dates are usually easier to book.

What questions should I ask before booking?

1. What is your hourly rate, and what’s the minimum bill?
2. What is your insurance coverage per claim?
3. How long have you been operating in Ottawa?
4. Can I speak with the owner or a manager if there’s an issue?
5. Do you offer storage if I need it during the move?
6. How is the deposit handled, and what can change the final bill on move day?

How do I check that a mover is insured?

Ask for a current certificate of insurance and the company’s full legal name, and check that the name on the certificate matches your quote. Reputable movers will provide the certificate before you pay a deposit.

Get a Quote From Our #1 Pick

Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — Ottawa Movers Since 2010 · five-star moving service · licensed and insured · warehouse storage

📞 613-800-0917 · ✉️ [email protected] · 🌐 mitmoving.ca/contact

Free quote · No obligation

Disclosure: This page is published by Men In Trucks Moving Inc., and we list our own company first. Facts about other companies come from their own websites, and the review comparison from their Google Business Profiles, checked on 28 September 2026; they can change, so confirm current rates, services and availability with each company. All trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Compare quotes from more than one mover before you book.

2026 Ottawa Movers — At-a-Glance Comparison

This snapshot compares Men In Trucks with six other Ottawa moving companies we chose for comparison. Entries for other companies come from each company’s own website, checked on 28 September 2026: the Ottawa location page for Two Men and a Truck, the local rates page for First Rate Movers, and the home page for the others. “Ask” means the page we checked did not state it, so confirm it with the company.

How to read this table

The last column shows whether each company publishes an hourly rate on the page we checked. Real invoices vary by crew size, date, distance, packing scope and building access, so compare full quotes rather than headline rates.

Side-by-side snapshot

Mover	Years in Ottawa	Fleet visibility	Bilingual EN/FR	Warehouse storage	Starting rate (2 movers)
Men In Trucks	Since 2010	Crew and truck size named on each quote	Yes (owner-operated)	Yes, in the Ottawa area	From $150/hr (published base rate)
Two Men and a Truck Ottawa	Ask	Ask	Ask	Yes (per its site)	Quote on request
First Rate Movers	Ask	Ask	Ask	Yes (per its site)	Published: average rates, higher at peak
Parkview Moving	Since 2010 (per its site)	Ask	Ask	Yes (per its site)	Quote on request
Ottawa Pro Movers	10+ years (per its site)	Ask	Ask	Yes (per its site)	Published: starting rates
Cassidy’s Transfer and Storage	Since 1908 (per its site)	Ask	Ask	Yes (per its site)	Quote on request
Boyd Moving Company	Since 1947 (per its site)	Ask	French version of its website	Yes (per its site)	Quote on request

This is a snapshot, not a ranking. The right Ottawa mover for a given household depends on the specific job — apartment versus single-family, local versus long-distance, packing scope, building access, schedule, and budget. We encourage homeowners to compare at least two written quotes side by side. See our Ottawa movers service page for our own scope of work, our long-distance moving hub for interprovincial routes, and our storage page for warehouse-based interim storage.

What to Ask Before You Sign a Moving Contract in Ottawa

A written quote that protects you should answer six concrete questions before you put a deposit down. These are the same questions our own dispatch team works through with every booking, and they are equally useful when comparing competitors.

1. Is the price an hourly rate, a flat rate, or a binding estimate?

Most Ottawa local moves are billed hourly with a minimum charge, because the duration of a local move depends heavily on access conditions (stairs, elevator wait, walking distance from truck). Long-distance moves out of Ottawa are usually flat-rate per load. A binding estimate is rare and typically reserved for very large or complex jobs. If a mover quotes you a flat number for a local move sight-unseen, ask what is included and what triggers a change order.

2. What is the travel-time policy?

Most Ottawa movers add a travel charge. Some bill door-to-door from their depot, some bill flat one-hour zones, and some bill per kilometre outside a defined service radius. Our own policy inside Ottawa is a one-hour travel fee at your crew’s rate; moves that start or end outside Ottawa get a flat price for the first 3 hours. Either way it is on the quote, so it never surprises a customer at the end of the day.

3. What insurance coverage applies, and what is the deductible?

Ask for a current certificate of insurance showing general liability and cargo coverage, and ask how a damage claim would be valued (for example by weight, or at repair or replacement cost). Confirm the deductible, the claim process and any exclusions in writing before move day.

4. Will the same crew handle move-out and move-in?

For local moves it usually is the same crew, but ask. For long-distance moves it depends on whether the mover sends its own truck the whole way or hands the shipment to another carrier, so ask, and get the answer in writing. Men In Trucks gives that answer in writing before booking.

5. Who handles the deposit, and how is it applied?

A deposit reserves the date and crew. Our standard is a $100 deposit applied to the final invoice once the move is complete. Customers should ask whether the deposit is refundable up to a certain cancellation window, what happens if the mover reschedules, and how a deposit is reconciled on a final bill that comes in under or over the original estimate.

6. What does the written quote include, and what is explicitly excluded?

A complete written quote names the crew size, the truck size, the hourly rate or flat rate, the travel policy, the minimum hours billed, the deposit terms, and any add-ons (packing supplies, fuel surcharge, stair charges, long-carry charges, piano or safe handling). Anything not on the written quote is a potential surprise. Comparing two written quotes side by side is straightforward; comparing two verbal quotes is not.

How Men In Trucks Compares — Honestly

We do not believe in writing competitor comparisons that flatter ourselves and disparage others. The Ottawa moving market has many good operators serving different needs, and each describes its own services on its website. What follows is how we describe our own service, in terms an Ottawa homeowner can check with us on the phone or in writing.

Owner-operated and bilingual. Mohamed Abu Saida owns and runs dispatch. Quote calls go to the person responsible for the schedule, not a call centre. A meaningful share of our crew operate in both French and English, which matters for cross-river moves and for the Outaouais market specifically. See our Gatineau page for the bilingual scope of work.

Published hourly rates. Our base hourly rates, minimum and travel fee are listed in the Men In Trucks profile near the top of this page. We publish them so a homeowner can compare them against any written quote from a competitor.

Warehouse storage. We offer secure indoor warehouse storage in the Ottawa area, for short-term storage between move-out and move-in and long-term storage for downsizing. See our Ottawa storage page for capacity and access details.

Long-distance quotes. For moves from Ottawa to Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Mississauga, Sudbury and Barrie, each move gets its own written flat-rate quote before booking. See our long-distance moving hub.

Packing services. Full pack, partial pack, and unpack services are available with the move; ask us how packing time and materials would be charged for your move. See packing services.

Looking at MIT as a Two Men and a Truck Alternative

Many Ottawa homeowners shortlist Two Men and a Truck because of the brand recognition and add a second company for a comparison quote. We are frequently that second quote. If you would like a side-by-side comparison with the franchise model, including published rates versus quote-on-request, see our dedicated Two Men and a Truck Ottawa alternative page.

2026 Buyer-Education FAQ

How do I tell the difference between a licensed Ottawa mover and a broker?

A licensed mover operates its own trucks and crews and carries commercial vehicle insurance under its own name. A broker takes the booking and assigns it to a carrier. Brokers are not illegal, but the customer should know which one they are signing with. Ask for the mover’s CVOR (Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration) number for Ontario operations and the truck registration if the booking is for a specific date.

Should I read Google reviews or BBB reviews?

Both. Google reviews give volume and recency. BBB shows complaint resolution history. Look for patterns: a few one-star reviews on a high-volume profile are statistically expected; a pattern of complaints about damage claims being denied is meaningful.

When should I book my Ottawa move?

Peak season is May through September. End-of-month dates and Saturdays book first. For a peak-season move, four to six weeks of lead time is usually enough. For end-of-June or end-of-August, eight weeks is safer. Off-season moves (November through March) often have same-week availability.

How is the deposit handled if I need to reschedule?

Industry practice varies. Our own policy is that the $100 deposit moves with the booking to a new date with at least 48 hours notice. Inside 48 hours, we ask the customer to call so we can balance the dispatch and avoid a stranded crew. We document the policy on the quote so it is clear before the deposit is collected.

What does “binding estimate” mean and should I ask for one?

A binding estimate is a written quote that the mover commits not to exceed. It is most useful for complex long-distance jobs where the customer wants budget certainty. For routine local moves it is rare because the duration is access-dependent. We use binding estimates on Ottawa-area corporate and government relocations where the customer needs a fixed cost for purchase-order purposes.

Are there extra charges for stairs, elevators, or long walks from the truck?

Some movers itemize these as line items. Others fold them into the hourly billing. With our hourly billing, stairs and long carries add time on the hourly clock; pianos and safes are quoted separately, and we confirm that before the quote is finalized so there is no surprise on the invoice.

How does Men In Trucks handle long-distance moves out of Ottawa?

Every long-distance move gets one written flat-rate quote, built from your inventory, the distance and the delivery window, with the crew, truck and delivery window confirmed before booking. See our long-distance moving hub for the corridors we serve regularly. For a long-distance-only comparison of van lines, franchises and Ottawa-based movers, see best long-distance moving companies in Ottawa.

Where do I start if I want a quote today?

Call 613-800-0917 to speak with our dispatch directly, or start an online booking at our local-movers booking page. We confirm the quote in writing and apply the deposit to the final invoice.

Get a Written Quote — Same-Day Turnaround

We turn most Ottawa quote requests around the same day. The quote names the crew size, the truck size, the hourly rate, the travel policy, the minimum hours, and the deposit terms. Compare it against any other Ottawa mover’s written quote. Call dispatch at 613-800-0917 or book online at our local-movers booking page.

Relocating to Ottawa from elsewhere in the GTA? Our dedicated Toronto to Ottawa movers page covers the 450 km Hwy 401 reverse-route corridor with the same flat-rate quoting and bilingual crew options described above — useful if you are evaluating Ottawa-side movers for a Toronto-origin move and want to know how the pricing structure carries over from one direction to the other.

Related reading: how we compare to Two Men and a Truck · questions to ask your Ottawa moving company · hiring professional movers in Ottawa · movers near me in Ottawa