01Trade cost
Paving and asphalt cost in Canada
Granular base, asphalt or concrete paving, curbs and line marking. Base preparation is the durable part of the cost, and skimping on it is the most common false economy on a site.
02The rate
Commercial hourly
$75 – $135
Billed rate, national band
General hourly
$65 – $115
House-scale work
Commercial $/sf
$4 – $7
2% of hard cost
General $/sf
$6 – $9
From the residential band
The cost per square foot above is not a separate dataset. It is 2% of the curated new-build hard-cost band and 0% of the curated fit-out band that the market pages already publish, so this page can never contradict them.
03General versus commercial
The two segments, side by side
| Segment | Hourly | New build $/sf | Fit-out $/sf |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / residential | $65 – $115 | $6 – $9 | — |
| Commercial | $75 – $135 | $4 – $7 | — |
Why commercial paving and asphalt bills higher
A commercial trailer court or parking field is engineered for axle loading with a thicker base and structure. A residential driveway is a fraction of the depth.
What the quoted rate covers
Normally: Granular base placement and compaction; Asphalt or concrete paving to specified depth; Curbs, catch-basin adjustment and line marking. Normally not: Subgrade repair and undercut of soft soils; Storm drainage structures; Geotextile and geogrid unless specified; Seasonal restrictions on asphalt supply.
Buildlor facts
- Paving and asphalt is 2% of hard cost on a new build.
- Paving and asphalt is 0% of hard cost on a fit-out.
- Hard cost is typically 60 to 75 percent of an all-in budget, so a trade's share of the total is smaller again.
04What moves the number
Cost drivers
- Axle loading: a truck court needs a heavy-duty structure that can be double a car-park section.
- Subgrade quality decides whether the base is 200 or 600 millimetres.
- Asphalt is oil-linked, so this trade escalates with fuel rather than with labour.
- Paving season in most of Canada is roughly seven months, which prices schedule risk.
05By market
Paving and asphalt cost by city
Every market below carries a curated cost factor, so the trade rate moves with it. Markets we publish a dedicated page for are linked.
| Market | Commercial $/sf | General $/sf |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto, ON | $5 – $7 | $6 – $9 |
| Montreal, QC | $4 – $6 | $5 – $8 |
| Calgary, AB | $4 – $7 | $5 – $8 |
| Ottawa, ON | $4 – $7 | $6 – $9 |
| Edmonton, AB | $4 – $6 | $5 – $8 |
| Winnipeg, MB | $4 – $6 | $5 – $8 |
| Mississauga, ON | $5 – $7 | $6 – $9 |
| Vancouver, BC | $5 – $8 | $6 – $10 |
06Questions
How much does paving and asphalt cost per hour?
Paving and asphalt is billed in a band, not at one rate. Commercial work bills above general work for the same hour because of documentation, inspection and coordination. The bands on this page are national baselines; the market table shows how they move by city.
Why is commercial paving and asphalt more expensive than residential?
A commercial trailer court or parking field is engineered for axle loading with a thicker base and structure. A residential driveway is a fraction of the depth.
What share of a construction budget is paving and asphalt?
2% of hard cost on a new build and 0% of a fit-out, on the division splits Buildlor publishes. Those shares are how the cost per square foot on this page is derived.
Is this a quote?
No. Buildlor is a data publisher, not a contractor. These are indicative benchmarks for the stage before you tender, and every page states what it excludes.
Buildlor Construction Cost Index · Last updated 2026-01-15 · Maintained by Buildlor Cost Desk
Not advice — Buildlor is a data publisher. We do not bid, price, estimate, or build work, and nothing here is a quote, a tender price, or construction advice. Figures are indicative order-of-magnitude benchmarks for early budgeting and must be confirmed by a qualified cost consultant, quantity surveyor, or general contractor before you rely on them. About Buildlor