Quick answer: running Google or Meta ads in Ottawa has two separate costs. Ad spend (paid straight to Google or Meta) usually starts at $1,000 to $3,000 CAD a month for a local business, and the management fee (paid to whoever runs the ads) typically runs $500 to $3,000 a month, or about 10% to 20% of spend for larger budgets. Published Ottawa agency management plans range from about $1,500 to $3,000 a month by spend tier, with performance agencies starting near $5,000. These are typical market ranges, not 1 Club prices.
The most common complaint we hear is "we spent money on ads and got nothing." Usually the ads were not the only problem. Leads came in at 8 p.m. and nobody called back until Thursday, or the ad sent people to a homepage with no clear next step. Knowing what you are paying for, and what the money is supposed to produce, fixes most of that.
Ad spend vs management fee
- Ad spend is what you pay Google or Meta for clicks, calls and views. It should be billed to your own card, in your own ad account. A local service business in Ottawa often starts at $1,000 to $3,000 a month; competitive fields like law, renovation and real estate commonly need $3,000 to $10,000 to compete.
- Management fee pays for strategy, ad writing and design, landing pages, tracking, testing and reporting. It is paid to the agency or freelancer, separately from spend.
- Set-up fee is a one-off charge some providers add for account structure, conversion tracking and first campaigns, typically $500 to $2,500.
Typical management fee tiers in Ottawa (2026, CAD)
- Freelancer or starter plan, one platform: about $500 to $1,500 a month. A few campaigns on Google or Meta, monthly reporting.
- Agency plan, ad spend up to about $5,000: roughly $1,500 to $2,500 a month. Google and Meta, landing pages, conversion tracking, regular testing.
- Agency plan, ad spend $5,000 to $10,000+: roughly $2,500 to $5,000 a month, or 10% to 20% of spend. More campaigns, more creative, more frequent reporting.
- Performance or growth agencies: from about $5,000 a month and up, usually with a three-month set-up period and fees that scale with spend.
What drives the cost
- Number of platforms. Google Search, Google Local Services, Meta, YouTube and LinkedIn each need their own set-up and creative.
- Creative needs. Video and fresh images each month cost more than text ads. Meta ads live or die on creative.
- Landing pages. One focused page per offer converts far better than sending clicks to your homepage. See the landing page guide.
- Tracking. Proper call tracking, form tracking and server-side conversion tracking take time but let the platforms find more people like your real customers.
- French and English campaigns. Targeting Gatineau and francophone Ottawa means separate ads, not a translated copy.
- Seasonality. Snow removal, HVAC, landscaping and tax services in Ottawa swing hard by season, so budgets and campaigns need adjusting through the year.
Red flags in an ads quote
- The agency owns the ad account. You should own your Google Ads and Meta Business accounts, with the agency added as a partner. Otherwise your history leaves when they do.
- Ad spend hidden inside a flat fee. If you cannot see what went to Google or Meta and what went to the agency, you cannot judge either.
- Reports with clicks but no leads. Ask for cost per lead and cost per booked customer, not impressions.
- No plan for follow-up. Ads that bring leads nobody answers quickly are wasted. Ask how leads reach you and how fast.
- Long contracts before any results. A short set-up commitment is normal; a year-long lock-in is not.
How to get a fair ads quote
Start with your own numbers. Our customer value and ad budget calculator shows what a customer is worth to you, the most you can afford per lead, and the monthly spend needed to hit your goal. Then ask each provider how they would split that budget between Google and Meta, what they need from you, and how they will report cost per lead.
If you are unsure which platform suits you, read Google Ads or Facebook Ads for a local business. To test the water yourself first, the small Google Ads campaign guide and the Meta ad copy guide walk you through a careful start. Before scaling spend, check that leads are being followed up: leads but no customers explains why this matters.
Any email or text follow-up to ad leads in Canada must follow CASL: get consent, identify your business and include an easy unsubscribe.
Three ways to start
- Do it yourself, free: work out your numbers with the ad budget calculator and launch one small, tightly targeted campaign.
- Done with you: we set up the accounts, tracking and first campaigns in your name, and coach your team to run them.
- Done for you: we run Google and Meta ads, landing pages and lead follow-up, and send weekly numbers on cost per lead and booked jobs. You get a fixed quote after a short free call, and the ad accounts stay yours.