Richmond Hill pays up to $1,500 toward installing a backwater valve on an existing single-family home, duplex, or triplex. The City does not publish a percentage of the invoice. Funding is first-come, first-served, the subsidy is once per property, and the application has to arrive within six months of the work.
Covers Richmond Hill.
The amount Richmond Hill publishes
Eligible costs are labour, materials, the permit fee, and taxes. Homeowner labour is not eligible. A sump pump by itself is not this subsidy.
- Backwater valve$1,500
| Eligible work | Share | Maximum the City pays |
|---|---|---|
| Backwater valve | Up to the maximum | $1,500 |
Who can apply
- The property is an existing single-family home, duplex, or triplex in Richmond Hill. A new home is not eligible.
- A plumber or drain contractor licensed through the skilled trades does the work.
- Downspouts are disconnected from the City sewer.
- You get a Richmond Hill building permit before installation and leave the work uncovered for the plumbing inspection.
- The invoice is itemized, shows the contractor's licence, and is marked paid in full.
- The application is received within six months of the completion date.
backwatervalve@richmondhill.ca or 905-771-8800
How we handle the paperwork
- 1
A licensed plumber checks the house
We confirm a backwater valve fits, and whether an old combined system also needs the weeping tile moved to a sump pump.
- 2
Permit, then installation
The building permit comes from Richmond Hill before the valve goes in. The inspection happens before anything is closed up.
- 3
Apply within six months
The online application goes to the City after the work is done. Staff say they review it within 10 business days. Email backwatervalve@richmondhill.ca if you are unsure the address has already been paid.
Questions about this program
The City says eligible residents can receive up to $1,500 toward the cost. It does not publish a percentage. The receipt uses $1,500 as the maximum, or the invoice if that is lower.
No. This subsidy is only inside Richmond Hill. Markham has its own rebate. Vaughan has not published a homeowner rebate amount we can quote.
Amounts were checked against the City of Richmond Hill Backwater Valve Subsidy Program on October 5, 2026. The City page was issued February 10, 2026. Apply online.