Permit and certificate applications

Permits required for the following projects:

• cadastral surveys;
• construction, alteration, repair, expansion, or addition of main or accessory buildings;
• renovations where the cost of the work exceeds $20,000 before taxes, including materials and labor;
• modifications to the building’s structure;
• the addition, removal, or relocation of walls or partitions;
• changes to the dimensions or location of doors, windows, staircases, or exits;
• changes to the materials or exterior cladding of a building;
• the addition of a dwelling unit or a bedroom;
• work carried out in a flood zone or other restricted area;
• swimming pools and hot tubs.

Renovation Work Exempt from Permits

A permit is not required for renovation work valued at $20,000 or less before taxes, including materials and labor, provided that all of the following conditions are met:

• the work does not alter the exterior appearance of the building;
• the work is not subject to a Site Planning and Architectural Integration Program (PIIA) bylaw;
• the work does not affect the building’s structure;
• the work does not alter the dimensions or location of openings (doors, windows, exits, etc.);
• the work does not affect a fire barrier;
• the work does not involve the addition of a dwelling unit;
• the work does not involve the addition of a bedroom;
• the building is not located in a flood zone or another restricted area.

Immediate-Issuance Permit

Your project may be eligible for an immediate-issuance permit if you answer “No” to all of the following questions:

• Is the building used for commercial purposes?
• Do the improvements involve structural changes to the existing building?
• Do the improvements involve a change to the building’s exterior appearance?
• Do the improvements involve adding, removing, or moving a wall?
• Do the improvements involve firewalls or walls/ceilings separating residential units or common areas?
• Do the improvements involve adding a residential unit?
• Do the works involve the addition of a bedroom?
• Is the property located in a flood zone or another restricted area?

A certificate of authorization is required for projects involving:

• temporary use (except for above-ground, collapsible swimming pools less than 50 cm deep and garage sales);
• demolition of a structure, part of a structure, a building, or part of a building;
• soil excavation, landscaping, fencing, low walls, protective screens, cut or fill, or off-street parking construction (when not associated with a building permit);
• works of any kind on a riverbank, shoreline, or in a flood zone;
• installation of a septic system or a drinking water supply system (when not related to a building permit);
• tree cutting, overpruning, pollarding, or topping;
• commercial occupancy (new business, change of occupant, or change in the size of a premises);
• construction, installation, relocation, modification, or repair of a sign.