Larger Construction Permits

Make sure your property complies with the requirements of the Zoning Bylaws. The applicable Zoning Bylaw outlines permitted uses and regulations for each property, including land/building use, setbacks, parking requirements, floor area, and building heights. 

If it is not possible to meet one or more of the Zoning Bylaw regulations, you may require a separate application to the Planning Department for a minor variance or re-zoning to amend the Zoning Bylaw.

More information on zoning is available at the Planning and Building Department Counter at 211 John Counter Boulevard.

Applicable Law is other regulations that require approval before issuing a building permit.

Complete the Applicable Law Checklist and check the items that apply to your permit application and attach approval documents where applicable according to the Ontario Building Code.

You may need approvals from outside agencies before obtaining a building permit. The most common Applicable Law approvals are:

• Site Plan Approval from the Development and Design Division of the Planning and Building Department.
• Conservation Authority Approval from the governing Conservation Authority
• Development Charges from the Development Services Division of the Planning and Building Department.

The Ontario Building Code, established under the Building Code Act, 1992, requires a building permit for constructing or altering any structure over 10m² (108 sq. ft.). It sets technical requirements for construction, renovation, demolition, changes in building use, and maintenance of on-site sewage systems, focusing on public health, fire protection, accessibility, and structural safety.

The 2006/2012 Ontario Building Codes use an objective-based format to encourage innovation and flexibility in design and construction.

Now, designers have the choice of applying for evaluation of an Alternative Solution that will achieve the same level of performance as its corresponding Acceptable Solution with respect to the underlying objectives and attributed functional statements.

Architects and professional engineers are qualified and registered by the Ontario Association of Architects and by the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, respectively, and are not required to be registered or qualified with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

An Architect, Professional Engineer, or both must stamp and sign the drawings if applicable.

A building permit cannot be issued if the hired designer or design firm is not qualified and registered.

The Building Code requires that qualified and registered designers who take responsibility for design activities include the following information on any documents submitted:

• Name and Building Code Identification Number (BCIN) of the registered firm
• Statement that the qualified person has reviewed and takes responsibility for the design activities
• Name and BCIN of the qualified person
• Signature of the qualified person

Under the Building Code Act, the following information is required for a complete building permit application submission:

Application forms and fees:

• Application for a permit to construct or demolish
• Permit Application Checklist with Acknowledgement of Incomplete Application
• Applicable Law form
• Building Permit Fee, typically based on the project estimated value for the classification of the work proposed and the floor area in ft2 of the work involved. More information on our Building Services Fee.

Plans, specifications and additional documentation:

• Site Plan including site statistics and spatial separation calculations
• Site servicing drawings showing storm, sanitary, domestic water and fire protection water supply (including fire hydrants).
• Architectural, Structural, HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical Drawings 
• Sprinkler drawings, complete with hydraulic calculations and water supply flow test data
• Specifications: Architectural, Structural, Mechanical and Electrical
• CCMC/BMEC authorization reports (where applicable)
  Geotechnical Subsoil Investigation report 
• Heat loss/heat gain calculations 
• ASHRAE 90.1 or MNECB; and Supplementary Standard SB-10 compliance forms (where applicable)
• ASHRAE 62 certification letter (ventilation)
• Commitment to General Reviews by architect and engineers
• Building Code Data Matrix 
• Letter of Use - Industrial storage or manufacturing uses shall include a detailed description of the processes and materials or chemicals used or stored and the method of storage
• Equivalent Evaluation and documentation are required to be submitted as per 2.1.1.1 Division C-Part 2 of the Ontario Building Code with every Alternative Solution proposed.
• Kitchen Exhaust drawings designed in compliance with NFPA 96, applicable to all commercial cooking facilities

Note:
The construction, enlargement or alteration of every building or part of it as described in the Ontario Building Code, Division C, shall be designed and reviewed by an architect, professional engineer or both.

Application forms and fees:

• Application for a permit to construct or demolish
• Permit Application Checklist with Acknowledgement of Incomplete Application
• Building Permit Fee, typically based on the project estimated value for the classification of the work proposed and the floor area in ft2 of the work involved. More information on our Building Services Fee.

Plans, specifications and additional documentation:

• Site Plan including site statistics (i.e.- GFA, parking)
• Key Plan indicating the project area in relation to the rest of the building and the occupancies of any adjacent units (a combined Site Plan/Key Plan may be provided)
• Architectural drawings providing overall room and space dimensions, identifying the use of all rooms and spaces, specifying existing and proposed construction/ demolition work, identifying all existing and proposed fire separations, partition and door schedules, as well as providing all necessary construction details for proposed construction including fire-rated assemblies
• Structural drawings providing design criteria, construction details and specifications for all proposed structural modifications required as a result of a change of use or new construction
• HVAC drawings providing distribution system plan including unit location and specification, duct size and volume, dampers and fire stop flap locations
• Plumbing drawings providing existing and proposed fixtures and a drain plan indicating the pipe size if changes or additional plumbing are proposed
• Electrical drawings providing the location of all required exit signs and emergency lights. Where the building is equipped with a fire alarm system, a complete layout designed by an electrical engineer must be provided
• Sprinkler plan where changes to existing room or space layout are proposed (hydraulic calculations where applicable)
• CCMC/BMEC authorization reports (where applicable)
• Heat loss/heat gain calculations
• ASHRAE 90.1 or MNECB; and Supplementary Standard SB-10 compliance forms (where applicable)
• ASHRAE 62 certification letter  (ventilation)
• Commitment to General Reviews by architect and engineers(where applicable)
• Building Code Data Matrix
• Letter of Use - Industrial storage or manufacturing uses shall include a detailed description of the processes and materials or chemicals used or stored and the method of storage
• Equivalent Evaluation and documentation are required to be submitted as per 2.1.1.1 Division C-Part 2 of the Ontario Building Code with every Alternative Solution proposed.
• Kitchen Exhaust drawings designed in compliance with NFPA 96, applicable to all commercial cooking facilities

Note:

Applicant must retain a qualified designer to assess the existing premises and to prepare the plans. Even if no construction is proposed, upgrades to one or more of the following areas may be required: fire separation and fire resistance rating of demising walls, exits, door hardware, washroom facilities, HVAC system, exit signs and emergency lighting, fire alarm system. The Ontario Building Code, requires that an architect be retained where the construction affects structural integrity, fire separations, public corridor systems, exit enclosures, exterior walls and additions of new mezzanines.

Sections 7 and 8 of the Building Code Act require a Demolition Permit for removing a building or part of it, except for demolishing buildings on farms, which are exempt from permit requirements.

Applicants must retain a professional engineer to undertake the general review of the project during demolition, if:

• The building exceeds 3 storeys in building height or 600m2 in building area
• The building structure includes pre-tensioned or post- tensioned members
• The demolition work will extend below the level of footings of any adjacent building and occur within the angle of repose of the soil, drawn from the bottom of such footings
• Explosives or a laser are to be used during the course of demolition

For permit applications meeting these criteria, you must submit:

• A demolition report describing the structural design characteristics of the building as well as the method of demolition, signed and sealed by the professional engineer

For any other building submit:

• Site Plan identifying the building proposed to be demolished together with the prescribed building permit application and fees

Under the Building Code Act, the Chief Building Official may issue a conditional permit for any stage of construction if:

• Compliance with bylaws passed under the Planning Act and with such other applicable law as may be set out in the Building Code has been achieved in respect of the proposed building or construction
• The Chief Building Official is of the opinion that unreasonable delays in the construction would occur if a conditional permit is not granted
• The applicant and such other person as the Chief Building Official determines, agree in writing with the municipality to:
  • Assume all risk in commencing the construction
  • Obtain all necessary approvals in the time set out in the agreement
  • File plans and specifications of the complete building in the time set out in the agreement
  • At the applicant’s expense, remove the building and restore the site in the manner specified in the agreement if approvals are not obtained or plans filed in the time set out in the agreement
  • Comply with such other conditions as the Chief Building Official considers necessary, including the provision of security to remove the building and restore the site in the manner specified in the agreement if approvals are not obtained or plans filed in the time set out in the agreement.

Consider the following minimum information but we encourage you to always consult the Building Official as additional information may be required at any given stage.

• Clearance from the Planning Department
• Full building permit fees including impost and development (where applicable)
• Site Plan 
• Site servicing drawings 
• Architectural drawings
• Structural drawings 
• Plumbing drawings showing all underground or below grade piping and drainage
• Geotechnical Subsoil Investigation report 
• Specifications
• Completed Plumbing Verification Form
• Building Code data matrix
• Travel distance compliance with reference to exits location
• Defined Seismic Force Resisting System (shear walls, moment frames, vertical braced frames, etc.)
• Fire separations
• Water supply data
• Fire route
• Letter of Use: Industrial storage or manufacturing uses shall include a detailed description of the processes and materials or chemicals used or stored and the method of storage

The Ontario Building Code allows for the occupancy of a building before its completion. A permit allowing occupancy of a building or a part of it before completion may be issued under the following conditions:

• The structure of the building or part thereof is completed to the roof
• The enclosing walls of the building or part thereof are completed to the roof
• The walls enclosing the space to be occupied are completed, including balcony guards
• All required fire separations and closures are completed on all storeys to be occupied
• All required exits are completed and fire separated including all door, door hardware, self closing devices, balustrades and handrails from the uppermost floor to be occupied down to grade level and below if an exit connects with lower storeys
• All shafts including closures are completed to the floor-ceiling assembly above the storey to be occupied and have a temporary fire separation at such assembly
• Measures have been taken to prevent access
  to parts of the building and site that are incomplete or still under construction
• Floors, halls, lobbies and required means of egress are kept free of loose materials and other hazards
• If service rooms should be in operation, required fire separations are completed and all closures are installed
• All building drains, building sewers, water systems, drainage systems and venting systems are complete and tested as operational for the storeys to be occupied
• Required lighting, heating and electrical supply are provided for the suites, rooms and common areas to be occupied
• Required lighting in corridors, stairways and exits is completed and operational up to and including all storeys to be occupied
• Required standpipe, sprinkler and fire alarm systems are complete and operational up to and including all storeys to be occupied, together with required pumper connections for such standpipes and sprinklers
• Required fire extinguishers have been installed on all storeys to be occupied
• Main garbage rooms, chutes and ancillary services thereto are completed to storeys to be occupied
• Required firefighting access routes have been provided and are accessible
• The sewage system has been completed and is
  operational