The Building Permit Process

The Building Permit Process

Prior to applying for a building permit, please ensure that you have all the necessary forms and information for your project.

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Applications, Forms & Fees

  • Building permit applications supply mandatory information to the Building Controls Division for the issuance of building permits. Building permits may be applied for by the property owner, or by an agent on behalf of the owner, such as the contractor or designer.
  • Once you have obtained and completed the required forms, submit them using our online portal (CityView). You can also check the status of applications, pay fees and request inspections using the portal.

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Review

  • The duration of the processing of a building permit application varies in accordance with the quality and completeness of the submittal, as well as the degree of compliance of the plans with the applicable regulations. Once the Building Controls Division has deemed an application to be complete, it is generally processed within the following timeframes:
  • 10 working days for small projects (i.e. housing, decks, pools, accessory buildings, septic systems, small commercial)
  • 30 working days for large commercial, institutional and industrial projects (i.e. restaurants, schools, shopping centers, hospitals, factories)
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Receive

  • If compliance with the Ontario Building Code, Zoning By-Laws and other applicable regulations is determined, the application will be approved and a building permit will be issued as per the project information received. The building permit is the document granting legal permission to start construction.Please note that any changes that are being proposed to the original building permit must be brought to the attention of a Building Official immediately, as changes may require a review and approval in the same manner as the original application.
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Inspect

  • Each major phase of construction must be inspected by a Building Official to ensure that the work conforms to the approved plans. It is the responsibility of the permit holder to make the necessary arrangements for scheduling inspections.

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