Toronto Building Homeowner’s Guide to Building Permits
Toronto Building
Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits
Making our city's buildings safe, healthy, accessible, and sustainable
toronto.ca/building
Safe, healthy, accessible, and sustainable buildings are critical to making Toronto a great place to live.
Permits for construction, along with inspections from City of Toronto inspectors, assist in upholding the standards that make our buildings among the safest and healthiest in the world.
This guide provides a general outline of the building permit process and will help first time applicants complete their projects. It summarizes many of the applicable regulations but it does not and is not meant to provide an exhaustive accounting of all potential requirements. Each application and situation is reviewed and evaluated on its own particular facts.
If you have questions specific to your project call 416-397-5330 or visit one of Toronto Building's Customer Service Counters.
Toronto Building Homeowner's Guide to Building Permits
Contents
4 Why are building permits necessary?.............................
8 When is a building permit required?................................
12 How do I get a building permit?......................................
28 How do I make an application?.......................................
3
40 How do I book an inspection?........................................
Why are building permits necessary?
Building permits help protect you, your home, and the interests of your community by making sure the project is structurally sound and follows the Ontario Building Code, municipal zoning and other applicable laws.
Whether you are building a new home or
renovating an existing one, you want to make
sure the result is safe and legal for you and
any future occupants.
5
Our buildings are getting safer! Due to continuously improving Building Code standards, fire education, and other prevention measures, the number of fires in Ontario resulting in an injury, fatality or dollar loss fell by 35 percent between 2003 and 2013 (Source: Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal and Emergency Management)
The Ontario Building Code regulates many aspects of construction
The Ontario Building Code is enforced by local municipalities. In this case, the City of Toronto. Some examples of what the Ontario Building Code regulates are:
1. Life safety systems 2. Insulation requirements 3. Plumbing and mechanical systems 4. Fire separation requirements 5. Requirements that apply when the use of a building changes (e.g. from
residential to office)
This drawing of a stairway illustrates in greater detail some of the safety and construction requirements regulated by the Ontario Building Code:
? How the railing is
joined together
? The spaces in the
railing
? The height and depth
7
of each stair
? The width of stair
components
? How the stair is joined
together
? How the railing is
supported
? The height of the railing
? How the stair is
attached to the ground
When is a building permit required?
Most construction projects require the property owner to apply for and obtain a building permit.
Specifically, a permit is required when you are:
1. Building a new structure that is larger than ten metres squared (108 square feet).
2. Building any addition to an existing structure.
3. Renovating, including alterations that affect your
9
building's compliance with building regulations (known
as Material Alteration*).
4. Demolishing all, or part of, a building.
5. Installing new, or altering existing, mechanical or plumbing systems.
*Material Alteration refers to alterations that will affect your project's compliance with building regulations. For example, if a project involves alterations to the structural design of the building; mechanical, electrical, plumbing services; fire separations; and existing fire protection systems; and/or a change to the use of a building.
Work that requires a building permit:
Generally, all of the following work requires a building permit before beginning construction:
? Carport/attached garage
? Interior renovations including:
? basement finishes
? accessory apartments or the addition of a second
suite
? new or altered plumbing or mechanical system
? Window/door (if a new opening is created or existing
opening is enlarged)
? Drain repair
? Green roof
? Chimney/fireplace (other than direct vent gas fireplace)
? Recladding with brick or stone veneer
11
? An addition
? Backwater valve installation
? Exterior basement stairwell or entrance
? Pool fence enclosure
? Deck/porch/balcony (if the deck is more than 60
centimetres (24 inches) above the ground)
? Accessory structure (if greater than ten square metres, such
as a garage)
Examples of when a permit is not required can be found online at toronto.ca/building-permit-required
Please note, even if you do not require a building permit, compliance with the Zoning Bylaw is required.
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