Building Permits

It is unlawful to start construction, renovation or demolition before you receive and post the permit in a conspicuous place.  Contact the Building Department if you are not sure you need a permit for your building project. A contractor can apply for permits on your behalf but it is the building owner's responsibility to comply with all requirements.

Approved plans must comply with the Ontario Building Code and the City of Dryden's Zoning By-law, the City of Dryden's Building By-law and all other applicable laws and regulations.

For any electrical work, contact the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) at 1-877-372-7233.

You need a building permit if you plan to:

• Construct a new building exceeding 15 sq m (161.5 sq ft)in floor area with or without plumbing included
• Renovate, repair or add to a building
• Demolish or remove all or a portion of an existing building
• Change a building's use/occupancy type (i.e. change from residential to retail, restaurant to office space or vice versa)
• Install, change or remove partitions and load-bearing walls, add or remove stairways, altering the floor layout substantially
• Make new openings for, or increase the size of, doors and windows
• Build a garage, balcony, sunroom/gazebo or a deck where deck surface is 0.6m or higher (NOTE: deck floor joists must be 2" x 8" minimum and be pressure or preservative treated)
• Excavate a basement or construct a foundation
• Damp-proof basements, including new weeping tile or replacement of existing weeping tile
• Install or modify heating, plumbing piping, sump pumps, back water valves or fireplaces.  Any installation requiring a WETT certification.
• Reconstruct a chimney

You need a building permit if you plan to:

• Replace existing, same-size doors and windows, where no fire resistance rating is required and subject to distance from property lines
• Install siding on small residential buildings, where no fire resistance rating is required and subject to distance from property lines
• Build a roofless deck not higher than 0.6 meters (24 inches) above adjacent grade and the walking surface of the deck, and that is not attached to a building
• Construct or demolish a building or structure without plumbing under 15 square metres (161.5 sq. ft.)
• Construct temporary shelter or install an office trailer for the duration of construction projects that are subject to a permit
• Re-shingle a residential roof, provided there is no structural work such as replacement of sheeting
• Install eavestroughs, but must ensure drainage is not directed to a neighbouring property
• Replace or increase insulation, dry-wall or plaster
• Paint or decorate,, lay new flooring or floor covering
• Install kitchen or bathroom cupboards without alterations to plumbing
• replace hot water heaters, oil or gas fired appliances
• Erect a fence not enclosing a pool

The minimum permit fee is $50 for residential and $100 for all other zones. Building permit fees are calculated based on the square footage of the construction project. Contact the Building and Planning department for other fees related to building permits or if you need help determining which fees apply to your project.

New construction, addition or renovation fees (calculated by building area): Please see the Fees and Charges By-law 2024-65, specifically Schedule "T" Building and Bylaw for building related fees.

Occasionally, the work regulated by a permit cannot be calculated by building area. The permit fee will be calculated based on the value of the work proposed: $10 per $1,000 of construction value. The minimum permit fee is $50 for residential and $100 for all other zones.

Plumbing fees

The building permit fee generally includes plumbing work associated with the construction. If the scope of the work involves only plumbing work the fee is calculated based on $15 per fixture or drain, with a minimum permit fee of $50 for residential and $100 for all other zones.

Permit applications will not be accepted if the application and submitted plans are inadequate or incomplete. You may submit plans in either imperial or metric measurements.

Site plans should reference the current survey plan certified by a registered Ontario Land Surveyor. If available, a copy of the survey plan should be submitted with the building permit application for any major project. Where required by the Ontario Building Code plans must be prepared by a qualified designer holding a valid building code Identification number (BCIN), or sealed and signed by an Architect, Professional Engineer, or both.

Energy Efficiency Checklists were created by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to help building designers and building officials to verify and meet the energy efficiency requirements of the Ontario Building Code.  The checklists below are to be used for the design of all buildings other than Part 9 residential buildings.  They reflect the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and Divisions 3 and 5 of the Supplementary Standard SB-10.  The City of Dryden as the authority having jurisdiction requires the appropriate checklist to be submitted with the building permit application.  Please see below.

ASHRAE 90.1-2013 Part 3 - Level 1

ASHRAE 90.1-2013 Part 3 - Level 2 (zip file with multiple documents)

ASHRAE 90.1-2013 Part 9 - commercial

ASHRAE 189.1 - 2014

Minor additions and alterations

For minor additions and alterations, site plan sketches showing outlines and dimensions of the property, driveways, existing and proposed buildings are often acceptable.

You are required to contact the Building and Planning department to review your construction project during key stages to ensure work complies with Building Codes and the approved plans. Inspectors may be required to visit several times depending on the project. They must be able to see the part of the work under inspection. Inspectors usually require a minimum of 24 hours to book an inspection but a minimum of 2 business days is preferred.