Building Permits

Under the Ontario Building Code Act, you must obtain a building permit to construct, demolish, renovate, alter, install or change the use of a building. Construction may not begin until a building permit has been issued.

DO I NEED A BUILDING PERMIT?

Please note that the examples below are for general use and don’t cover every situation. For advice on whether your project requires a permit, please contact the Building Services Department at 705-337-4262.

You DO need a Building Permit for the following projects:

New Construction:

Any new building greater than 15 m² (160 ft²) in size (the area of the building's footprint)
Any new building that contains plumbing, irrespective of size
Any addition to an existing building, irrespective of size
Concrete porches
Raised decks more than (24") above existing grade at any point
Detached or attached garages and carports
Solariums
Addition of a dormer
Sunrooms
Installing or changing a swimming pool fence enclosure
Tents (645 sq. ft. / 60 m² more ground area)

Demolition and Alterations:

Demolishing any building greater than 10m² (108 ft²) in size
Adding, removing or altering a structural wall or column
Adding, removing or altering a non-loadbearing partition
Changing the use of a building
Installing a basement entrance
Relocating a Building
Changing a fireplace from gas to wood or solid fuel burning
Roughing in a bathroom or washroom
Installing a fireplace or wood stove
Renovating a dwelling to provide a full basement
Construction separate rooms in a basement
Installing an accessory apartment
Installing any new plumbing piping
Repairing or installing an on-site sewage system
Connecting to municipal sanitary and storm sewers
Installing a new furnace utilizing a new fuel source
Installing an exterior sign
An underground sprinkler system connected to building plumbing
Installing a solar hot water system
Recycling grey water to reduce water use
Commercial roof-mounted solar project
Replacing an exterior wall or cladding

You need a building permit whether the work is on the interior or the exterior of the building or dwelling.

You DO NOT need a Building Permit for the following housing projects:

Constructing detached single-storey accessory buildings (no plumbing) less than 15 m² in area
Decks less than 600 mm (24 inches) above existing grade at all locations
Interior damp-proofing basements
Replacing plumbing fixtures or water heaters
Replacing a furnace or adding air conditioning units or a heat pump
Electrical projects
Kitchen or bathroom cupboards
Painting and decorating
Maintenance and repairs
Replacing windows or doors with no changes to the size of the rough opening
Replacing roofing or shingles
Fences other than a pool enclosure fence (refer to fence permits)
Retaining walls less than 1 meter in height
Sidewalks, planters and landscaping
Ground or roof mounted solar photovoltaic panels

PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

Before planning your project, find out what Zoning By-laws and other Applicable Laws apply to your project.

Use the Zoning By-law No.4198 to know:

how land may be used (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.);
where buildings and other structures can be located;
the types of buildings that are permitted and how they may be used; and
the lot sizes and dimensions, parking requirements, building heights and setbacks.

MAKING A BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION

Please see our online Guides to Building Permits. It shows the forms, drawings and documents you need to send us for each type of permit application.

Your building permit application must include:

CONSTRUCTION & INSPECTIONS

All new construction in Kapuskasing must have an inspection done by City Building Officials. Buildings must meet the health and safety requirements of the Ontario Building Code, the Building Code Act, the Building By-law and other applicable laws and standards. Staff can also perform special investigations of illegal construction and unsafe buildings.

The following is a list of typical projects that require inspection:

All commercial, industrial and institutional projects
All commercial and industrial tenant projects
All housing and accessory use projects, including additions and renovations
Change of Use projects
Life safety systems
Commercial kitchen exhaust systems and the fire suppression system
Spray booth exhaust systems and the fire suppression system

We kindly Request that inspections are coordinated with our Office 48 hours in advance.:

SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION

Inspection Checklists

During construction and at the time of building occupancy, building officials inspect a building for compliance with the building permit documents and the Ontario Building Code. We receive many requests on what our inspectors check for during these inspections. Use the following checklists to make sure your structure is built to code*.

Housing Permit Inspection Checklists

* Checklists cannot contain all references in the Building Code. You must build in full compliance with the Ontario Building Code and Act even though you have checked all items on the checklist.

Town of Kapuskasing
88 Riverside Drive,
Kapuskasing, ON P5N 1B3

Tel: 705-335-2341
general@kapuskasing.ca