Applicable Law Checklist

Your proposed plans are required to be approved in principle by the Ministry of Education prior to a building permit being issued. Written approval from the Ministry is required to be submitted as a part of your building permit application.

Information regarding childcare licensing and access to the Child Care Licensing System used for submitting your plans can be found on the Ministry of Educations website.

Construction, or changing the use, of a building within a well head protection area requires review by the risk management officer for Oxford County.

The risk management officer must issue a clearance notice under section 59 of the Clean Water Act prior to issuance of a building permit in these areas.

Residential development is exempt from requiring a clearance notice however on-site sewage systems serving the residential development is not exempt.

Identify whether a property is located within a well head protection area by using GLIMR, an interactive mapping tool. Turn on the Wellhead Protection Area A-D layer on the interactive map.

If a clearance notice is required by the risk management officer, submit a completed Source Water Protection: Restricted Land Use Review Form to Oxford County for review.

If your property is located on land that is regulated by a conservation authority you may need to get written approval from the applicable conservation authority before you receive your building permit.

Each conservation authority has a screening map that shows which properties need approval:

• Grand River Conservation Authority
• Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
• Long Point River Conservation Authority
• Catfish Creek Conservation Authority

Where applicable, a copy of the permit from the applicable conservation authority will be required with your building permit application.

Approval from the Ministry of Education must be obtained prior to obtaining a demolition permit to demolish a school.

Where applicable, a copy of the Ministry approval must be submitted with the demolition permit application.

Approval to proceed with a Part II.3 project must be obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks or the Ontario Land Tribunal prior to issuance of a building permit.

A copy of such approval must be submitted with the building permit application.

No lands which were used for the disposal of waste within a period of twenty-five years may be used without the approval from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Where applicable, written approval from the Minister must be submitted with the building permit application.

Some renewable energy projects producing electricity from a renewable source require a Renewable Energy Approval (REA) from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. Renewable energy projects include:

• Solar (ground mounted)
• Wind
• Bio-energy (such as anaerobic digestion, thermal treatment)

Additional information on the types of projects that requires a REA along with the application form can be found on the Province of Ontario Renewable Energy Approvals webpage.

A copy of the Renewable Energy Approval must be submitted with the building permit application.

If you are proposing to change the use of a building or property in any of the following ways; a record of site condition may be required.

• Change the use from industrial or commercial to residential or parkland
• Change the use from industrial to agricultural or institutional
• Change the use from commercial to agricultural or institutional
• Change the use from commercial to more than one use including agricultural, institutional, parkland, or residential.
• Change the use from a community use to more than one type of use, including agricultural, institutional, parkland, or residential.
• Change the use from an industrial, commercial, or community use to a community use that is an assembly occupancy with an indoor swimming pool, indoor ice rink, indoor arena, enclosed stadium, indoor sports field, or an indoor gymnasium.

Additional information regarding environmental site assessments and records of site conditions is available on the Province of Ontario’s website.

If your project meets any of the above criteria, an environmental site assessment may be required. Please contact a qualified company for details on environmental site assessments.

Where required, a copy of the record of site condition must be submitted with the building permit application.

A Certificate of Property Use may be issued by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks when a risk assessment has been accepted in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act.

Where applicable, a copy of the Certificate of Property Use must be submitted with the building permit application.

Plants used for the transfer or processing of milk or cream require a construction permit issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness.

Information regarding applications for a permit to construct or alter a dairy plant can be found on the Ministry’s website.

A copy of the construction permit must be submitted with the building permit application.

A nutrient management strategy is required when:

• A livestock barn or manure storage facility will be constructed or expanded on a farm that contains more than 5 nutrient units
• An earthen manure storage facility will be constructed or excavated
• A farm contains livestock numbers equal or greater to 300 nutrient units
• Off-farm material is used for digestion in an anaerobic digester

The nutrient management strategy must include the proposed construction.

Further information regarding nutrient management can be found on the Province of Ontario’s website.

Where applicable, a copy of the nutrient management strategy must be submitted with the building permit application.

Where a property or building is designated or a notice of intent to designate has been issued under the Ontario Heritage Act, the owner must apply to the council of the municipality and receive consent in writing to any construction or demolition that is likely to affect the property’s heritage attributes or to remove a building in its entirety.

If a property has been designated by order or a notice of intent to designate has been issued under the Ontario Heritage Act, by the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, the owner must apply to the Ministry and receive consent in writing to any construction or demolition that is likely to affect the property’s heritage attributes or to remove a building in its entirety.

Visit the Township of Norwich's Heritage page for a list of designated properties, non-designated properties of interest, and information on how to request approval from Council.

A copy of the Council or Ministry approval must be submitted with the building or demolition permit application.

If a property that has not been designated under the Ontario Heritage Act but has been included in the register of cultural heritage value or interest, the owner of the property shall not demolish or remove a building or structure on the unless the owner gives the council of the municipality at least 60 days notice in writing of the owner’s intention to demolish or remove the building or structure.

For information on how to submit notice to Council visit the Township’s Heritage webpage.

A demolition permit cannot be issued until the 60-day notice period referenced above has expired. 

A residential condominium conversion project involves the conversion of an existing building into residential condominium units.

Prior to applying for a building permit to perform construction related to a residential condominium conversion, the condominium must be registered with the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO).

Confirmation of the following facts from the CAO must be submitted with the building permit application:

(a) the fact that the residential condominium conversion project, the units or proposed units of it and the common elements of it have qualified for enrolment in the Plan or have been enrolled in the Plan, as the case may be;

(b) the fact that the builder of the project holds a licence as a builder under the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017 in respect of the project; and,

(c) the fact that the vendor of the project holds a licence as a vendor under the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017 in respect of the project.

Development proposed within the following zones are subject to Site Plan Control:

• Agri-Business (AB)
• Residential Type 3 (R3)
• Village (V)
• Central Commercial (CC)
• Highway Commercial (HC)
• Restricted Industrial (MR)
• General Industrial (MG)
• Institutional (I)
• Recreational (REC)
• All special zones where the zone symbols are followed by a dash and a number (e.g. R2-1)

Despite being located in one of the zones listed above, the following types of projects are exempt from requiring Site Plan Control approval:

• Single detached dwelling and uses buildings or structures accessory thereto
• Semi-detached dwelling and uses buildings or structures accessory thereto
• Duplex dwelling and uses buildings or structures accessory thereto
• Converted dwelling containing a maximum of two dwelling units and uses buildings or structures accessory thereto
• Buildings or structures used for an agricultural use but not including agricultural-commercial, agricultural-industrial operations, or other uses permitted in the Agri-Business Zone (AB)

Where a project is subject to Site Plan Control, final approval of the following must be obtained through the Site Plan Control process prior to the issuance of a building permit:

• Site plans showing the location of all buildings and structures to be erected.
• Site plans showing the location of all facilities and works to be provided in conjunction with the development.
• Architectural drawings (plan, elevation, and cross-section views) for each building to be erected, except for residential buildings containing fewer than 25 dwelling units.

Information regarding the Site Plan Control process can be found on the Planning & Development webpage.

The following activities may require a work permit that authorizes the activity:

1. Construct or place a building on public land.
2. Construct a trail, water crossing or road on public land.
3. Dredge shore lands.
4. Fill shore lands.
5. Remove invasive aquatic vegetation or native aquatic vegetation by mechanical means or by hand from shore lands.
6. Construct or place a structure or a combination of structures that is in physical contact with more than 15 square metres of shore lands.

Work permits for the above projects are applied for and issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources. Additional information is available on the Province of Ontario’s website.

A copy of the work permit or written exemption from the Ministry of Natural Resources must be submitted for projects listed above, prior to issuance of a building permit.

The following types of projects may require a permit to be issued by the Ministry of Transportation.

• place, erect or alter any building, fence, gasoline pump or other structure or any road upon or within 45 metres of any limit of the King’s Highway or upon or within 180 metres of the centre point of an intersection;
• place any tree, shrub or hedge within 45 metres of any limit of the King’s Highway or within 180 metres of the centre point of an intersection;
• display any sign, notice or advertising device, whether it contains words or not, other than one sign not more than sixty centimetres by thirty centimetres in size displaying the name or the name and occupation of the owner of the premises to which it is affixed or the name of such premises within 400 metres of any limit of the King’s Highway;
• use any land, any part of which lies within 800 metres of any limit of the King’s Highway, for the purposes of a shopping centre, stadium, fair ground, race track, drive-in theatre or any other purpose that causes persons to congregate in large numbers;
• sell, offer for sale or display produce, goods or merchandise upon the King’s Highway; or
• construct or use any private road, entranceway, gate or other structure or facility as a means of access to the King’s Highway.
• place, erect or alter any building, fence, gasoline pump or other structure or any road upon or within 45 metres of any limit of a controlled-access highway or upon or within 395 metres of the centre point of an intersection;
• place any tree, shrub or hedge within 45 metres of any limit of a controlled-access highway or within 395 metres of the centre point of an intersection;
• sell, offer or expose for sale any vegetables, fruit or other produce or any goods or merchandise upon or within 45 metres of any limit of a controlled-access highway or within 395 metres of the centre point of an intersection;
• place, erect or alter any power line, pole line or other transmission line within 400 metres of any limit of a controlled-access highway;
• display any sign, notice or advertising device, whether it contains words or not, other than one sign not more than sixty centimetres by thirty centimetres in size displaying the name or the name and occupation of the owner of the premises to which it is affixed or the name of such premises within 400 metres of any limit of a controlled-access highway;
• use any land, any part of which lies within 800 metres of any limit of a controlled-access highway, for the purposes of a shopping centre, stadium, fair ground, race track, drive-in theatre or any other purpose that causes persons to congregate in large numbers; or
• construct or use any private road, entranceway, gate or other structure or facility as a means of access to a controlled-access highway. 

Lands new Hwy 401 and Hwy 403 are regulated by the MTO. Information on whether a permit will be required by the MTO can be found here.

A copy of the permit or written exemption from the MTO must be submitted prior to issuance of a building permit for projects that meet the descriptions above.

Before you dig, call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 or visit their website.

A variety of services may be buried underground on or near your property including:

• Gas pipelines
• Electrical services
• Telephone and cable TV infrastructure
• Water and sewer connections
• Streetlight or traffic signal wiring

Ontario One Call co-ordinates with all organizations who own infrastructure in your area.

Locates are free to obtain and should be requested at least five days prior to any planned excavation.

Building permits do not cover electrical work.

The Ontario Electrical Safety Code requires almost all electrical work be reported to the Electrical Safety Authority by filing a notification of work.

The person doing the work should file the notification before the electrical work starts.

Information can be found through the Electrical Safety Authority on their website.