Permits

Regulated areas include the land in or near rivers, streams, ponds, wetlands, steep slopes, floodplains and the shorelines of Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River.

You can find out if your property is regulated by using our Online Mapping Tool.

Examples of the types of activities that require a permit include:

• construction of a new building such as a house, shed, garage or barn,
• altering any watercourse or wetland,
• construction, reconstruction, erection or placing of a building or structure of any kind,
• any change to a building or structure that would change its use or potential use,
• new pool or septic system,
• increasing the size of a building or structure (i.e. major/minor additions),
• increasing the number of dwelling units in a building,
• site grading, and
• placing or dumping material on a site, or removing material from a site.

Contact our Regulations Staff to determine if you need a permit.

You can apply for a permit by downloading our Permit Application Form. Applications can be completed by hand or electronically and submitted to regulations staff via email or mail or in person.

See our Apply for a Permit page for more information.

For more information visit our Apply for a Permit page.

You will need:

✓ Completed permit application form

✓ Site plan drawing showing the dimensions and locations of the proposed building, in relation to other significant features of the property, such as, property lines, other structures, watercourses, adjacent roads etc.

✓ Detailed drawings for the work to be undertaken, including profile drawings and construction details of all structural works completed, including foundation details etc.

✓ Construction details for the proposed works

✓ Location of placement of any fill that results from construction (any excess fill should be placed outside of the SCRCA regulated area)

✓ Proposed start and end date

✓ Permit Fee

The cost of the permit depends on the type of project and how complex it is.
See our Permit Fee Schedule for more information.

It is the SCRCA staff’s goal to review the initial application within 21 days of submission for completeness. Provided that all information is included, the fee has been paid, and no additional information is required, with SCRCA’s current workload it will take a minimum of 6 weeks for a permit to be issued. Less complex applications may take less time.

Regulations staff work with all landowners during the pre-consultation process to ensure that proposed projects meets regulations and policies. In the event a proposed project does not meet regulations or policies, a hearing may be held before the SCRCA board to determine if the permit can be issued.

If you start work before a permit is issued, it is considered a violation. The SCRCA will work with you to review your existing project and ensure it meets the regulation. In some instances, this may include rehabilitating the site to original condition, removing fill, or applying for a permit for the works undertaken. Violations will be assessed on a site specific basis. All violations are subject to a permit fee of twice the regular fee.

The SCRCA prefers to work with landowners to achieve voluntary restoration or compliance with the regulations. If the SCRCA and the landowner cannot work out a solution, the SCRCA can take legal action. The landowner may be charged and taken to court. If convicted, the court may require the landowner to pay a fine and restore the land to its original condition, at the landowner’s cost. Restoration could include removing a structure, removing fill or restoring a natural feature such as a wetland.

For more information about our regulations and planning policies and procedures visit our Policies and Guidelines page