We are often asked, "When is a permit required"?
The answer is in the Ontario building code act:
"No person shall construct or demolish a building or cause a building to be constructed or demolished unless a permit has been issued therefor by the chief building official."
The key words are "construct" and "demolish", both of which are defined in the act as well:
Construct - "means to do anything in the erection, installation, extension or material alteration or repair of a building and includes the installation of a building unit fabricated or moved from elsewhere "
Demolish - "means to do anything in the removal of a building or any material part thereof"
The short of it is, legally, you need a permit for every job. The permit office wants to avoid being tied up with drywall repairs, toilet changes, etc., so most don't care if you get one. If you alter plumbing, electrical, structure, insulation, add walls etc, you need one.
Most clients we talk to seem afraid of the permit process. They've heard horror stories about inspectors walking in and flagging issues outside the project's scope, long wait times for the permit, or other equally upsetting matters. This is no longer the case, at least with most building offices.
Several years ago, the government changed the building code to encourage more people to get permits. Heavy-handed inspectors and building offices that operated like customer service was beneath them are strongly discouraged. Ontario updated the laws to define officials' powers and restrict a permits' time to be issued.
In Ontario, a permit MUST be issued in 10 business days for a residential project or 15 days for a commercial. Don't buy any "who haw" a plans reviewer may give you. Unless you held them up, the law is clear: The permit must be in your hands within that time frame. Ultimately the Chief Building Official is responsible for ensuring that happens. If a reviewer on inspector is holding you up, ask to speak with them. That alone usually lights a fire.
