MUST READ: Peel Region Votes To Lower Development Charges By 50%

Builder Permit

Understand when and why a building permit is needed in Canadian real estate, and how it ensures safe, legal, and code-compliant construction or renovation.

Builder Permit

May 22, 2025


What is a Builder Permit?

A building permit is an official approval issued by a local municipality that authorizes a property owner to construct, alter, or demolish a building or structure.

Why Builder Permits Matter in Real Estate

In Canadian real estate, building permits are crucial for ensuring that construction and renovations are carried out in accordance with safety regulations, zoning bylaws, and provincial building codes.

Permits are generally required for:
  • New home construction
  • Additions or structural changes
  • Major interior renovations (e.g., moving walls, installing new plumbing or electrical systems)
  • Building garages, decks, sheds, or fences (depending on local bylaws)
The permit process typically involves submitting architectural plans, waiting for municipal review and approval, and completing inspections at key stages of the project.

Failing to obtain a permit can lead to stop-work orders, legal penalties, problems during resale, and forced removal of unapproved structures.
Understanding building permits helps property owners stay compliant, ensure safety, and preserve property value. Always check with the local municipality to determine permit requirements before starting any major work.

Example of a Builder Permit

A homeowner in Calgary applies for a building permit before converting their garage into a home office, triggering plan reviews and city inspections.

Key Takeaways

- Required for most major construction or alteration.

  • Ensures work complies with codes and zoning.
  • Must be obtained before starting the project.
  • Involves inspections at key milestones.
  • Protects legal and resale value of property.

Related Terms


  • Zoning
  • Builder Compliance
  • Municipal Bylaws
  • Construction Approval
  • Home Renovation

Additional Terms

Budgeting

Budgeting in real estate refers to the process of forecasting and managing income and expenses associated with owning, operating, or developing a property.. more

Tenant Improvements

Tenant improvements refer to custom modifications or build-outs made to a leased space to suit the tenant’s operational needs, often negotiated as. more

Highest and Best Use

Highest and best use refers to the reasonably probable use of a property that results in the highest value, provided it is legally permissible,. more

Gross Lease

A gross lease is a commercial lease where the tenant pays a fixed rent, and the landlord covers most or all operating expenses such as property. more

Brownfield

A brownfield is a property that was previously used for industrial or commercial purposes and is now vacant or underused, often requiring. more

Record of Site Condition (RSC)

A Record of Site Condition (RSC) is a formal document filed with a provincial environmental authority certifying that a property meets required. more

More For You

Here’s Where You Can Catch Canada Day Fireworks In Toronto

Here’s Where You Can Catch Canada Day Fireworks In Toronto
Unsplash

The City of Toronto has you covered for some high-in-the-sky fanfare this Canada Day, which falls on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. There will be a total of seven displays at various locations across the city this year, but the main character of the bunch will be a 14-minute show at Ashbridges Bay Park at 1561 Lake Shore Boulevard East, starting at 10 pm.

In consideration of the show at Ashbridges Bay Park, the TTC will increase subway service on Lines 1 and 2 and streetcar service on the 509 and 510 on Tuesday. There will additionally be extra bus service on the 92 Woodbine and 22 Coxwell routes.

Keep ReadingShow less

What’s Open And Closed In Toronto On Canada Day 2025

What’s Open And Closed In Toronto On Canada Day 2025
Canada Flag
Shutterstock

It looks like Toronto is in for a picture perfect Canada Day.

Bringing a mix of sun and cloud, with warm temperatures to smooth it all over, Tuesday should deliver great weather for a fun-filled Canada Day. Temperatures will remain in the mid-to-high 20s all weekend, as a matter of fact, with rain only expected on Monday. But, with no rain in the forecast for Tuesday, firework shows and festivities should go off without a hitch.

Keep ReadingShow less

Privacy And Beauty Abound At This Remote Roberts Island Paradise

Privacy And Beauty Abound At This Remote Roberts Island Paradise
Muskoka Virtual Tours

Nestled in the heart of Muskoka’s cottage country, 0 Roberts Island is an immersive, off-grid retreat where nature’s stillness meets rustic refinement.

Set on 3.66 acres of densely treed land, with 915 feet of prized southwest-facing shoreline, this custom timber-frame estate is surrounded by oak and coniferous forest, and bathed in sunlight from dawn to dusk.

Keep ReadingShow less

New Woodbine GO Will Anchor 684-Acre Rexdale Community

New Woodbine GO Will Anchor 684-Acre Rexdale Community
Doug Ford and Jim Lawson, Executive Chair, Woodbine Entertainment/Woodbine Entertainment

In an exciting move for the future growth of northwest Toronto, Woodbine Entertainment — owner of Woodbine Racetrack in Rexdale — has announced it is investing $170 million in a new Metrolinx GO Station at Woodbine Racetrack. Construction broke ground yesterday on the station, which will serve as the anchor to an expansive urban development planned for the surrounding lands.

Also anchoring the development would be the iconic Woodbine Racetrack, home to Canada’s longest continuously run sporting event, the King’s Plate.

Keep ReadingShow less

Peel Region Votes To Lower Development Charges By 50%

Peel Region Votes To Lower Development Charges By 50%
Scott Webb/Pexels

Earlier today, Peel Region Council voted to reduce development charges by 50% from July 10, 2025 to November 13, 2026 in order to spur housing development and make homes in Caledon, Brampton, and Mississauga more affordable.

The move had commitment of support from the provincial government for $1.3 billion via the Building Ontario Fund, according to a letter from Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack, addressed to the three mayors and Peel Regional Chair Nando Iannicca. However, an official funding agreement has not been signed off on as of now, and included in the motion is a stipulation that the program could be cut short if "a satisfactory financial agreement is not reached with the province by October 17, 2025."

Keep ReadingShow less
MUST READ: Peel Region Votes To Lower Development Charges By 50%

Calgary Real Estate Board Downgrades 2025 Forecast Due To "Heightened Uncertainty"

A home on a residential street in Calgary.

A home on a residential street in Calgary. / Shutterstock

We're halfway through 2025 and so much has happened that has created so much uncertainty that the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) is now downgrading its forecast for the year, according to a market update published earlier this week.

In January, the CREB published its forecast for the year, projecting that sales were expected to remain strong and exceed 26,000 units in 2025 — 20% higher than long-term trends.

Keep ReadingShow less

Toronto Shies Away From City-Wide Sixplexes, Dilutes Allowances

Toronto Shies Away From City-Wide Sixplexes, Dilutes Allowances
Ontario sixplex rendering/CMHC Housing Design Catalogue

Yesterday evening, Toronto City Council voted to allow fiveplexes and sixplexes in the Toronto and East York District and a portion of Scarborough — a significant dilution of the originally recommended city-wide legalization. This latest move from the City puts in jeopardy $471 million in federal funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).

The Scarborough region included in the adoption is generally bound by Steeles Avenue to the north, Midland Avenue to the west, Highway 401 to the south, and Neilson Road and Rouge River to the east, where a sixplex pilot ushered forth by Ward 23 Councillor Jamaal Myers was already in place.

Keep ReadingShow less

Structurally Sound, Sentimentally Weak: A Toronto Housing Market Summer Outlook

Structurally Sound, Sentimentally Weak: A Toronto Housing Market Summer Outlook
Cameron Michael Smith/Pexels

With school out and the sun shining, early summer can be hot season for the Toronto real estate market, with activity simmering down as the summer progresses. But with economic uncertainty brought on by geopolitical conflicts, few buyers are in the mood to make the largest purchase most Canadians will make in their lifetimes.

According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), sales were down 13.3% year over year in May, and the average selling price fell 4%, annually, to $1,120,879. While an improvement over the 23.3%, 23.1%, and 27.4% annual drop in sales recorded in April, March, and February, respectively, May's numbers continue to reflect the ongoing market shyness brought on by tariff-related economic uncertainty.

Keep ReadingShow less
Privacy PolicyAbout UsTerms of UseAdvertise with UsJobsContact UsRSS Feed
2025 © STOREYS Publishing Inc. | All Rights Reserved