Development charges & levies — Port Colborne, Ontario

What development charges or levies apply to new construction? How much per new home?

In the City of Port Colborne, Ontario, development charges & levies rules are set by By-law No. 4748/130/05 - Parkland Dedication By-law and 2 other bylaws, verified 2026-10-19. Charge per single-detached home: $13,785 municipal wide; $31,732 urban; $25,690 wastewater only; $19,827 water only per single/semi-detached unit (Oct 23 2025–Oct 22 2026). Non-residential charge: $4.31 municipal wide; $12.52 urban; $9.76 wastewater only; $7.07 water only per sq.ft. of Gross Floor Area (Oct 23 2025–Oct 22 2026). Parkland dedication: 2% of land for commercial/industrial; 5% of land in all other cases.

By-law No. 4748/130/05 - Parkland Dedication By-law adopted bylaw
parkland rate 2% of land for commercial/industrial; 5% of land in all other cases s. 1
services covered Park or other public recreational purposes; acquisition, development, maintenance of parkland, and park maintenance equipment s. 1; Municipal Allocation of Funds
exemptions Structural improvement/repair/replacement/enlargement not substantially increasing size/usability; vacant agricultural lands (excluding residential) no cash-in-lieu; prior non-parkland conveyances not credited s. 3; Process 1.6; Exempt Lands
payment timing Prior to issuance of a Building Permit Process 1.5
scout note

Port Colborne parkland by-law (passed Oct 24, 2005): requires conveyance of 2% of land for commercial/industrial and 5% for all other development or redevelopment, or cash-in-lieu based on land value the day before building permit issuance.

City of Port Colborne DC Rates, Oct 23, 2025 to Oct 22, 2026 adopted bylaw
single detached charge $13,785 municipal wide; $31,732 urban; $25,690 wastewater only; $19,827 water only per single/semi-detached unit (Oct 23 2025–Oct 22 2026) Rates per unit and Square Foot; October 23, 2025 to October 22, 2026
apartment charge 2+ bed: $9,652 municipal-wide, $22,219 with water & wastewater; bachelor/1-bed: $6,382, $14,689 per unit (Oct 23 2025-Oct 22 2026; water-only/wastewater-only rates also set) Rates per unit and Square Foot; October 23, 2025 to October 22, 2026
non residential charge $4.31 municipal wide; $12.52 urban; $9.76 wastewater only; $7.07 water only per sq.ft. of Gross Floor Area (Oct 23 2025–Oct 22 2026) Non-Residential (per sq.ft. of Gross Floor Area)
services covered Services Related to a Highway; Public Works (Facilities and Fleet); Fire Protection Services; Parks and Recreation Services; Library Services; Growth Studies; Wastewater; Water Category of Service
indexing expiry 3.94% annual indexation; rate period Oct 23 2025–Oct 22 2026 with 3.94% Annual Indexation; October 23, 2025 to October 22, 2026
scout note

Indexed 3.94%: $13,785 per single/semi-detached municipal-wide ($31,732 with water and wastewater); $9,652 per apartment 2+ bedrooms; $4.31/sq ft non-residential (municipal-wide).

Development Charges By-law No. 7278/100/24 adopted bylaw
single detached charge Urban Area $30,529; Rural Area $13,263 per single/semi-detached dwelling (by-law in effect Oct 23, 2024) Schedule "B"; s. 3.15; s. 9.1
apartment charge Urban Area $21,378 (2 Bedrooms+), $14,132 (Bachelor and 1 Bedroom); Rural Area $9,287 (2 Bedrooms+), $6,140 (Bachelor and 1 Bedroom) per apartment unit (by-law in effect Oct 23, 2024) Schedule "B"; s. 3.15; s. 9.1
non residential charge Urban Area $12.05; Rural Area $4.15 per sq.ft. of gross floor area (by-law in effect Oct 23, 2024) Schedule "B"; s. 3.16; s. 9.1
services covered Services Related to a Highway; Public Works; Fire Protection; Parks and Recreation; Library; Growth Studies; Wastewater; Water. s. 2.1
exemptions Additional residential units; affordable/attainable/non-profit housing; industrial enlargement ≤50%; non-residential farm buildings; industrial GFA over 5,000 sq ft; rental housing reductions; CIP partial exemptions. ss. 3.5-3.14
payment timing At building permit issuance; rental housing and institutional developments in 6 installments from first occupancy certificate; agreements may defer. s. 3.18; s. 3.19; s. 3.21
indexing expiry Adjusted annually on by-law anniversary per prescribed index; expires 12:01 AM October 23, 2034 unless repealed earlier. s. 5.1; s. 10.1
scout note

City-wide DC by-law 7278/100/24, in force Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 23, 2034. As passed: $13,263 per single/semi municipal-wide (rural), $30,529 with urban water and wastewater; $4.15/sq ft non-residential rural, $12.05 urban; indexed annually.

Building Permit Fees and Development Charges

City page with by-law, rates, notice of passing; also links Niagara Region DC page (regional DCs are primary:false here).

Development Charges Background Study, Aug 2024

Background study supporting the 2024 by-law.

Machine-readable: development-charges.json · Official website: http://city.portcolborne.on.ca/ · Last verified 2026-10-19 · Development charges & levies across Ontario · Development charges & levies in other municipalities