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## BY-LAW NUMBER 2026-30
OF
## THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIDEAU LAKES
Being a By-Law to Regulate Construction, Demolition, and Change of Use Permits for Buildings, Structures, and all other related services within the Township of Rideau Lakes and to Repeal By-Law 99-129, as amended.
## BUILDING BY-LAW
WHEREAS Section 7 of the Building Code Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c.23, as amended, authorizes municipal council to pass By-Laws respecting construction, demolition and change of use permits, inspections and related matters including fees.
AND WHEREAS the Council of The Corporation of the Township of Rideau Lakes deems it necessary and desirable to repeal By-Law 99-129, as amended, and to enact the new Building By-Law for the issuance of permits and related matters, including a fee schedule.
NOW THEREFORE, the Council of The Corporation of the Township of Rideau Lakes enacts as follows:
## 1. DEFINITIONS
- 1.1. Non-defined terms.
In this By-Law all words or phrases shall have the meaning accorded to them in the Building Code Act or its regulations (the Building Code) in addition to those words and phrases in this By-Law.
- 1.1. "Act" means the Building Code Act, 1992, C.O. 1992, c.23, as amended.
- "Applicant" means the owner of a building or property who applies for a permit or any person authorized by the owner to apply for a permit on the owner's behalf, or any person or Corporation empowered by the statute to cause the construction or demolition of a building or buildings and anyone acting under the authority of such person or Corporation.
- 1.3. "Architect" means the holder of a license, certificate of practice or a temporary license issued under the Architects Act as defined in the Building Code.
- 1.4. "Building" means a "building" as defined in subsection 1(1) of the Building Code.
- 1.5. "Building Code" means the regulations made under Section 34 of the Act.
- 1.6. "Chief Building Official" means the Chief Building Official appointed pursuant to subsection 3(2) of the Act and by By-Law of the Township for the purposes of enforcement of the Act.
- 1.7. "Construct" means construct as defined in Subsection 1(1) of the Act; Construction shall have a corresponding meaning.
- 1.8. "Construction Site" means the part of the parcel of land on which Building or Demolition related activities are occurring and includes any area materials and equipment appurtenant to any Construction or Activities. The Construction Site may occupy the entire parcel of land or portion of the land parcel.
- 1.9. "Complete Application" means an application that meets the requirements set out in the Building Code for application where the Chief Building Official is required to make a decision within a prescribed period, and section 4 and Schedule (B) of this By-Law.
- 1.10. "Conditional Permit" means a permit issued under subsection 8 (3) of the Act.
- 1.11. "Demolish" means demolish as defined in Subsection 1(1) of the Act; Demolition shall have a corresponding meaning.
- 1.12. "Designer" means an Architect, Engineer or Designer qualified to carry out design activities under the Act.
- 1.13. "Fees and Charges By-Law" means the user fees established for the Municipality by By-Law.
- 1.14. "Inspector" means an employee of the Township appointed pursuant to subsection 3(2) of the Act.
- 1.15. "Owner" means the registered owner of the property on which the work will take place and includes a lessee, mortgagee in possession, and the authorized agent in lawful control of the property.
- 1.16. "Permit" means permission or authorization given in writing by the Chief Building Official to perform work, to change the use of a building or part thereof, or to occupy a building or part thereof, as regulated by the Act and Building Code.
- 1.17. "Permit holder" means the owner to whom the permit has been issued or where a permit has been transferred, the new owner to whom the permit has been transferred.
- 1.18. "Plot Plan" means a detailed drawing(s) of proposed improvements to a given property at a defined scale, plot plan is also known as a site plan.
- 1.19. "Professional Engineer" means a person who holds a license or temporary license under the Professional Engineers Act, as defined in the Building Code.
- 1.20. "Public Way" means "public way" as defined in the Ontario Regulation 213/91, as amended.
- 1.21. "Registered Code Agency" means a registered code agency as defined in Subsection 1(1) of the Act.
- 1.22. "Revised submission" means additional information filed with the Chief Building Official which depicts one or more changes to the proposed or as-constructed design of a building or part of a building for which a permit has already been issued and for which approval by the Chief Building Official is required.
- 1.23. "Sewage System" means a Sewage System as defined in Article 1.4.1.2 of Division A of the Building Code.
- 1.24. "Township" means the Corporation of the Township of Rideau Lakes.
## 2. CLASSES OF PERMITS
- Classes of permits required for the construction, demolition or change of use of a building shall be set out in Schedule "A" to this By-Law.
## 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR PERMIT APPLICATIONS
## General Requirements
- 3.1. To be considered a complete application, every permit application shall be accompanied by the approval documents issued by the agencies responsible for the applicable laws listed in the building code, where those agencies issue approval documents and the law applies to the construction or demolition being proposed.
- 3.2. An application for a permit may be refused by the Chief Building Official where it is not a complete application.
- The Chief Building Official is delegated the authority to create and/or adopt for usage, forms (other than those prescribed by the Act or the Code) which provide for the collection of specific information in relation to permit applications, which the information is necessary for the administration and enforcement of the Act and the Code. This delegated authority is subject to the following conditions:
- 3.3.1. The Chief Building Official shall maintain a list of forms that it has issued or adopted for usage.
- 3.4. The Chief Building Official may, as deemed appropriate, provide prescribed forms in an electronic format and may allow for electronic submission of completed permit application forms.
- Notwithstanding subsection 3.4, completed forms generated electronically shall be accepted subject to the endorsement by the applicant.
- 3.6. Applications submitted in accordance with this By-Law or otherwise required by the Act become the property of the Township and will be disposed of or retained in accordance with relevant legislation or By-Law.
## Applications for Permits to Construct
Where an application is made for a Construction Permit under Subsection 8(1) of the Act, the Applicant shall:
- 3.7. use the Provincial application form, "Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish"; and
- 3.8. identify and describe in detail the work to be done and the existing and proposed use and occupancy of the building, or part thereof, for which the building permit application is made; and
- include complete plans and specifications, documents, forms and other information as required by Article 1.3.1.3 of Division C of the Building Code and as described in this By-Law for the work to be covered by the permit; and
- 3.10. be accompanied by acceptable proof of corporate identity and property ownership, unless such proof is determined by the Chief Building Official.
## Applications for Permits to Demolish
Where an application is made for a demolition permit under Subsection 8(1) of the Act, the applicant shall:
- 3.11. use the Provincial application form, "Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish"; and
- 3.12. identify and describe in detail the work to be done and the existing use and occupancy of the building, or part thereof, for which the application for a permit to demolish is made, and the proposed use and occupancy of that part of the building, if any, will remain upon completion of the demolition; and
- 3.13. be accompanied by acceptable proof of corporate identity and property ownership, unless such proof is determined by the Chief Building Official.
## Applications for Permits to Construct Part of a Building
Where an application is made for a permit to construct part of a building under Subsection 8(1) of the Act, and in addition to the requirements of Subsection 3.7 of this By-Law, the applicant shall:
- 3.14. use the Provincial application form "Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish" for the entire project; and
- 3.15. be accompanied by plans, specifications, documents, forms and other information covering that part of the work for which application for a partial permit is made, together with such information pertaining to the remainder of the work as may be required by the Chief Building Official.
The Chief Building Official may issue a partial permit where appropriate to expedite substantial construction before a permit for the entire building is available and where the relevant provisions of this By-Law and the Act are met.
- 3.16. When determining whether to issue a partial permit, the Chief Building Official shall have regard for the likelihood of subsequent approvals being available in a timely fashion such that a project is not interrupted and exposed to potential damage from the elements, while awaiting subsequent approvals.
## Application for Conditional Permits
Where a request is made for a conditional permit, with a pending application for a Permit to Construct under Subsection 8(3) of the Act, and in addition to the requirements of Subsection 3.7 of this By-Law, the applicant shall:
- 3.17. include a written statement from the applicant explaining why the applicant believes that unreasonable delays in construction would occur if a conditional permit were not granted; and
- 3.18. include a written acknowledgement from the applicant of the necessary approvals that must be obtained in respect of the proposed building in order for the permit to be issued and the time in which such approvals will be obtained; and
- 3.19. include payment of all applicable fees for the complete project.
## Conditional Permit Issuance: Discretionary
- 3.20. The Chief Building Official may issue a conditional permit where unreasonable delays are anticipated in obtaining all necessary approvals, and where the relevant provisions of this By-Law and the Act are met.
- 3.21. Prior to issuance of a conditional permit the applicant, and any other person the Chief Building Official determines, shall enter into a written agreement with the Township.
## Applications for Permits for Change of Use
Where an application is made for a Change of Use Permit under Subsection 10(1) of the Act, the applicant shall:
- 3.22. use the Provincial application form, "Application for a Change of Use Permit"; and
- 3.23. identify and describe in detail the existing and proposed use and occupancy of the building, or part thereof, for which the application for a permit is made; and
- 3.24. be accompanied by the plans, specifications, documents, forms and other information prescribed in Section 5 and Schedule "B" of this By-Law.
## Application for a Sewage System Permit
Where an application is made for a Sewage Permit under Subsection 8(1) of the Act, the applicant shall:
- 3.25. use the Provincial application form "Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish" for the appropriate septic system class; and
- 3.26. include complete plans and specifications, documents, forms and other information as required by Article 1.3.1.3 of Division C of the Building Code and as described in this By-Law for the work to be covered by the permit; and
- 3.27. be accompanied by acceptable proof of corporate identity and property ownership, unless such proof is determined by the Chief Building Official.
## No Implication of Permit Availability
Notwithstanding the issuance of a Partial or Conditional Permit, the Chief Building Official shall not be deemed, implied or obliged to issue any further or additional permits for such property.
Where construction has commenced prior to the issuance of a permit, a permit based on any of the above applications may be issued at the sole discretion of the Chief Building Official.
## Abandoned Permit and Permit Applications
An application for a permit shall be deemed to be abandoned by the applicant where:
- 3.28. the application has been determined to be incomplete pursuant to this By-Law and remains incomplete for a period of 90 days from the date the application was determined to be incomplete; or
- the applicant has failed to obtain a copy of a building permit within 90 days of being notified that such permit is available for issuance (including where payment of any outstanding fees is required at the time of issuance); or
- where construction has not commenced within six (6) months of permit issuance, or where construction is substantially suspended or discontinued for a period of six (6) consecutive months, the Chief Building Official may deem the permit inactive and require the permit holder to apply for reinstatement prior to resuming work; and
- 3.31. any permit issued may be revoked in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(10) of the Building Code Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c.23, as amended.
## Revision of Permits
After the issuance of a permit under the Act, the applicant shall give notice to the Chief Building Official in writing of any material change to a plan, specification, document or their information upon which a permit was issued, together with the details of such change, which change shall not be made without the prior written authorization of the Chief Building Officials.
Application for authorization of any substantial change shall constitute a revised submission or a supplementary submission.
## Request for Partial Occupancy Permit
Where a request is made for a partial occupancy Permit under Section 11 of the Act and the Building Code where applicable, the applicant shall:
- 3.32. include a statement indicating the expected occupancy dates, and the portions of the building to be occupied; and
- 3.33. obtain all necessary permits and approvals from other municipal departments or outside agencies having jurisdiction.
## Request for Alternative Solution Approval
Where a request is made for approval of an alternative solution under Section 9 of the Act and Div A - 1.2.1.1 of the Building Code where applicable, the applicant shall:
- 3.34. use the Provincial application form "Application for Approval of an Alternative Solution; and
- 3.35. include supporting documentation and test methods demonstrating that the proposed alternative solution will provide the level of safety and performance required by the Building Code; and
- 3.36. equivalents which are accepted under this subsection shall be applicable only to the location to which the approval is given and are not transferable to any other Permit to Construct; and
- 3.37. in addition to the minimum non-refundable fee, the Owner or Permit Holder shall pay any additional costs that may be incurred by the Township in relation to the evaluation process as determined by the Chief Building Official.
## 4. PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS
As part of the application for a permit and in addition to the requirements of section 3 of this By-Law, every applicant shall submit to the Chief Building Official the following:
- 4.1. sufficient plans, specifications, documents, forms and such other information as may be deemed necessary by the Chief Building Official to determine whether the proposed construction, demolition or change of use conforms to the Act, Building Code and any other applicable law;
- where a plot plan is required to satisfy Section 4.1., the plot plan shall be referenced to an up-to-date survey and shall show the following:
- 4.2.2. setbacks from existing and proposed buildings to property boundary lines and each other;
- 4.2.1. lot size and dimensions of the property;
- 4.2.3. existing rights of way, easements and municipal services;
- 4.2.4. the Chief Building Official may require a copy of the plan of survey be submitted to accompany the plot plan.
- plans, specifications and other documents submitted by an applicant shall:
- 4.3.2. be fully dimensioned and drawn to a suitable scale that clearly depicts the proposed construction, demolition or change of use;
- 4.3.1. be fully coordinated among design disciplines and intended for construction, demolition or change of use;
- 4.3.3. be submitted electronically;
- 4.3.4. contain information and text that is clear and legible.
- 4.4. the Chief Building Official may require additional information to be provided at any time prior to the completion of the work;
- 4.5. \_ on completion of the construction of a Building, the Chief Building Official may require the applicant to submit a set of as constructed plans;
- 4.6. the issuance of a permit, review of the drawings and specifications, or inspections made by the Chief Building Official shall not in any way relieve the Owner from full responsibility for carrying out work or having the work carried out in accordance with the requirements of this By-Law and the Building Code, including ensuring that the occupancy of the building, or any part thereof, is in accordance with the terms of this By-Law and the Building Code.
## 5. REGISTERED CODE AGENCY
The Chief Building Official is authorized to enter into and sign contracts for service agreements with registered code agencies and appoint them to perform specified functions from time to time in order to maintain the time periods for the permits prescribed in the Building Code.
The registered code agency may be appointed to perform one or more of the specified functions described in Section 15.15 of the Act.
## 6. FEES AND REFUNDS
- 6.1. Permit fees shall be calculated in accordance with the Fees and Charges By-law, as amended from time to time, and;
- 6.1.1. Despite the above the Chief Building Official may place a valuation on the cost of the proposed project as contained in the municipal user fees By-Law and where disputed by the applicant, the applicant shall pay the required fee under protest and within six months of completion of the project, shall submit an audited statement of the actual costs. Where the Chief Building Official, in his sole discretion, agrees that the audited costs are less than the valuation, the Chief Building Official may issue a partial refund that reflects the difference between the two amounts.
- 6.2. The Chief Building Official shall not issue a permit until fees required by this ByLaw have been paid.
- In addition to the fees paid at the time of the building permit application, when an applicant makes supplementary submissions or revised submissions, the applicant shall pay the prescribed fee which shall be calculated in accordance with user fees established in the Fees and Charges By-Law.
- 6.4. In the case of withdrawal of an application, or the abandonment of all or a portion of the work, or refusal of a permit, or the non-commencement of any project, the Chief Building Official shall determine the amount of paid permit fees that may be refunded to the applicant, if any, in accordance with item 6.5 below. No refund shall be applied where the permit has been revoked, except where the permit was issued in error. Any request for a permit refund must be made by the applicant in writing within twelve months of the date of the permit application. Refunds requested after this time will not be considered.
- 6.5. The amount of permit fees to construct of demolish that may be refunded shall be the total fees paid less the cumulative percentage of fees applicable to the administration, review and inspection functions undertaken prior to the receipt of the written request to the Chief Building Official as follows:
- 6.5.1. Eighty (80) percent if administrative functions only have been performed;
- 6.5.2. Sixty (60) percent if administrative functions, zoning and plan examination functions have been performed;
- 6.5.3. Forty-Five (45) percent if the permit has been issued and no field inspections have been performed subsequent to permit issuance;
- 6.5.4. Five (5) percent shall be deducted for each field inspection that has been performed after the permit has been issued;
- 6.5.5. No refund shall be made for an amount less than the minimum permit fee.
- 6.5.6. No refund shall be made for a limiting distance agreement, conditional permit, or authorization of an alternative solution.
- 6.6. Refunds shall be paid to the person named on the fee receipt issued by the Township upon payment of the fee, unless the person directs in writing that the fee be refunded to another person.
- 6.7. Permit fees will be calculated at the time of application, based on the information provided on the application form and adjustments will be made, as required, during the review process. The balance of fees owing and adjustments as a result of corrected information shall be paid prior to permit issuance.
- 6.8. The method of payment for permit fees may be cheque, credit card or debit card. Cheques returned for non-sufficient funds shall be replaced by a certified cheque in the amount of the permit fees, plus administrative charges. Replacement fees not provided within the specified time will result in revocation of the permit.
## 7. TRANSFER OF PERMITS
- 7.1. If the owner of the land changes subsequent to the issuance of a permit and prior to the final inspection related thereto, the permit may be transferred to the new owner (the transferee) of the subject lands upon the submission of an application in accordance with the requirements of Section 3 of this By-Law, and where such application is accompanied by the following:
- 7.1.1. proof of ownership of the subject lands by the transferee;
- 7.1.2. written confirmation from the designer, architect and/or professional engineer or such other qualified person reference in the original application that such person or firm has been retained to continue to provide the stated services in respect if the application (if such services continued to be required under the Act/Code) or the name, address and telephone number of the designer, architect and/or professional engineer or such other qualified person and where applicable the written confirmation of such person or firm that they have been retained in relation to the application; and
- 7.1.3. the payment of applicable fees set out in the user fees established for the Municipality by By-Law.
- 7.2. Upon the issuance of a transfer permit to the transferee, the transferee shall be deemed to be the permit holder, and the original permit holder shall have no rights or obligations to the Township under the permit except for any obligations set out in an agreement entered into under clause 8(3)(c) of the Act.
## 8. REVOCATION OF PERMITS
- 8.1. Prior to revoking a permit under Subsection 8(10) of the Act, the Chief Building Official shall serve a notice by personal service or registered mail at the last known address to the permit holder, and following a thirty (30) day period from the date of service the Chief Building Official may revoke the permit if grounds to revoke still exist, without any further notice.
- 8.2. A permit holder may within thirty (30) days from the date of service of a notice under this Part, request in writing that the Chief Building Official defer the revocation by stating reasons why the permit should not be revoked. The Chief Building Official, having regard to any changes to the Act, Building Code or other applicable law, may allow the deferral, in writing.
- 8.3. Where notice is served personally, electronically or by registered mail, the Permit Holder shall be conclusively deemed for all purposes to have been served with the notice on the fifth day after the notice is served.
## 9. NOTICES FOR INSPECTIONS
- 9.1. Inspection notices required by the building code and this By-law shall be made in writing or by telephone.
- 9.2. Inspection notices are required a minimum of two business days prior to the stages of construction specified therein and shall be given in accordance with the requirements of Subsection 1.3.5 of Division C of the Building Code.
- 9.3. The person to whom the permit has been issued shall notify the Chief Building Official of each stage of construction for which a notice is prescribed by the Building Code.
- 9.4. In addition to the notices prescribed in Article 1.3.5.1 of Division C of the Building Code, the person to whom a permit has been issued shall give the Chief Building Official notice of the readiness for inspection for the stages of construction set out in Article 1.3.5.2 of Division C of the Building Code, where applicable.
- 9.5. Where an Inspection has been made, and the Applicant, Owner or contractor is made aware of any Building Code contraventions, and a re-inspection has been requested and carried out by the City and it is determined that the contraventions have not been remedied, the cost of carrying out any further inspections shall be charged to the Applicant, Owner or contractor at the rate outlined in line with the user fees established for the Municipality by By-Law.
## 10. OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
- 10.1. Any person is guilty of an offence and is subject to a penalty in accordance with Section 36 of the Building Code Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c. 23, as amended if the person:
- 10.1.1. knowingly furnishes false information in any application under the Act, in any certificate required to be issued or in any statement or return required to be furnished under the Act or the regulations;
- 10.1.2. fails to comply with an order, direction or other requirement made under the Act; or
10.1.3. contravenes the Act, the regulations or this By-law passed under section 7 of the Act.
## 11. SEVERABILITY
Should any section, subsection, clause, or part of this By-law be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the same shall be severed from this By-law, and the validity of the remaining portions shall not be affected thereby, it being the intention of Council that this By-law shall remain in force except as to the portion so declared invalid.
## 12. EFFECTIVE DATE
This By-Law shall come into force and take effect on the date of passage.
Read a first and second a time this Jday of \_April 2026.
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Mary Ellen Truelove Clerk
Read a third time and finally passed the 7ih day of \_April
- 2026.
Arie Hoogenboan
Mayor
mE Leelane
Mary Ellen Truelove Clerk
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## BUILDING PERMIT:
To be for the purpose of allowing all types of construction governed by the Act and the Building Code.
## CHANGE OF USE PERMIT:
To comply with the requirements of Section 10. (1) of the Act.
## CONDITIONAL PERMIT:
Pertains to construction only and may be issued only in accordance with Section 8. (3) of the Act. The Chief Building Official is hereby authorized to execute the written agreement referred to in Section 4 of this By-law on behalf of the Township where the Chief Building Official is satisfied that the compliance required under Section 8 of the Act has been achieved.
## DEMOLITION PERMIT:
To be used for the demolition of all or part of a building or structure.
## PARTIAL PERMIT:
When a permit is applied for in accordance with the provisions of the Building By-law, in order to expedite work, the Chief Building Official may grant approval for construction to proceed for a portion of a structure.
## SCHEDULE "A" OF BY-LAW 2026-30
Being a By-Law to Regulate Construction, Demolition, and Change of Use Permits for Buildings, Structures, and all other related services within the Township of Rideau Lakes and to Repeal By-Law 99-129, as amended.
## CLASSES OF PERMITS
## SCHEDULE "B" OF BY-LAW 2026-30
Being a By-Law to Regulate Construction, Demolition, and Change of Use Permits for Buildings, Structures, and all other related services within the Township of Rideau Lakes and to Repeal By-Law 99-129, as amended.
## PLANS, SPECIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
## General Information required on all plans and specifications;
- Title block containing; project title or proposed use of building, owner's name, municipal address of the project location, scale of drawing, drawing title, date drawing produced and,
- Designer's contact and qualification information, in accordance with all applicable legislation.
Required Plans and Specifications for all residential properties containing not more than two dwelling units in each house and the building systems, works, fixtures and service systems appurtenant to these buildings including ancillary buildings that serve the main building;
- Architectural, structural, HVAC, site services and electrical as determined by the scope of the work involved, noting that for alterations or repairs the Chief Building Official may accept less.
## Required Plans and Specifications for all other buildings including their ancillary buildings;
- Architectural, structural, mechanical (including HVAC and plumbing), site services and electrical as determined by the scope of the work involved noting that for alterations and repairs the Chief Building Official may accept less.
## Additional Forms / Documents submissions (where applicable)
- Property Owner's Letter of Authorization appointing an agent, or copy of deed or recent tax bill
- Articles of Incorporation
- Commitment to General Review signed by all project team disciplines
- Building Code Data Matrix
- Geotechnical Investigation Report
- Complete Construction Specifications (Architectural, Structural, Mechanical and Electrical
- Copies of authorizations/permits from other approving agencies (Applicable Law approvals)
- Energy Efficiency Design Summary form for Part 9 Residential Houses
- Seasonal Dwelling Affidavit
This required information is in addition to any information specified in Sections 4 and 5 of this By-law.
In addition to the foregoing items, other information may be required to enable the Chief Building Official to determine whether the proposed work conforms to the Ontario Building Code.