How tall can my fence be? Do I need a fence around my pool?
In the City of Thorold, Ontario, permit required: True; pool enclosure: Minimum 1.5m high enclosure surrounding entire pool area; gates must be self-closing, self-latching on pool side, kept closed and locked when pool not under competent supervision.; prohibited materials: Basket weave, lattice, or horizontal boards prohibited within required swimming pool enclosure portion.; max height rear side: 2 m [6.5 ft.] (residential zone). Source: By-law 27-2008 - Pool By-law (Consolidated); By-law 28-2008 - Fence By-law (Consolidated), verified 2026-08-29.
By-law 27-2008 - Pool By-law (Consolidated)
adopted bylaw
permit required
True
s. 2.1.1: 'No person shall excavate for or erect...any outdoor swimming pool and/or swimming pool enclosure without first obtaining a permit'
pool enclosure
Minimum 1.5m high enclosure surrounding entire pool area; gates must be self-closing, self-latching on pool side, kept closed and locked when pool not under competent supervision.
s. 4.1.2; s. 4.3.3(3); s. 4.3.1
prohibited materials
Basket weave, lattice, or horizontal boards prohibited within required swimming pool enclosure portion.
s. 4.2.5
scout note
No person may excavate for or erect an outdoor swimming pool or pool enclosure without first obtaining a permit from the Chief Building Official, and the pool may not be filled until a final inspection has approved the enclosure. The enclosure must be a minimum of 1.5m (5 feet) high measured from ground level at its exterior face, with limits
0.9 m [3 ft.] closed construction or hedge; 1.2 m [4 ft.] open construction, within 4.5 m of street line
s. 2.3.1
sight triangle
Fence in sight triangle must be open construction, not obstruct visibility, and must not exceed 0.9 m [3 ft.] above ground level; sight triangle defined as 9 m along each street line from intersection
s. 2.4.1; s. 1.2.1(27)
prohibited materials
Electric fences; barbed wire, metal spikes, sharp/pointed materials; used vehicle tires; sheet metal or corrugated metal panels (residential)
s. 2.6.1; s. 2.7.1; s. 2.8.1; s. 2.1.5
scout note
Fence height max 2m residential, 2.4m institutional/commercial, 3m industrial; hedges up to 3m. Front-yard fences within 4.5m of the street line capped at 0.9m (closed) / 1.2m (open construction). Line Fences Act disapplied city-wide.