Building Permits

We are pleased to offer our developers, citizens, businesses, and visitors access to Pronto, the City’s new building permit application portal.

With the introduction of Pronto, the City of Greater Sudbury will be phasing out paper applications. If you are not able to submit an application online, please visit the One Stop Services Centre located on the main floor of Tom Davis Square for assistance.

Future enhancements to Pronto include scheduling inspections, accessing historical permit information, and processing online payments.

Apply for Building Permits Online

With the introduction of Pronto, the City of Greater Sudbury is committed to bringing the building permit application process online. When a citizen or developer registers for a Pronto account, they can:

  Submit a building permit application online
  Upload building permit documents such as drawings, plot plans, and supplementary documents
  View details related to the processing status of your building permit application
  View fees associated to the application
  View inspections and related details associated to the application
 
If your property has a septic system, permits may be subject to Public Health approval. To inquire if Public Health approval is required, please contact Building Services at 705-674-4455 ext. 4278.

 

 

Building Services Applications
Record Types (Residential, Commercial, Institutional or Industrial)
Building Permit Residential, Commercial, Institutional, or Industrial: 
  • New main use buildings
    A Building Permit is required for the construction of a principal use (main use) building or structure. This includes mobile homes as the principal use.
  • Secondary units

    A Building Permit s required for the construction of all secondary units (including mobile homes as secondary units).

    A secondary dwelling unit is a self-contained unit consisting of a room or rooms in a single detached, semi-detached, row house dwelling, street townhouse, or accessory buildings. The secondary dwelling unit may be contained in any part of the house, not just the basement. It may also be contained within an addition to the existing dwelling or within an accessory structure.

  • Additions

    An Building Permit is required for any addition attached to a principal building or structure, or an addition to an accessory building/structure.

    Examples of an addition include (but are not limited to) carports, garages, porches, room(s), dormers, roofs over a deck, second storey to an existing building or structure.

  • Renovations, or Alterations

    An Building Permit permit is required for:

    Exterior alterations or renovations including (but not limited to) roof repair or replacement (including structural members, sheathing, and roofing except shingles), addition of new openings for windows and doors to the building envelope, increasing/decreasing the size of existing windows and doors, installing new or repairing existing window wells, demolition of a chimney, etc.

    Interior alterations or renovations including (but not limited to) altering or removing partition walls and load-bearing walls, installation of insulation, air/vapour barrier and drywall, installation of a fireplace/woodstove, installation/repair of a chimney, fire protection requirements, addition of rooms such as bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc.

  • Accessory structures

    A Building Permit is required for any accessory structure greater than 10m2 in area and is not used for human habitation. Examples of accessory structures include (but are not limited to) decks, detached garages, sheds, gazebos, greenhouses, pergolas, detached carports, etc.)

    With respect to decks, an Accessory Structure permit is required for all decks greater than 24" above grade (attached or detached) regardless of the size.

    With respect to sheds, in accordance with the Ontario Building Code, Division C, Article 1.3.1.1.:(6) a shed is exempt from the requirement to obtain a permit under Section 8 of the Act and is exempt from compliance with the Code, provided that the shed,

    1. is not more than 15m2 in gross area,
    2. is not more than one storey in building height,
    3. is not attached to a building or any other structure,
    4. is used only for storage purposes ancillary to a principal building on the lot, and
    5. does not have plumbing.
  • Changing the use (i.e. use changing from residential to commercial)

    A Building Permit is required when there is a change of Major Occupancy in all or part of a building which may result in an increase in hazard to the occupants of the building.

  • Weeping tile, foundation repair, sump pit installation

    A Building Permit is required for the installation of new weeping tiles, repair of existing weeping tiles, repair of a foundation, or sump pit installation.

  • Siding

    A Building Permit is required for installing new exterior cladding (on all or part of a building or structure) such as vinyl siding, wood siding, brick veneer, brick, etc.

  • Designated structures (retaining walls, solar panels, exterior storage tanks etc.)

    A Building Permit is required for Designated Structures including:

    • Retaining wall > 1 m in height
    • Pedestrian Bridge appurtenant to a building
    • Crane Runway Technical Standards & Safety Act 2000 to TSSA 2000
    • Signs regulated by Section 3.15, Division B that are not structurally supported by a building
    • Solar Collector that is mounted on a building and a face area equal to or > 5 m2
    • Structure that supports a wind turbine generator having a rated output of more than 3kW
    • Outdoor Public Pool
    • Outdoor Public Spa
    • Permanent Solid Nutrient Storage Facility with supporting walls exceeding 1 m in exposed height
    • Dish Antenna mounted on a building having a face area equal to or > 5 m2
    • Demountable stage
    • Demountable support structure
  • Fire suppression

    A Building Permit is required for the installation of any new or alteration of any existing fire suppression systems including (but not limited to) sprinklers and standpipes.

Demolition Permit A Demolition Permit is required before you demolish all or part of an existing building
Permanent Sign Permit Permanent Sign permit is required for signs that fall within the City of Greater Sudbury Sign By-Law 2021-110. Ensure to refer to the City of Greater Sudbury Sign By-Law 2021-110 for details related to permanent sign requirements.
Plumbing Permit All Residential, Commercial, Institutional, or Industrial plumbing applications
Pool Enclosure Permit
(Residential only)

Residential Only:

A Swimming Pool Enclosure permit is required for outdoor swimming pools with a capacity of more than 24 inches (61 cm) of water (including outdoor seasonal pools).

For additional information, refer to the Pool Enclosure By-Law (2016-91) and Swimming Pool Enclosure Guide:

View the full Pool Enclosure By-law (2016-91)
Swimming Pool Enclosure Guide

Site Alteration Permit

Site Alteration permit is required for lands requiring:

  • excavating, depositing, or stockpiling fill or topsoil and/or;
  • removing topsoil and/or;
  • altering the grade of land 
No person shall commence site alteration or cause site alteration unless a site alteration permit has been issued.
Tent Permit

A New Tent permit is required for tents falling outside of the below provision.

A tent or group of tents is exempt from the requirement to obtain a permit under Section 8 of the Act and is exempt from compliance with the Code provided that the tent or group of tents are,
(a) not more than 60 m2 in aggregate ground area,
(b) not attached to a building, and
(c) constructed more than 3 m from other structures.

 

 
Technical Services Applications
Private Entrance/Driveway Permit A private entrance/driveway permit is required for the construction, relocation, alteration, or closing of a private entrance/driveway. Where applicable, a road occupancy permit will be required in accordance with the City’s Road Occupancy By-Law
Road Closure or Occupancy Permit

A road occupancy or closure permit (including road cuts, temporary closures, and sidewalk cafes) is required to close a street, or if you need to partially close a street, sidewalk, or part of the road allowance. Examples include:

Hosting a festival on a street (road closure)
A film crew requiring on-street parking, or a contractor needing to close a lane of traffic to access a manhole (road occupancy)

What you'll need for your PRONTO submissions