people leaning over building and planning documents

Building Permits and Planning Applications Fee Review

Building Permits and Planning Applications Fee Review

As part of its Strategic Plan, the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is working towards a more financially sustainable future. Council is focused on ensuring services are sustainable through cost recovery, including reviewing fees for Building Permits and Planning Applications.

The Town has hired DFA Infrastructure International Inc. (DFA) to review these fees. The goal is to make sure that the fees better reflect the actual costs of processing applications, especially with recent changes to provincial legislation, like the 2024 Ontario Building Code.

DFA has completed a background study and proposed new fees for Building and Planning Services.  Town Staff have reviewed the Building Permit By-law and provisions, and have prepared a new draft Building Permit By-law. These documents are available under the Proposed Fees & Draft Building Permit By-law section below.  The fees are subject to change based on Council deliberation and public feedback.

Public Information Session

The Town will be holding a drop-in public information session about the proposed fee changes and the new Building Permit By-law. Changes to the Building Permit By-law are required to reflect new provisions introduced through the 2024 Ontario Building Code and include updated fees. This drop-in information session is a chance for residents and interested parties to learn more, ask questions, and share feedback.

Details to attend the drop-in public information session are below: 

  • Date: Monday, September 15, 2025
  • Time: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Location: Council Chambers at Town Hall, 1593 Four Mile Creek Road, Virgil (in-person only)

Proposed Fees & Draft Building Permit By-law:

Proposed Building Fees

Proposed Planning Fees

Draft Building Permit By-law

Current Fees & Building Permit By-law: 

Current Building Fees

Current Planning Fees

Current Building Permit By-law

Additional Resources:

Building Permit Fee Comparison

Planning Fee Comparison

Planning and Building Fee Review Study

2022-2027 Strategic Plan

Annual Planning and Building Monitoring Report (2024)