Building on the Waterfront

The following articles might prove useful when building on the waterfront.

Building a Dock:  When building a dock you a required to follow both the Department of Fisheries and Oceans directives.   According to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) you may need a Crown Land Work Permit under certain circumstances when building a dock.  

D.F.O. has simplified the process for some dock projects 
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (D.F.O.) has streamlined its review and approval process for certain dock-building activities that have a low risk to fish habitat. The first step is to check whether your project meets D.F.O.’s guidelines by referring to D.F.O.’s Operational Statement for work around water that pose a low risk to fish habitat.
The Operational Statement describes the conditions under which dock work can be undertaken without D.F.O. review. If your project meets the conditions, you may proceed without D.F.O. approval. These conditions apply:

• It is a new, repair, rebuild or removal of a floating, cantilever or post dock.
• No excavation is required.
• The total surface area for the entire dock, which occurs in a location below the ordinary high water mark, including both existing and proposed structures combines, does not exceed 50m (538 ft).

Vertical Divider

• You incorporate the Measures to Protect Fish and Fish Habitat when Building or Removing and Restoring your Dock (abbreviated version follows):
  • Floating, cantilever and post docks can be installed at any time.
  • Materials to build the dock should not be taken from the shoreline, from below the high watermark or from the lake or river bottom. Use clean materials, free from dirt.
  • If rocks, stumps or logs need to be moved on the lake bottom or shoreline, they should be relocated to an area of similar depth adjacent to the dock and not removed.
  • Use untreated materials as supports for dock structures that will be submerged, and preferably for those above water.
  • The removal of select plants may be necessary to access the dock site. This removal should be kept to a minimum.
  • When finished using the dock, remove all material onto land.

​

---

Building on Waterfront Property:
​​To find out about building permits click on Building Permits.
​
Shoreline Residential Zone Consolidation Requirements By-Law:  
​This by-law outlines building on waterfront property. Included is such information as easements and buffer zone requirements on waterfront properties:

• On the page Building, By-law and Planning scroll down to section Official Plan and Zoning
• ​Click on Zoning By-law
• In the document that opens, scroll down 6 pages to the index
• Click on section #23, pages 75-81

(See button below for excerpt from this document)

Consolidated Excerpt from Zoning BY-LAW NO. 03-8

Occupancy Permit Requirement Checklist:  
What steps do you need to take before applying for your occupancy permit?  This checklist is supplied by the City of Elliot Lake Building Services Department.  It is not located on their website.

Vertical Divider