Engineering and Road Corridor Permits

Engineering Permits can now be submitted digitally. Please see the application form for the digital documents required. For fee and security submissions, refer to making a fee or security payment information below.

Do you want to move earth on your property?

We call this activity site alteration; it includes: The placing or dumping of fill, the removal of topsoil and the alteration of the grade of land on all properties in Oakville; whether associated with formalized building, construction activity or landscaping. Please complete the site alteration portions of the Engineering Permit Application (pdf) and attach the required information indicated on the application.

You may be exempt from a permit if your work falls into any of the by-law, schedule “B” exemption categories. Please check the following link. Site Alteration By-law, Schedule “B”.

Where site plan approval (commercial or industrial property) is being applied for or has been issued, earth moving and/or clearing and grubbing permits will not be issued. Should a developer wish to start any works prior to site plan approval, under extenuating circumstances, a site alteration permit may be assessed on a site-by-site basis.

Where a subdivision developer wishes to clear, grub and site alter, they may apply for a permit prior to pre-servicing or registration.

Please see the following additional information links Erosion and Sediment Controls booklet (pdf), Site Alteration Exemptions (pdf) and Site Alteration and Site Plan Restrictions (pdf).

Do you want to build a pool?

All pools require a secure pool enclosure as per the Pool Enclosure By-law. If you are planning to install a pool, you require a permit to construct the enclosure. Please complete the pool and site alteration portions of the Engineering Permit Application. An enclosure (fencing, wall, adjacent building or combination) must meet the by-law to ensure the safety of you and your family, neighbours and those visiting your property.

The Pool Enclosure By-law defines a pool as any body of water, which is:

• Located outdoors on private property
• Wholly or partially contained by artificial means
• Capable of holding water in excess of 0.61 metres (two feet) in depth at any point.

Please see the Swimming Pool Enclosure booklet (pdf) for further information.

Do you want to work close to trees or remove trees on private property?

Any work carried out on private property that may result in private trees being potentially impacted, damaged or removed requires a permit. If any removals are proposed along with earth moving or pools, please complete the tree portion of the Engineering Permit Application.

Please see the Tree Protection During Construction Procedure or the Private Tree Protection By-law for further information.

Lot grading certification

Where earth moving activities (site alteration, pool installation, etc.) take place on private property, a Lot Grading Certification is required to be submitted. The certificate is to be submitted to the Development Engineering department once all works have been completed. The certificate indicates that; a Professional Engineer, an Ontario Land Surveyor or a Landscape Architect, has reviewed the work carried out and confirms that it meets the design of the approved plan.

What you should know about grading and drainage

As a property owner, you are responsible for maintaining your property’s grading and surface drainage. Any work you carry out that changes the original approved grades or the historically existing grades, must not impair the land’s ability to drain properly. Please review our homeowner maintenance do’s and don’ts to learn more about proper drainage and grading on your property.

Engineering Permits can now be submitted digitally. Please see the application form for the digital documents required. For fee and security submissions, refer to making a fee or security payment information below.

Town right of way definition

"Municipal Right of Way" means land owned by The Corporation of the Town of Oakville as opened or unopened road allowances for the purposes of operating a public highway under the Municipal Act, 2001, a public walkway, municipal services (such as a public parking lot listed with the Parking Lot By-law) or public utilities; but excludes town lands owned or operated as parkland, creeks and watercourse, and related public trail systems.

Town property is all lands that extend from your front property line to the front property line of the home on the other side of the street.

Do you want to use the town property for a short period of time?

If you would like to occupy the Town’s right of way (the road, sidewalk, boulevard, shoulder or ditch) we call this activity temporary street occupation (TSO). This will allow you to temporarily store (bins, equipment, trailers, etc.) and temporarily place materials (landscape stone, sand, gravel, etc.) on the right of way. Please use the TSO portion of the Engineering Permit Application (pdf). Municipal tree protection is also required.

Do you want to open cut or excavate any portion of the town’s right of way?

This type of work is associated with constructing or replacing storm sewers, sanitary sewers and watermain and the respective connections from these services to private property. Additionally, work carried out by utility companies (Bell, Hydro, etc.) to construct or replace their facilities and services.

Excavation of any boulevard, shoulder, ditch and sidewalk is also covered under this permit activity. Please use the excavation portion of the Engineering Permit Application (pdf). Municipal tree protection would also be required.

Do you want to build a new driveway or widen your existing one?

If you are planning to carry out work on your driveway within the town’s property, a driveway permit for driveway work will be required. Please review the Driveway Permits Procedure. Municipal tree protection is also required.

Driveway work includes the following activities:

• Constructing a new driveway entrance onto a town roadway, with or without a culvert or requiring a curb cut
• Altering an existing driveway (widening)
• Constructing driveway curbs or headwalls on the road allowance
• Constructing a second driveway to permit a circular driveway

Please use the driveway portion of the Engineering Permit Application (pdf). Municipal tree protection would also be required.

Repaving or changing the hard surface, without doing any of the above works does not require a permit.

Driveway work on private property is regulated by the town's Zoning By-law.

Are you working close to, or want to remove town trees?

Any work carried out on municipal right of way that may result in either municipal trees being potentially impacted, damaged or removed requires tree protection and a permit from Parks Forestry and an arborist report.

Please review Tree Protection During Construction Procedure or the Town Tree Protection By-law for further information.

The town's Use of Municipal Right of Ways and Municipal Parking Lots policy and related procedures, and the Use of Roads By-law (pdf), indicates that owners or tenants with a property that abuts public road allowances are prohibited from:

• Constructing parking lots, walls, fences, gate posts, light posts, signs, planter boxes and underground sprinkler systems
• Placing large rocks, berms and contoured landscaping
• Planting hedges, bushes and trees
• Filling in municipal road side ditches
• Installing heating elements within the apron portion (town portion) of a driveway

Rates and fees

For current rates and fees, please review the Development Engineering rates and fees on the Rates and Fees page.

The town is now accepting electronic funds transfers. Making a fee or security payment information appears below.

Making a fee or security payment

Development Engineering fees and securities can be paid via e-transfer or electronic funds transfer (EFT) and directed to the following email address devengrequests@oakville.ca. Should you have any questions, please contact service@oakville.ca.

Cheques may still be mailed to The Town of Oakville or dropped off in the secure drop box at town hall; however, permit processing will await clearance of the cheque which may take up to 14 days.

When paying by e-transfer or EFT, please ensure that your email is titled with your municipal address first and then application type. e.g. 1246 Jones Street – DESP; 1246 Jones Street – Road cut for servicing, etc.

Please note: For e-transfers the maximum limit is $10,000.

For payments in excess of $10,000 please divide the payment into 2 transfers. e.g. for a DESP Permit the payment should be split: Fees of $ 1,919, and Securities of $10,000.

Thank you for your submission to Development Engineering. Our business hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

We will review your application for completeness within 2 business days. Should your application be incomplete, you will be notified via email and the application will be held until complete. Complete applications will be circulated to our technical reviewers.

Should you wish to obtain status of your application, please contact ServiceOakville, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 905-845-6601 or service@oakville.ca.