Development application fees

All fees identified are effective as of January 1, 2024.

Fees are required with the submission of planning applications. These fees cover some of the work undertaken by planning, infrastructure, legal, financial and public works staff in their review of development proposals. In addition, the City collects the initial fees for the Conservation Authorities.

In some cases the Development Charges for a project may be collected through the processing of a planning application, for example when a subdivision agreement is entered into.

For information on application specific fees, please refer to the appropriate development application. For further information on additional fees related to development applications, please refer to the below sections.

Housing organizations that are charitable or non-profit and who enter into a contribution agreement with the City may be exempt from paying Planning Application Fees. Conservation Authority and Engineering Design Review and Inspection fees are not subject to this exemption.

Section 42 (1.2) of the Planning Act exempts non-profit developers from Cash in Lieu of Parkland Dedication fees.

Fees for applications involving public consultation (except Zoning By-law Amendments for Severance of Surplus Farm Dwelling) include an on-site sign fee of $1,023.78 (including HST) for two signs. Additional signs, if required, will be invoiced to the applicant at a cost of $510.76 (including HST) each.

Fees for Zoning By-law Amendments for Severance of Surplus Farm Dwelling include an on-site sign fee of $510.76 (including HST) for one sign. Additional signs, if required, will be invoiced to the applicant at a cost of $510.76 (including HST) each.

Official Plan Amendment

When the application is made, the applicant will be required to sign an undertaking to pay all legal costs incurred by the City, including solicitor's fees and disbursements, for preparation for and attendance at an Ontario Land Tribunal hearing if the matter proceeds to a hearing.

Maximum limit Legal Costs: $10,000

Zoning By-law Amendment

When the application is made, the applicant will be required to sign an undertaking to pay all legal costs incurred by the City, including solicitor's fees and disbursements, for preparation for and attendance at an Ontario Land Tribunal hearing if the matter proceeds to a hearing.

Maximum limit Legal Costs:

• Minor Zoning Amendment: $3,000
• Major Zoning Amendment: $10,000

General

Revisions requiring Re-circulations Fee: $5,779.00 (No HST)

This new general fee has been approved for all situations where there is an application revision requiring circulation. The use of this fee is for applications where the applicant comes in with one idea, and during the issue resolution process realizes that idea won’t work, and then re-submits a different scenario for the same site. A scenario, drawings or plans that differ enough that we want to re-circulate the information to the surrounding property owners and post new development signs. The client paid (in the initial application fees) for the first set of mail-outs and signs, but now we need to be able to charge the client for re-doing the same items, such as:

• New mail-out of materials (photocopying and stamps)
• New signs
• Staff effort to do the above

• A re-circulation fee is also required if documents are submitted more than one year after the previous submission was received. This ensures that the current applicable policy is applied to the review and provides renewed notice to stakeholders.

Plans of Subdivision

Revisions/Re-circulations: Fee: $9,585.80 (includes $2,560.00 Legal Fee + HST)

• Fee only charged if the revision is extensive enough to be re-circulated.
• Conservation Authority will invoice separately as required

Engineering design review and inspection fees of 5.0 per cent of the value of the Hard Servicing (roads, sewers, watermains, sidewalks, curbs, stormwater etc.) and 2.50 per cent of the Soft Servicing (lot grading, sodding, driveway treatment etc.) are payable prior to Final Approval. The Engineering Design Review and Inspection Flat Rate Fee collected at submission will be credited to these fees.

A fee of $4,896.29 ($4,333.00 + $563.29 HST) for the review of the fourth submission and each subsequent engineering submissions.

Any development application to which cash-in-lieu of parkland is applicable and for which an appraisal is required, will be subject to a fee for appraisal services of $926.60 including HST.

The Registration fee for each phase of the subdivision and the Legal fee are payable after Draft Plan Approval, but before Final Approval of the Subdivision.

Fees Required Prior to Final Approval

Application fees, not including Committee of Adjustment application fees, will be refunded, upon authorization of staff, on the following basis where an application is withdrawn:

• 75 per cent of the planning component of the application fee and 100 per cent of the legal component of the application fee, if applicable, will be refunded if a request for a refund is received by the Department prior to the preparation of the technical circulation and public notification.
• 33.3 per cent of the planning component of the application fee and 100 per cent of the legal component of the application fee, if applicable, will be refunded if a request for a refund is received by the Department prior to the preparation of the staff delegated memorandum, Planning and Housing Committee report or Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee report.
• If the entering into of an agreement is not a condition of the approval for Plan of Subdivision revisions, Plan of Condominium, Site Plan Control, or Demolition Control, the legal component of the application fee will be refunded at the request of the applicant.

Where an application for Zoning By-law Amendment or Site Plan Control approval is made and a decision is not rendered by the City in accordance with the legislated timelines of the Planning Act, the fees paid at the time of formal submission shall be refunded in accordance with the below per subsections 34 (10.12) and 41 (11.1) of the Planning Act.

• For a Zoning By-law Amendment application combined with an Official Plan Amendment application, where Council did not render a decision within 120 days, the following refunds apply to the Zoning By-law Amendment fees:
  • Within 121 days to 179 days – 50%
  • Within 180 days to 239 days – 75%
  • By or over 240 days – 100%
• For a Zoning By-law Amendment application, where Council did not render a decision within 90 days, the following refunds apply:
  • Within 91 days to 149 days – 50%
  • Within 150 days to 209 days – 75%
  • By or over 210 days – 100%

• For a Site Plan Control application, where the Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department did not approve the application within 60 days the following refunds apply:
  • Within 61 to 89 days – 50%
  • Within 90 days to 119 days – 75%
  • By or over 120 days – 100%

Did you know that charitable and non-profit organizations may be able to have any new development fees reimbursed? Find out if you qualify:

Which organizations and projects can receive a reimbursement?

 Applicants must be either:

• A Canadian registered charity organization (excluding non-profit hospitals); and/or,
• An incorporated non-profit organization that is organized for the purpose of social welfare or civic improvement.

Applicants identified must be able to show proof of the aforementioned registration or incorporation status from the Canada Revenue Agency. The status must be valid in the year the applicant submitted their development-related applications to be eligible for a refund.

The applicant must provide organizational governance information with their application. Membership of the governing body, list of officials, an organizational chart, legal status and number of members (if applicable) and a signed copy of the organization’s Annual Meeting minutes.

In order to be eligible for a reimbursement of development-related applications, the applicants’ development project:

• Must provide services that are reflective of the classifications of municipal capital facilities eligible for tax exemptions (Ontario Regulation 603/06) selected for this policy:
  1. Municipal facilities for the protection, regulation and control of animals;
  2. Municipal facilities related to the provision of social and health services, including homes under the Homes for the Aged and Rest Homes Act (Council has excluded hospitals from this category);
  3. Municipal facilities for public libraries;
  4. Municipal community centres; or
  5. Municipal facilities used for cultural, recreational or tourist purposes; and,
•  Must provide services publicly, and in such a manner that the majority of the clientele are residents of the City of Ottawa.

What fees are eligible for reimbursement?

• Development-related application fees that are eligible for a reimbursement at a rate of 50 per cent are: site plan application, Zoning By-law amendment, demolition control, cash-in-lieu of parking, request for heritage status and heritage permit application.
•  The reimbursement of fees will be limited to only that portion of the development-related application fees for qualifying construction projects that has not been reimbursed or subsidized by either the Provincial or Federal Governments, or any other municipal program. Applicants must list all the sources of funding for the project and provide supporting documentation.
• The reimbursement of fees will be limited to only that portion of the facility and/or building that is dedicated to one of the classifications of municipal capital facilities noted above.
  • Example: A facility is a combination of a church and a health services centre. The reimbursement of fees would be limited only to those incurred for the health services centre.

When can organizations request a reimbursement for their project?

• The applicant must be in good standing with regard to the regulations and payment of fees for all permits and development applications covered under this policy.
•  The requests for fee relief will be processed only when a final occupancy permit has been issued that confirms the construction was completed in compliance with the building permit plans and there are no outstanding Building Code Act issues or violations.
• Requests for reimbursement must be submitted within 12 months of the final occupancy permit being issued, and no later than 36 months after the building permit has been issued.

Are there other stipulations?

The applicant must agree to acknowledge the City’s contribution to their qualifying project in some manner, such as signage or visible recognition on their website.

How does an organization apply?

The request form is available online and can be submitted to the Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department for confirmation of project status. (Building Code Services will verify status of occupancy permits).

Who makes the final decision?

The Program is given a budget each year by the sitting Council. The General Manager, Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development or his designate will make the determination regarding the project’s eligibility as per the updated delegated authority by-law and available budget.

All applicants proceeding with a development application submitted to the City that is eligible for a Community Benefits Charge, will be notified that their application will be subject to this charge within the pre-consultation phase and or development review process within the City. The Community Benefits Charge By-law as passed by Council on August 31, 2022, is in force as of September 19, 2022.