Question 1

What does minor repairs mean in Ottawa's hardscaping licence?

Accepted Answer

The City's hardscaping licence by-law (By-law 2026-222) carves out "minor repairs or minor alterations" from the licence requirement, but we found no definition of what that phrase covers in the by-law or in any City guidance we reviewed. That gap matters in practice. The licence applies to businesses installing or altering hard landscaping features on private property, with the by-law naming steps, walkways and patios as examples of covered features.

Question 2

Are brick steps covered by Ottawa's hardscaping licence?

Accepted Answer

Brick steps are named in the City of Ottawa's hardscaping licence by-law, so they can fall under it. The by-law covers businesses installing or altering hard landscaping features on private property, and lists steps explicitly among the named features. The licence itself costs $319 for 2026, expires each October 31; the City's licence page lists its insurance and other requirements.

Question 3

Bulging brick wall repair in Ottawa: does the City need a permit?

Accepted Answer

A bulging brick wall can raise a structural question, and the short answer on permits is: ask the City of Ottawa before any work begins. Under the Building Code Act, "construct" includes any material alteration or repair of a building, and a repair can be construction under that definition. The City's permit page lists structural repairs and alterations as permit-required work. Rebuilding or stabilizing a bulging wall section may fall in that category; the City decides.

Question 4

Is a heritage property exempt from Ottawa permit exemptions?

Accepted Answer

No: on a designated heritage property, the City of Ottawa's permit exemptions do not apply. The City states plainly that "Designated Heritage Buildings or buildings located within a Heritage District Overlay are not subject to exemptions." That means work you might do on an ordinary house without a building permit, such as landscaping, still requires a permit on a designated property if it meets the definition of construction under the Building Code Act.

Question 5

When do Ottawa stone steps at an entrance need a permit?

Accepted Answer

Entrance stone steps can trigger a building permit in Ottawa. The City's advisory on landscaping materials providing access to a building sets out two clear triggers: where the structure provides access to the building or serves a required egress, and where there is more than 600 mm difference in elevation between adjacent surfaces. Natural stone is treated as a landscape material under that advisory, so stone steps at a front door sit squarely in scope.

Permits & Licences

What does minor repairs mean in Ottawa's hardscaping licence?

Are brick steps covered by Ottawa's hardscaping licence?

Bulging brick wall repair in Ottawa: does the City need a permit?

Is a heritage property exempt from Ottawa permit exemptions?

When do Ottawa stone steps at an entrance need a permit?