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Planning & Permits

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GET INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING AND PERMITTING POLICY REVIEW: 

On November 4, 2022, the NPCA’s Board of Directors approved the draft Planning and Permitting Policy Document and the draft NPCA Procedural Manual.  Both documents went into effect on November 16, 2022, with the exception of Section 8.2.3.1 of the Planning and Permitting Policy Document, which was referred back to staff. The updated policies and procedures provide much-needed clarity and direction to staff and applicants for planning and permit applications under the current legislation while establishing a solid foundation for future updates that will be required.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE.

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Please visit our Get Involved NPCA portal where you will find a list of Frequently Asked Questions, links and resources, important announcements, and tools to ask anything that has not yet been answered. We appreciate your patience.  

The NPCA is responsible for the review of planning applications affected by natural environmental hazards, while working in partnership with municipalities to further the conservation of natural resources.

The Conservation Authority enforces Ontario Regulation 155/06, a regulation intended to ensure that new developments (i.e. homes, additions, pools, etc.) are not impacted by flood and erosion associated with watercourses, ravines, and wetlands in order to conserve the natural environment. The primary role of the NPCA is to protect people and property from natural hazards, a role that is extremely important, especially since the impacts of climate change have resulted in a higher frequency of extreme weather events and higher lake levels.

Ontario Regulation 155/06 requires individuals to obtain permission before undertaking development within an area regulated by the NPCA. The issuance of permits helps the NPCA ensure development activity in a Regulated Area is conducted in a manner that will not impact the environment negatively.

Are you Planning to Build?

Please review Ontario Regulation 155/06: Regulation of Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses. For an overview, download the Development, Interference & Alteration Regulation brochure published by Conservation Ontario.

For more information about the watershed, visit Watershed Explorer.

Are you Making an Inquiry About a Property?

To make an inquiry about a property under the Regulation of Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses, you can fill out and submit the Property Information Request Form.

Planning Act Approvals

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority is responsible for the review of planning applications (eg. subdivisions, severances, zoning by-law amendments, minor variances) affected by natural environmental hazards and/or natural heritage features, and provide advice to municipalities or applicants on environmental impacts (regarding valleys, floodplains, wetlands, stormwater management, erosion, etc.).

Permitting Process FAQ

How do I know if my property is in a regulated area?

To find out if your property is impacted by NPCA regulated lands, please use our online mapping tool— Watershed Explorer.

Should you require further assistance, please contact the NPCA Watershed Planner for your municipality (refer to FAQ #3 below).

How do I know what I can and cannot do on my property?

To learn more about the work that you may or may not be able to conduct on your property, please review the NPCA’s current Policy Document.

  •  Chapters 1 and 2 provide an overview of the background, planning and legislative framework of the policies, intended to summarize the general basis for the policies.
  • Chapter 3 describes the overall vision for the watershed and a series of high-level statements which correlate to the legislative underpinnings of the policies.
  • Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 provide the detailed policies for natural hazards, including flooding hazards, Great Lakes and Niagara River shoreline hazard, valley land erosion hazards and hazardous sites (e.g., unstable soils).
  • Chapters 8 and 9 cover development and interference with wetlands and watercourses.
  • Chapters 10, and 11 cover a set of discrete policies for fill placement and municipal drains.

For more information on next steps, please contact the Watershed Planner for your area (refer to FAQ #3 below) When contacting a Watershed Planner about a future proposal, it is helpful to include a brief description and site plan of the proposed works. (See sample site plan)

Who do I contact for general Planning and Permit inquiries if I still have questions after looking at the mapping?

The NPCA’s jurisdiction covers the entire Niagara Region, and portions of Haldimand County and the City of Hamilton. NPCA Watershed Planners are trained professionals who can assist with inquiries relating to planning and permitting, and building on property within the watershed and NPCA’s jurisdiction.

Please refer to the following list and contact the watershed planner for your municipality:

EAST PLANNERS
Taran Lennard 
  • Fort Erie
  • Niagara Falls
  • Niagara on the Lake
  • Port Colborne
  • St. Catharines
  • Thorold
  • Welland
West Planner
Planning Department
  • Hamilton
  • Haldimand
  • Grimsby
  • Lincoln
  • Pelham
  • Wainfleet
  • West Lincoln

I am buying a property; how can I obtain more information about it from the NPCA?

To look up the property you are buying and view the potential NPCA screening area, please use our online mapping tool— Watershed Explorer.


For formal requests made by Solicitor’s (not for general public buying a lot), please fill out a formal Property Information Request Form and submit to the NPCA for review and response. NPCA Watershed Planners will review requests on a first come, first serve basis, and get back to you with the necessary information.

Requests for formal information on a property may have associated fees. If you are unsure of the extent of the information you may need, please contact the NPCA Watershed Planner for your municipality for more information. 
 

EAST PLANNERS
Taran Lennard 
  • Fort Erie
  • Niagara Falls
  • Niagara on the Lake
  • Port Colborne
  • St. Catharines
  • Thorold
  • Welland
West Planner
 
  • Hamilton
  • Haldimand
  • Grimsby
  • Lincoln
  • Pelham
  • Wainfleet
  • West Lincoln


To ease and speed up the property information request process, please provide the following details when reaching out to a Watershed Planner directly:
- Assessment Roll Number (ARN);
- Property Information Number (PIN); and/or
- Municipal address, if available.

 

 

How can I apply for a NPCA Work Permit to do works on my property (in areas regulated by the NPCA)?

We welcome you to download the NPCA Permit Application Package. Please review the general submission requirements and guidelines.

Prior to submitting your application, we encourage you to also review the NPCA’s Policy Document. It provides the principles, objectives, and policies for the administration of the NPCA’s mandate under Ontario Regulation 155/06, as well as its delegated roles and responsibilities within the planning and approvals process. The document is intended as a guide for decision makers, landowners, developers, municipal planners and residents.

What are the costs associated with the NPCA’s planning and permit services, such as Planning Act Review, NEC Review, etc.?

Please review the NPCA’s Planning Fees Document. These are subject to change.

With the proposed changes to the Conservation Authority Act, do I still require a permit?

Although there are proposed changes to regulations and programs introduced in Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, current Conservation Authority Act regulations apply and permits are still required.

Development

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