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Planning and development

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Aerial of a neighborhood with homes beside a river.Aerial of a neighborhood with homes beside a river.Development near the Grand River

We work to protect the natural environment through involvement in planning and development activities, and have the these responsibilities:  

  • To prevent the loss of life and property damage due to flooding and erosion, and
  • To conserve and enhance the natural environment.

If you are planning a project, you may need a GRCA permit, approval under the Planning Act or both. If you are unsure, you can contact your local municipality and the appropriate GRCA Resource Planning Staff to determine if approval may be required.

General Inquiries

Please visit the ‘Map your Property’ tool  and review our policies and guidelines for more information about activities that may be permitted in or near regulated areas. 

If you have more questions, please fill out a General Inquiry Form (86KB PDF) and email general planning inquiries to the Planning Inbox or inquiries about potential permits to the Permits Inbox. Both inboxes are monitored by a number of staff so the appropriate staff member will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.
Permits
We have the responsibility under the Conservation Authorities Act to regulate development in and near rivers, streams, floodplains, wetlands, steep slopes and the Lake Erie shoreline.

Under the Conservation Authorities Act, development means: 

  • The construction, reconstruction, erection or placing of a building or structure of any kind,
  • Any change to a building or structure that would have the effect of altering the use or potential use of the building or structure,
  • Increasing the size of a building or structure or increasing the number of dwelling units in the building or structure,
  • Site grading, or 
  • The temporary or permanent placing, dumping or removal of any material, originating on the site or elsewhere.

Anyone considering a project in the regulated area may need a GRCA permit. For more information, check the Permits section of our website or fill in a General Inquiry Form (86KB PDF) and email it to the Permits Inbox. 

Annual Summary - Review Timelines
We report on the number of permits processed each year and the amount of time taken to review them. Please view the our Service Delivery for Permit Review summary (123KB PDF) for more information.  
Title Clearances/Real Estate Inquiries
To receive a formal letter summarizing any GRCA regulated features on a property, email a Title Clearance or Real Estate request to the Permits Inbox. A fee of $255 is required, to be paid in advance. Please contact Kyla Wendland at 519-621-2763 extension 2004 to arrange payment, or submit a cheque payable to Grand River Conservation Authority with your mailed request. Please allow up to 10 business days for a response.
Complaints and Regulatory Constraints Inquiries

The GRCA may issue violations if they become aware of development occuring against regulations. If you wish to submit a complaint or have questions about regulatory restrictions on a property, please email the Permits Inbox. Please include as much detail as possible, including the address or location of the works.

You can also submit a complaint about development within or near GRCA regulated areas through the Complaints page. 
Plan Review

We provide environmental advice to municipalities on applications made under the Planning Act.  

This includes applications for severances, official plan amendments, plans of subdivision and others (for example zone changes in support of Aggregate Resource Act applications).

We review technical reports and plans, and provide advice to municipalities who make the land use planning decision under the Planning Act.

For more information, go to the Plan Review section of the website.
Fees
Please see the 2023 Fee Schedule (719KB PDF) for a listing of permit, plan review and inquiry fees.  

 

 

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