Building and Renovating

Are you planning a new building or home renovation project? At the Municipality of Trent Lakes, our goal is to help you get all of the permits, approvals and inspections you need to ensure your project meets the requirements of the Ontario Building Code, Building By-law and Municipal Zoning By-law.

How we can help?

Our part in helping you successfully complete your project involves the following:

• Check to make sure that your project meets all the required laws and regulations
• Review your plans and required submissions
• Issue building permits
• Make inspections at different stages of your project

There are many different types of projects and some necessary things to consider. We understand that trying to find answers and what they mean can be difficult. Our goal is to make this process as easy as possible because we want your completed project to be safe and healthy.

How do I start?

The first step to start your project is to ensure your proposal meets the provisions in our Zoning By-law for your particular property.  Each property will have specific zoning provisions such as setbacks and permitted uses.  We always suggest discussing your proposal with planning staff or completing a Planning Pre-Consultation to receive approval for your site plan prior to moving forward with your project.  

You may review your property's zoning by consulting the zoning maps and using the Peterborough Public GIS viewer from our zoning page. This will help determine your building envelope and if you need any further approvals.

Once you've determined your building envelope, you can begin creating your site plan. This site plan will show all applicable setbacks to lot lines, septic and well location as well as any other structures on the property.

The approval of your site plan will ensure that your project will not encounter any planning delays during the permit review stage.  We highly suggest this process for the development of vacant land.  If you have any inquiries on how to create a site plan or wish to send your site plan in by email for review, please email the planning department.

Choosing a builder

If you are building or buying a new home, your builder should be registered with TARION.

• For information on TARION and what they do, you can go to the Homeowner page.
• There is a TARION Builder Directory where you can find your potential contractor. Once you have entered and found the contractor, you will see their status with TARION. You can find more detailed information by double clicking their company name.

Once you've created your site plan, the Municipality will require drawings which can be completed by the home owner or a qualified individual.

Book a building inspection

You'll need to get a building inspection at various stages throughout your building or renovation project. Learn how to book an inspection and find out when you need an inspection.

Where can I find more answers?

View our Building Permit Frequently Asked Questions for more information.