Apply for a Permit

If you will be developing within an area that includes a watercourse, river or stream valley, wetland, shoreline and/or hazardous land like a steep slope or floodplain, it is likely in an area regulated by the GRCA and requires a permit.

To determine if your development will be in a regulated area, use our Map Your Property tool to search for your address.

See our Policies and Guidelines page for more details on regulated areas and our Permits page for commonly asked permit questions. If you have further questions regarding permits, please fill in a General Inquiry Form (86KB PDF) and email to the Permits Inbox.

Ways to Apply

If you need a GRCA permit there are two ways to submit your application.

Online application: Go to our online permit application. The tool will guide you through the application process and payment.
Paper application: Open a copy of our Permit Application Form (636KB PDF). You can either:
- Print the form and fill it out by hand and mail it in, or
- Fill in the form on the screen, print it and mail it to the GRCA.
  - Complete applications with payment can be mailed to Grand River Conservation Authority, 400 Clyde Road, PO Box 729, Cambridge, ON N1R 5W6

What You Will Need

Here is what you will need to file your application:

Contact information for the landowner and (if applicable) the agent or consultant.
Address of the proposed works.
A brief description of the project. For example: We would like to construct a 20 foot wide by 30 foot long garage east of the existing house.
A credit card to make an online payment. Please see our Permit Fees page to read more about the different types of projects and their fees.
A digital (or paper) copy of your plans (such as site plans, grading plans, drainage plans and construction drawings).
A confirmation of authorization for the proposed works given by the owner if the applicant is not the property owner.
Any other technical information, studies or plans that GRCA requests in advance of the applicant's submission.

Our Map Your Property Tool can be used to create a map of the work location.

Payment

For online applications: enter your credit card information when asked on the permit application tool.
For paper applications: attach a cheque made out to Grand River Conservation Authority to your application.

Permit Renewals

To renew an expired permit online, use the Online Permit Application Tool.
At Step 3, click in box that asks if you have a permit to renew and follow the prompts.
Make sure that you provide your existing permit file number and confirm there have been no changes to the Schedule B. If there have been no changes to the Schedule B, you will not have to upload files in Step 4. If there have been changes, upload the new documents in Step 4.
The fee for permit renewal is $90 and can be paid online through the permit application tool.