Permits required for shore land work

For many landowners and cottagers, spring weather means getting a head start on landscaping initiatives; however, many may be unaware that work permits are required before working in the water or on shore lands, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

A work permit issued under the Public Lands Act sets conditions for work being done on shore lands that will reduce or eliminate environmental damage. Shore lands are defined as lands covered or seasonally inundated by the water of a lake, river, stream or pond and may include either private or public lands.

While some boathouses or floating docks may not require a work permit, they may require permission for occupational authority (e.g. land-use permit, lease) from the ministry because they are located on Crown lake bed, according to the MNR. They may also need to be reviewed by Transport Canada for potential impact on navigation.

Among other activities, work permits are required to:

- fill shore lands such as creating a beach and constructing shoreline protection works (e.g. break wall, groyne, seawall);
- dredge shore lands such as:
- creating a boat slip, boating channel or swimming area;
- installing a water line, heat loop or cable for commercial use (i.e. marina, resort or large-scale development), and
- removal of rocks/boulders from shore lands or the bottom of a lake or stream;
- construct a dock or boathouse where the total surface area of the supporting structure (e.g. pipes, cribs) placed on the bed of the water body exceeds 15 square metres, and
- remove aquatic vegetation.

If in doubt about whether a work permit is required or not, applicants are encouraged to contact their local MNR office or visit ontario.ca/shorelineworkpermit.

Posted by Arron Pickard