Working with Your Local Municipality

The information contained in this document is derived from the Nutrient Management Act, 2002 and O. Reg 267/03 as amended. Every effort has been made to make it as accurate as possible, but is not authoritative. Please refer to the e-Laws website or the official volumes printed by Publications Ontario for the authoritative text of the act.

Getting a building permit for livestock housing may require an approved nutrient management strategy or plan. Contacting your local building official early in the planning process will help clarify all of your requirements, and save you time, money and effort.

Some things to consider when you are planning on building or expanding a livestock operation:

• Is the site zoned to permit the proposed livestock use? Yes/No

• Is the site accessible from an open public road? Yes/No

• Are proposed facilities in compliance with the Minimum Distance Seperation (MDS) II formula? Yes/No

• Is the site subject to a Site Plan Control by-law? Yes/No

• Are the facilities near an open or enclosed municipal drain? Yes/No

• Is the site subject to flooding or located in a regulatory floodplain? Yes/No

• Is the site subject to fill/construction regulations of the local Conservation Authority? Yes/No

• Are there significant natural features (e.g. woodland, wetlands, etc.) nearby? Yes/No

• Are the proposed facilities within a defined capture zone of a municipal well? Yes/No

• Is this an area identified by the municipality of moderate or high groundwater vulnerability? Yes/No

• Are there any other restrictions that may affect the granting of a building permit? Yes/No

Before issuing a building permit, the local building official considers a number of statutes and regulations, including some which fall under the Building Code, the Planning Act and the Municipal Act. These statutes protect public safety, the rights of neighbours and help ensure the prosperous development of the local community.

Before any construction, check for buried utilities, and other right-of-ways. The local building department can help with this as well.

Some municipalities will also tell you whether the properties you are thinking of including in your plan are already receiving manure.