Building Permits

The following documents and the applicable fee(s) are required for a complete application.

Use one of the application checklists below to help you prepare a complete application submission.

Residential Improvements

Uncovered Deck
Accessory Buildings (Garage, Shed, Carport)
Residential Addition (Covered Deck, Sunroom, Second Story, Adding Floor Area)
Interior Alterations and Basement Development
Accessory Dwelling Units, Attached (Secondary Suite)
Accessory Dwelling Units, Detached (Garden Suite)
Solar Panels
Wood Burning Fireplace
Hot Tub and Pools

Residential Buildings

New Detached or Duplex Dwelling
New Multi-Unit Residential
New Manufactured Dwelling

Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial Buildings

New Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial Buildings
Tenant Improvements to Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial Buildings
Tent and Events
Bed and Breakfasts

Partial Foundation

Partial Foundation

Demolition

Demolition Building Permit Requirements Checklist
Demolition Permit - Mobile Home Move

Fences

Read more about the requirements for specific types of projects:

Fences
Decks
Solar Panels
Signage
Accessory Buildings
Accessory Dwelling Units
Green Buildings - Residential
Green Buildings - Large Residential and Commercial
The Building Envelope Model

From the time staff begin reviewing your permit to the time your permit is issued can take up to six weeks. Payment of the fee does not constitute start time.

To ensure efficient review times, we will not accept Building Permit applications for projects which have not obtained any necessary Development Permit approvals prior to applying.  

Step One: Building Permit application submitted via online Portal (for select permits) or via email to planning@canmore.ca. Projects with a Development Permit (DP) approval in place will only be reviewed against Building Code-related matters through the Building Permit (BP) process. 

Step Two: Applicant contacted by Town of Canmore to make permit fee payment

Step Three: Application is reviewed for completeness. Depending on the application type, Planning and Engineering review is conducted.

Step Four: Review of application by the Safety Codes Officer

Step Five: Building Permit issued

Step Six: Applicant arranges for inspections 

Step Seven: Permit Services Report issued to building permit holder

Step Eight: Applicant can apply for an Occupancy Certificate. Once the Occupancy Certificate is issued, the file will be closed.

The Town of Canmore will not accept applications that: 

• are incomplete (i.e. do not include all of the required documents identified in the applicable requirements list;
• include documents that are unclear or illegible;
• are not prepared to professional drafting standards; or 
• stamped with phrases suggesting inappropriate use, such as “not for construction” or “preliminary.” 

Please do not include personal information on plans. 

Upon review of your application, the Town of Canmore may request additional information.

We have an online portal for select permit and service applications. We are working towards getting all our applications on the online portal in 2025. Until then, some of our permits must still be submitted by email at planning@canmore.ca. See below for a list of permit types and how to apply for each one. 

For applications accepted on the online portal, please submit all application documents online. For all other applications, email a completed building permit application form and the required information outlined in the applicable application requirements list to planning@canmore.ca.

For applications accepted on the online portal, please submit all application documents via the online portal. For all other applications, email a completed Building Permit Application Form and the required information outlined in the applicable application requirements list to planning@canmore.ca.

For application submissions that exceed 20MB, email planning@canmore.ca in advance of submitting your application. You will be provided with a file share link to upload your application submission. Please do not submit files using Dropbox.

• Before you can submit an application online, you must create an online portal account. 
  
• We are only processing select application types via the online portal. Review the information above to ensure that you are submit your application using the right channel. Continue to submit all other applications via email to planning@canmore.ca 

• You will only be able to see new Portal applications. Any previous or active applications will not be visible online. 

• Prepare your required documents separated in individual files, as you will be required to upload them individually. 

• You have 20 mins of inactivity for each section of the online application before it times out. 

• Save your progress often, as we do not have the ability to retrieve any information that may have been entered prior to timing out.  

• Check your spam/junk mail for emails from (donotreply – it will include your name, permit number, and further instructions) 

• Check your Portal account for regular updates. 

• If applications are submitted via the Portal, all subsequent documents and correspondence will come through the Portal.

• All issued documents will be available through the online portal via the “Docs and Images” section of your account. We will not email them to you seperately. 

• We will not retain any payment related information you use to pay your application fees. It will need to be re-entered for each new application.

• Payment will be required before your application is submitted for review.  

• We can only accept payments of up to $150,000. Payments that exceed that amount will require a cheque.  

• If we don't receive your payment within seven business days, your application will be cancelled.

If you encounter issues with the Portal, you can submit an online inquiry. Please select CityView Portal Help from the top of the list. 

Before Starting Construction

• Ensure you are familiar with the Building Permit Bylaw to ensure you are compliant.

• Post the building permit card conspicuously on the site.

• The signed and stamped drawings that were returned to you with the building permit card are the drawings that should be used for construction.

• Only the work identified on those drawings is covered under the building permit.

• Keep track of the inspections required as part of your building permit and to abide by the conditions of your permit.

• Please ensure that you and your contractors maintain a safe and tidy construction site.

Moving Forward

Development with a Total Construction Value (TCV) of less than $50,000 will have up to one year to complete construction. Development with a TCV of $50,000 or greater will have up to two years to complete construction. 

The Safety Codes Officer may set an expiry date longer than two years to complete a development, if in their opinion the development requires a longer construction period due to the projects size, complexity, or falls tragedy to fire or natural disaster. 

Should you not be able to complete your project by the original expiry date issued with your Building Permit, a one-time 12-month extension can be requested (subject to applicable fees) prior to the permit expiring. Should the development not be completed within the 12-month extension period, the applicant will have to re-apply for a new Building Permit and pay the applicable permit fees.

The building permit MUST be posted on site until all work is complete. 

Once the final inspection has been passed and unconditional occupancy granted, the building permit file will be closed by the Town. As part of closing the file, a Permit Services Report (PSR) will be issued to the building permit holder.

PSRs are issued for all files that are closed. Please note that in some cases a PSR will be issued where conditions of a building permit are not complete or the work does not comply. This is done when a building permit expires and there has been no renewal applied for by the applicant. 

The Alberta Building Code requires some homes to use different construction materials and designs to improve fire resistance.

An Occupancy Certificate is a required document that is issued by the Town of Canmore, which grants a permit holder the ability to occupy a building. An Occupancy Certificate is required for a building after construction, relocation, partial demolition or after a change of the existing occupancy classification has taken place.

View a detailed process map outlining the various steps to obtaining an Occupancy Certificate.

The Occupancy Certificate process cannot be started until a final inspection of the project has been passed by the Safety Codes Officer. Final inspections can be arranged by contacting Superior Safety Codes Inc. office at 1.888.717.2344, allowing a minimum of 48 hours to book. 

Depending on the scale of development, the requirements to obtain an Occupancy Certificate will differ. 

To initiate the Occupancy Certificate process, please submit the required information to the Planner assigned to your Building Permit application. Only Occupancy Certificate requests that provide all required information will be reviewed. Incomplete submissions will be sent back to the applicant. 

It is important to read and understand your Occupancy Certificate and ensure that any conditions that are listed on it are met by the prescribed date (where applicable). Should the conditions of occupancy not be met by the outlined dates, the occupancy for the building may be revoked and the water turned off. A building permit is still open until all conditions of occupancy are completed. 

Permits are available through municipalities that are accredited to administer the Safety Codes Act, and through agencies who provide inspection services on behalf of the Alberta Safety Codes Authority (ASCA) in unaccredited municipalities. Learn more about where to get a permit at Safety Codes Council.

Water meter installation requests are managed by the Town of Canmore. If you need to have a water meter installed or removed, please complete the following online Water Meter Installation or Removal Request Form. 

NOTE: For smaller developments requiring a meter(s) ranging in size from 15-20 mm, requests must be received a minimum of 5 business days in advance. For Larger size water meters, requests must be made up to 4 months in advance. For further information please contact water@canmore.ca .

The Town of Canmore doesn't issue HVAC or mechanical permits, but any Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning work will require the appropriate permits where that work is covered by the Alberta Building Code, Canadian Electrical Code, Alberta Gas Code, or Alberta Plumbing Code. Furnace and heating appliance installations require gas permits, and all wood-burning fireplaces and stoves require a building permit.

An accessory building can be built in any yard except the front yard of a residential property and must maintain the required setbacks. If an accessory building is attached to the house it is subject to the same setback regulations as the principal building.