Canada Site Plan Services

Need a site plan for a building permit in Canada? Whether you are planning a garage, deck, shed, addition, pool, carport, fence, retaining wall, driveway change, laneway house, garden suite, or new home, your municipality or local permitting authority may ask for a clear site plan that shows how the proposed work fits on your property.

A Canada site plan helps show property lines, setbacks, existing buildings, proposed construction, driveway access, parking, grading, drainage, trees, easements, services, lot coverage, and other site details that matter during permit review.

This national guide connects you to provincial site plan guides for Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Québec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. Each province has different rules, terms, permit pathways, survey practices, and municipal review requirements, so a good site plan should always be prepared for the specific property and location.

Provincial Site Plan Guides

Use the links below to review the province-specific guide for your project location.

What Is a Site Plan for a Building Permit?

A site plan is a scaled drawing of a property from above. It shows the existing site and the proposed project so the reviewer can understand where the work will happen and how it relates to the lot.

A residential permit site plan may show:

property lines or lot lines;
lot dimensions and lot area;
existing house and accessory buildings;
proposed construction footprint;
front, side, rear, and corner-lot setbacks;
driveway, lane, road, or parking access;
decks, stairs, porches, patios, walkways, and gates;
garage, shed, carport, pool, fence, or retaining wall location;
lot coverage, site coverage, or building coverage where required;
hard surfaces and landscaped areas;
grading, swales, roof drainage, downspouts, and drainage direction;
trees, tree protection, and landscaping;
water, sewer, storm, gas, hydro, septic, well, and utility information where known;
easements, rights-of-way, covenants, encroachments, or utility corridors where known;
north arrow, scale, address, legal description, and drawing date.

The goal is simple: a reviewer should be able to look at the plan and understand what exists now, what is being proposed, how close it is to property lines, how the site is accessed, and whether drainage, services, trees, easements, or neighbouring properties may be affected.

Why Canada Site Plan Requirements Vary by Province

Canada does not have one single permit checklist for every residential project in every province. Building codes, planning laws, zoning rules, municipal bylaws, regional requirements, and survey practices vary across the country.

The National Research Council explains that national model codes are adopted or adapted by provinces and territories. The Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes also explains that national model codes serve as models for provincial and territorial building and fire regulations and only come into effect when adopted in full or in part by an authority having jurisdiction.

Official sources:

That means a site plan for a garage in Ontario may not be reviewed the same way as a garage site plan in Alberta, British Columbia, Québec, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island. The drawing should be clear enough to support the local checklist, not just a generic national example.

When Do You Need a Site Plan in Canada?

A site plan is commonly needed when a project changes the layout of a property, adds a structure, affects setbacks, changes access, changes drainage, or requires review of lot coverage, services, or property boundaries.

Common residential projects that may need a site plan include:

new home construction;
home additions;
detached garages;
attached garages;
carports;
decks, porches, and stairs;
sheds and accessory buildings;
pools and hot tubs;
fences and gates;
retaining walls;
patio covers and covered entries;
driveway widening or new parking areas;
laneway houses, garden suites, garage suites, or secondary dwellings;
projects near easements, services, slopes, trees, watercourses, wells, septic systems, or protected areas.

Some small projects may only need a simple site plan. More complex projects may need a survey, grading plan, engineered drawings, arborist report, drainage plan, energy forms, septic review, or other supporting documents.

Site Plan vs Survey Plan

A site plan and a survey plan are related, but they are not the same thing.

Site Plan

A site plan shows the proposed project layout. It explains where the work will go and how it relates to the property lines, existing buildings, setbacks, access, drainage, services, trees, and other site features.

Survey Plan

A survey plan is prepared by a licensed land surveyor. It can help establish legal property boundaries, lot dimensions, building locations, easements, encroachments, and other measured property information.

In different provinces, survey documents may be referred to in different ways. For example:

Ontario projects may use a survey prepared by an Ontario Land Surveyor;
British Columbia projects may use a survey prepared by a BC Land Surveyor;
Alberta projects often refer to a Real Property Report;
Québec projects often use a certificat de localisation;
Manitoba projects may use a Building Location Certificate;
Newfoundland and Labrador projects may use a Real Property Report;
other provinces may use survey plans, location certificates, or other survey-based documents.

If your project is close to a property line, fence, road, lane, easement, right-of-way, watercourse, septic system, or neighbouring structure, survey information can be very helpful. A fence, hedge, driveway edge, ditch, or old landscaping border should not automatically be treated as the legal property line.

What Reviewers Commonly Check on a Site Plan

Every municipality and province has its own process, but many permit reviewers look for similar site-plan information.

They may check:

whether the property is identified correctly;
whether the full property boundary is shown;
whether the existing house and structures are labelled;
whether the proposed project is clearly identified;
whether project dimensions are shown;
whether setbacks are shown to the correct property lines;
whether driveway, lane, road, or parking access is clear;
whether lot coverage or site coverage is affected;
whether grading and drainage are shown where needed;
whether trees, landscaping, or tree protection may be affected;
whether services such as water, sewer, storm, gas, hydro, septic, or well locations matter;
whether easements, rights-of-way, covenants, or utility corridors affect the project;
whether additional professional drawings are required.

A clean site plan does not guarantee permit approval, but it can make the review easier by reducing confusion and showing the project clearly.

Ontario Site Plan Services

Ontario building permit site plans often focus on setbacks, surveys, zoning review, municipal checklists, lot coverage, and existing versus proposed construction.

Ontario explains that a building permit is issued by the body responsible for enforcing Ontario’s Building Code in your area. A permit is necessary when you wish to construct, renovate, demolish, or change the use of a building.

Official source: Ontario – Building Permits, Citizen’s Guide to Land Use Planning

For Ontario projects, the site plan should usually show property boundaries, existing structures, proposed work, setback dimensions, driveway access, lot coverage, grading or drainage where required, and any survey information requested by the municipality.

Read the provincial guide: Ontario Site Plan Services for Building Permits

British Columbia Site Plan Services

British Columbia site plans often focus on property lines, setbacks, site layout, access, lot coverage, drainage, trees, services, and municipal checklists.

The Province of British Columbia says permits help ensure construction and major renovations comply with the BC Building Code, local building and land-use bylaws, and health and safety standards.

Official source: Province of British Columbia – Building or Renovation Permits

BC properties may include rear lanes, steep slopes, tree protection requirements, accessory buildings, laneway houses, impermeable surface review, and site-specific municipal checklists. A clear site plan should show the proposed work in relation to the full lot.

Read the provincial guide: British Columbia Site Plan Services for Permits

Alberta Site Plan Services

Alberta site plans often focus on lot lines, access, permit drawings, setbacks, real property information, development permits, grading, drainage, and utility rights-of-way.

The Government of Alberta explains that permits are available through municipalities accredited to administer the Safety Codes Act and agencies that provide inspection services in non-accredited municipalities.

Official source: Government of Alberta – Permits and Alberta’s Safety Code System

For Alberta projects, a Real Property Report can be useful when preparing a site plan, especially if the project is close to a lot line, easement, utility right-of-way, or existing structure.

Read the provincial guide: Alberta Site Plan Services for Building Permits

Québec Plan d’implantation Services

In Québec, the more natural permit-related term is often “plan d’implantation.” A Québec plan d’implantation may show limites de propriété, marges de recul, bâtiment existant, projet proposé, accès, stationnement, drainage, servitudes, services publics, and aménagement du terrain.

The Government of Québec explains that municipalities use permit and certificate regulations in urban planning to manage permit applications and required documents.

Official source: Gouvernement du Québec – Règlement sur les permis et les certificats en urbanisme

For Québec projects, a certificat de localisation can be especially helpful because it provides survey-based information about the property. The Québec provincial guide is written in French Canadian so it better matches local terminology and search intent.

Lire le guide provincial : Services de plans d’implantation au Québec pour permis

Manitoba Site Plan Services

Manitoba site plans often focus on site layout, drainage, property lines, setbacks, grading, swales, downspouts, lot grade information, and Building Location Certificates.

The Province of Manitoba says building and/or plumbing permits are required for new construction of buildings under the Manitoba Building Code Regulation, with some exceptions.

Official source: Province of Manitoba – Building Permits and Inspections

Drainage and grading can be especially important for Manitoba site plans. A plan may need to show swales, downspout direction, sump discharge, drainage arrows, and how water moves away from the foundation and neighbouring properties.

Read the provincial guide: Manitoba Site Plan Services for Permits

Saskatchewan Site Plan Services

Saskatchewan site plans often focus on setbacks, access, lot coverage, property lines, utilities, garages, accessory buildings, garden suites, and municipal zoning review.

The Government of Saskatchewan provides building bylaw and enforcement guidance under The Construction Codes Act and regulations. Municipalities also appoint licensed building officials to provide services on behalf of the local authority.

Official source: Government of Saskatchewan – Building Bylaws

For Saskatchewan projects, lot coverage is often a major site-plan detail. A site plan may show the existing house footprint, garage footprint, proposed addition area, accessory buildings, and total building coverage.

Read the provincial guide: Saskatchewan Site Plan Services for Building Permits

Nova Scotia Site Plan Services

Nova Scotia site plans often focus on property lines, site layout, drainage, grading, watercourse buffers, access, services, and municipal permit requirements.

Nova Scotia’s provincial building permit guidance explains that building permits are issued by municipalities and that required professional Schedule letters must be filed with project plans and specifications where applicable.

Official source: Province of Nova Scotia – Building Permits and Schedule Letters of Undertaking

For Nova Scotia projects, the site plan may need to show drainage direction, swales, watercourse buffers, ditches, culverts, wells, septic systems, and access routes depending on the property.

Read the provincial guide: Nova Scotia Site Plan Services for Permits

New Brunswick Site Plan Services

New Brunswick site plans often focus on setbacks, lot layout, access, lot coverage, property lines, road access, drainage, wells, septic systems, and regional service commission review.

New Brunswick’s Building Code Act states that a person must not construct a building unless a building permit has been issued and the work conforms with the Code, prescribed standards, and permit conditions.

Official source: New Brunswick Building Code Act

For New Brunswick projects, a site plan may need to show the civic address, PID, proposed structure, existing buildings, access from road, setbacks, lot coverage, drainage, services, easements, and nearby site constraints.

Read the provincial guide: New Brunswick Site Plan Services for Building Permits

Newfoundland and Labrador Site Plan Services

Newfoundland and Labrador site plans often focus on boundaries, setbacks, site layout, access, wells, septic systems, hydro, easements, slopes, drainage, and local planning areas.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador explains that a development permit is needed if land is located within a Municipal Planning Area, Local Planning Area, Protected Area, Protected Road Zoning Regulation Area, or Development Control Regulations Area under the Urban and Rural Planning Act, 2000.

Official source: Government of Newfoundland and Labrador – Land Use Planning FAQ

For Newfoundland and Labrador projects, site layout can be especially important when the property includes well and septic systems, rural access, steep slopes, ditches, coastal conditions, or service limitations.

Read the provincial guide: Newfoundland and Labrador Site Plan Services for Permits

Prince Edward Island Site Plan Services

Prince Edward Island site plans often focus on property lines, setbacks, lot layout, wells, septic systems, road access, natural slopes, wetlands, rivers, sand dunes, steep banks, and protected areas.

The Province of Prince Edward Island explains that, in almost all instances, both a Development Permit and a Building Permit are required before construction can begin. A development permit deals with land use and how a structure is situated on a parcel of land.

Official source: Government of Prince Edward Island – Building and Development in PEI

For PEI projects, the site plan should often show the full lot, property lines, roads, setbacks, wells, septic system, natural slopes, existing structures, and nearby environmental features where relevant.

Read the provincial guide: Prince Edward Island Site Plan Services for Permits

What Should a Canada Permit Site Plan Include?

The exact requirements vary by province and municipality, but most residential permit site plans include a similar core set of details.

1. Property Identification

The site plan should clearly identify the property. Depending on the province and municipality, this may include:

civic address;
legal description;
lot and plan number;
PID, PIN, parcel number, roll number, or property identifier;
municipality, county, regional district, or planning area;
drawing date, north arrow, and scale.

2. Property Lines or Lot Lines

The full property boundary should be shown clearly. This is one of the most important parts of the drawing because setbacks, site layout, access, and building placement depend on it.

Show:

front property line;
rear property line;
side property lines;
corner lot or flanking street line;
lane or rear access boundary if applicable;
irregular or angled lot lines;
easement or right-of-way lines where known.

3. Existing Buildings and Site Features

The existing site should be shown before the proposed work is added. This helps reviewers understand the full property context.

Existing features may include:

house;
garage;
shed;
carport;
deck;
porch;
patio;
pool;
retaining wall;
fence or gate;
driveway and parking areas;
walkways, stairs, ramps, and access paths.

4. Proposed Project Footprint

The proposed work should be labelled clearly. The plan should show the location, shape, length, width, and relationship to the rest of the lot.

Use labels such as:

Proposed Addition;
Proposed Garage;
Proposed Deck;
Proposed Shed;
Proposed Pool;
Proposed Carport;
Proposed Fence;
Proposed Retaining Wall;
Proposed Laneway House;
Proposed Garden Suite;
Proposed Dwelling.

5. Setbacks

Setbacks show the distance from the proposed work to the property lines, roads, lanes, other buildings, easements, and sensitive site features.

Common setback labels include:

front yard setback;
rear yard setback;
side yard setback;
exterior side yard setback for corner lots;
distance to rear lane;
distance to existing house;
distance to accessory buildings;
distance to easement or utility corridor;
distance to wells, septic systems, watercourses, slopes, or protected areas where relevant.

6. Access and Parking

Access matters because reviewers often need to understand how vehicles and people reach the property and the proposed project.

Access details may include:

driveway location;
driveway width;
garage or carport door location;
rear lane access;
public road or private road access;
parking spaces;
walkways and pedestrian routes;
gates, stairs, ramps, or access paths;
culverts, ditch crossings, or rural access points where relevant.

7. Lot Coverage, Site Coverage, and Hard Surfaces

Some municipalities review how much of the lot is covered by buildings or hard surfaces. The exact terminology varies by location.

A site plan may show:

existing house footprint;
existing garage or accessory building area;
proposed addition or new structure area;
carport or patio cover roof area;
covered deck or porch area where applicable;
driveways, walkways, patios, and pool decks;
landscaped or permeable areas;
total lot coverage or site coverage calculation if required.

8. Drainage and Grading

Drainage and grading show how water moves across the property. This can be a major review issue for additions, garages, pools, retaining walls, driveways, new homes, and sloped lots.

A site plan may show:

surface drainage arrows;
roof drainage and downspouts;
swales;
catch basins;
ditches and culverts;
sump discharge location if known;
retaining wall drainage;
existing and proposed grades where available;
areas where water should not be directed.

Water should not be directed toward the house foundation, neighbouring properties, septic areas, retaining walls, roads, sidewalks, or low areas where ponding may occur.

9. Services and Utilities

Some permit projects need service information, especially where the project involves excavation, new dwelling units, plumbing, electrical service, septic systems, wells, or utility easements.

The site plan may show known:

water service;
sanitary sewer;
storm sewer;
well location;
septic tank and field location;
gas service;
hydro or electrical service;
utility poles and overhead wires;
catch basins, manholes, or cleanouts;
proposed service trenches.

10. Easements, Rights-of-Way, and Restrictions

Easements and rights-of-way can affect where buildings, fences, pools, sheds, driveways, and service trenches can be placed.

Known constraints should be shown, including:

utility easements;
drainage easements;
access rights-of-way;
shared driveways;
lane dedications;
restrictive covenants;
registered encroachments;
service corridors;
protected areas or environmental buffers where relevant.

Common Site Plan Mistakes That Delay Permits

Many permit delays come from missing or unclear site information. Avoid these common mistakes:

not showing the full property boundary;
using a fence line as the legal property line without checking;
not labelling the existing house;
not identifying the proposed work clearly;
missing project dimensions;
missing setback dimensions;
not showing access, driveway, lane, or parking details;
not showing lot coverage or hard surfaces when required;
not showing drainage direction or grading details when needed;
forgetting easements, rights-of-way, or utility corridors;
not showing trees or protected site features when relevant;
not showing well, septic, sewer, water, or utility information when relevant;
using a rough sketch instead of a scaled, labelled plan.

What to Gather Before Ordering a Canada Site Plan

Before preparing a site plan, gather as much property and project information as possible.

Helpful items include:

property address;
province and municipality;
legal description, PID, PIN, roll number, or parcel number if available;
survey, Real Property Report, Building Location Certificate, or certificate of location if available;
photos of the property;
sketch of the proposed project;
project dimensions;
distance from proposed work to property lines if known;
location of existing house, garage, shed, deck, patio, driveway, pool, fences, and retaining walls;
driveway, road, lane, or rural access information;
tree and landscaping locations if relevant;
known easements, rights-of-way, or utility corridors;
grading, drainage, slope, ditch, culvert, watercourse, or coastal information if relevant;
well, septic, water, sewer, gas, hydro, or utility information if relevant;
municipal comments or correction notes if already received;
contractor, designer, engineer, arborist, septic, or survey documents if available.

How SitePlans.ca Helps Homeowners Across Canada

SitePlans.ca prepares clear, easy-to-read site plans for residential permit projects across Canada. Our goal is to help homeowners, contractors, designers, and permit applicants organize site information into a clean drawing that supports municipal, provincial, or regional review.

Depending on your project and location, your site plan can show:

existing house and structures;
proposed project footprint;
property lines or lot lines;
front, side, rear, and corner-lot setbacks;
driveway, lane, road, parking, and access layout;
lot coverage, site coverage, and hard surfaces;
grading and drainage direction;
trees, landscaping, and protected features;
services and utility routes where known;
wells, septic systems, ditches, culverts, and rural features where relevant;
easements, rights-of-way, utility corridors, and nearby constraints.

A site plan is not a substitute for a legal survey, engineering, architecture, zoning approval, development permit, building code review, septic approval, arborist review, drainage approval, or municipal/provincial review when those are required. But it is often the drawing that helps everyone understand the property layout before the more technical parts of the permit package are reviewed.

Need a Site Plan for a Building Permit in Canada?

If your municipality, province, regional district, regional service commission, or permitting authority has asked for a site plan, SitePlans.ca can help create a clear, permit-ready drawing based on your property information and project details.

We can help with site plans for residential projects across Canada, including garages, decks, sheds, additions, pools, fences, carports, retaining walls, driveway changes, laneway houses, garden suites, new homes, and other residential improvements.

Order your Canada site plan from SitePlans.ca

Final Thoughts

A Canada site plan for building permits should do more than show a simple box on a lot. It should explain the full site layout: property lines, setbacks, existing buildings, proposed work, access, parking, drainage, services, easements, trees, and nearby constraints.

Because permit requirements vary across Canada, the best site plan is province-aware, municipality-aware, and project-specific. A garage site plan in Ontario, a deck site plan in British Columbia, a shed site plan in Alberta, a plan d’implantation in Québec, a drainage-focused plan in Manitoba, or a PEI site plan involving well and septic details may all require different information.

Before submitting your permit application, confirm the local checklist, verify property information, show the proposed work clearly, and prepare a site plan that makes the project easy to review.

Canada Site Plan Services for Building Permits: Provincial Guides for Setbacks, Property Lines, and Site Layout