Site Plan for Building Permit in Canada | What Homeowners Need First

If you are applying for a building permit in Canada, one of the first drawings your municipality may ask for is a site plan. This drawing shows the property from above and helps reviewers understand where the existing house, proposed work, lot lines, setbacks, driveway, services, landscaping, and other site features are located.

A clear site plan can make the permit review process easier because it answers the basic layout questions before the reviewer has to ask for more information. It shows what is already on the property, what you want to build, and how the proposed work fits within the lot.

siteplans.ca prepares clear, professional site plans for Canadian homeowners, builders, designers, and property professionals. Whether you are planning an addition, deck, shed, garage, pool, carport, porch, driveway change, or other residential project, a proper site plan can help keep your permit application moving.

What Is a Site Plan for a Building Permit?

A site plan is a scaled drawing of your property. It usually shows the land boundaries, existing buildings, proposed work, setbacks, driveway, access points, easements, and other important site features.

For a building permit, the site plan helps the municipality check whether the proposed work fits the property and follows local zoning, building, and site requirements.

A site plan may show:

property lines;
lot dimensions;
existing house and structures;
proposed addition, deck, shed, garage, pool, or other work;
front, side, and rear yard setbacks;
driveway and vehicle access;
walkways and entrances;
easements or rights-of-way;
utilities and services where known;
grading, drainage, or stormwater direction where required;
north arrow, scale, labels, and notes.

The image above shows a typical permit-focused site plan. It includes property lines, an existing house, a proposed addition, setback dimensions, driveway access, landscaping, open space, north arrow, and a checklist of what reviewers usually need to see.

Why Canadian Municipalities Ask for Site Plans

Municipal reviewers use a site plan to understand how the proposed work affects the property. Even if your project is small, the reviewer still needs to know where it will be located and how it relates to lot lines, existing buildings, zoning rules, access, and drainage.

City of Toronto’s homeowner building permit guide says a site plan must show property lines, lot area, rights-of-way or easements, existing and proposed buildings, overall dimensions, setback dimensions to property lines and adjacent buildings, and zoning information such as lot area and coverage. [1]

City of Edmonton’s garage and shed permit guidance says a site plan should include a north arrow, property address, streets and avenues, property-line dimensions, proposed and existing buildings and structures, setbacks, and applicable caveats, covenants, or easements. [2]

In plain English, a site plan helps answer:

Where is the property?
Where are the lot lines?
What is already built?
What new work is proposed?
How far is the new work from the property lines?
Will the project affect access, drainage, easements, or utilities?
Does the plan give enough information for a permit review?

What Homeowners Need First

Before ordering or preparing a site plan, gather the basic information about your property and project. The better your starting information, the faster and cleaner the site plan can be prepared.

1. Property Address

The property address is the starting point. It helps identify the lot, municipality, zoning area, street frontage, and surrounding property context.

You should provide:

full civic address;
municipality or city;
province;
postal code if available;
nearest intersection if the property is hard to locate.

For rural or irregular properties, additional information such as legal description, parcel number, roll number, or survey information may be helpful.

2. Project Type

The site plan should match the project. A deck permit, garage permit, pool permit, and home addition permit do not all need exactly the same information.

Common project types include:

home addition;
new house;
garage;
shed;
deck;
porch;
pool;
carport;
fence;
driveway widening;
basement entrance;
secondary suite or garden suite;
retaining wall.

When you explain the project clearly, the site plan can focus on the details reviewers are most likely to check.

3. Existing Property Information

A building permit site plan should show what is already on the property. This helps the reviewer compare the existing layout with the proposed work.

Existing site information may include:

house footprint;
garage or carport;
shed or accessory building;
deck, porch, patio, or balcony;
pool or hot tub;
driveway and walkways;
fences and gates;
retaining walls;
trees or landscaping;
easements or right-of-way areas;
known services and utilities.

City of Calgary’s drawing standards say plans should include relevant existing structures and spaces plus new construction, with labels and dimensions for buildings and spaces. [3]

4. Proposed Work Location

The proposed work should be easy to identify. A reviewer should not have to guess what part of the drawing is new.

The site plan should show the proposed work with:

clear label;
outline or footprint;
length and width;
location on the lot;
distance to property lines;
distance to the existing house or nearby structures;
notes explaining the project where needed.

For example, if you are building a garage, the plan should show where the garage will sit, its size, the driveway or lane access, and the distance from the garage to property lines and the house.

The Most Important Site Plan Items

Requirements vary between cities and provinces, but most Canadian building permit site plans need the same core items.

Property Lines and Lot Dimensions

The property lines show the legal outline of the lot. These are usually the most important lines on the drawing because all setbacks and building locations are measured from them.

A good site plan should show:

front lot line;
rear lot line;
side lot lines;
lot width;
lot depth;
corner lot conditions where relevant;
street or lane frontage;
property line dimensions where available.

If the property boundary is uncertain or the proposed work is close to a lot line, a current survey or Real Property Report may be needed. A site plan can be prepared from available information, but it does not replace a legal survey when exact boundary confirmation is required.

Existing Buildings and Structures

Existing buildings should be shown clearly so the reviewer understands the current property layout.

These may include:

main house;
attached garage;
detached garage;
shed;
deck;
porch;
carport;
pool;
patio cover;
retaining walls;
other accessory structures.

The plan should clearly separate existing structures from proposed work. Labels such as “Existing House” and “Proposed Addition” make the drawing easier to review.

Proposed Structures or New Work

The proposed work should be shown with enough detail for municipal review.

Depending on the project, this may include:

proposed addition footprint;
new garage or shed;
deck outline;
pool location;
carport or porch location;
driveway widening area;
basement entrance or side entrance;
walkway, stairs, landing, or patio area.

For small projects, the proposed footprint and dimensions may be enough. For larger or more complex projects, additional drawings such as floor plans, elevations, sections, grading plans, or structural drawings may also be required.

Setbacks and Distances

Setbacks are the distances between the proposed work and the property lines. They are one of the first things reviewers check because setbacks help determine whether the project fits within zoning rules.

A site plan should usually show:

front yard setback;
rear yard setback;
interior side yard setback;
exterior side yard setback for corner lots;
distance to the existing house;
distance to other structures;
distance to easements or right-of-way areas if relevant.

City of Calgary’s garage, shed, and similar structures guidance says the site plan should note where the proposed garage will be located, the size and height of the garage, and the distances from property lines and the house. [4]

City of Ottawa’s setback advisory explains that setbacks are used to determine compliance with zoning by-law and building code requirements. [5]

Driveway and Access

Driveway and access information is important when a project affects parking, garage access, carport access, driveway widening, rear lane access, or site circulation.

A site plan may show:

existing driveway;
proposed driveway changes;
vehicle access point;
garage or carport entrance;
lane access;
parking spaces;
walkways and entrances;
front yard hard surfaces.

Driveway layout can matter for zoning, stormwater, parking, public curb cuts, and municipal road access. If the driveway changes, the municipality may require additional approval or a separate driveway permit.

Easements and Rights-of-Way

An easement or right-of-way can limit where you can build. These areas may be used for utilities, drainage, access, sewer lines, or other legal purposes.

A site plan should show known:

utility easements;
drainage easements;
sewer easements;
access easements;
laneway rights-of-way;
maintenance access areas;
restrictive covenants where relevant.

City of Toronto’s homeowner guide includes rights-of-way and easements among the items that a site plan must show. [1] City of Edmonton also lists applicable caveats, covenants, and easements as site plan items for garage and shed permits. [2]

North Arrow and Scale

A north arrow and scale make the drawing easier to understand. They help reviewers orient the property and check dimensions.

A permit-ready site plan should usually include:

north arrow;
drawing scale;
scale bar if useful;
date of preparation;
property address;
clear labels and notes.

City of Edmonton’s house permit application requirements list north arrow, scale, and date of preparation as site plan details. [6]

Utilities and Services

Utilities and services may affect the location of new work. If a proposed structure is close to a service line, meter, easement, or utility area, the site plan should show the known information.

Services may include:

water service;
sanitary sewer;
storm sewer;
hydro or electrical service;
gas service;
utility meters;
service easements;
catch basins or stormwater features.

If service locations are uncertain, they should be verified before construction. A site plan can show known or approximate service information, but utility locates, surveys, engineering, or municipal records may be required for exact locations.

Grading and Drainage

Some building permit applications need grading or drainage information. This is especially common for new houses, additions, coach houses, garages, pools, retaining walls, driveway changes, and projects that affect stormwater flow.

A site plan may need to show:

existing grades;
proposed grades;
finished floor elevation;
surface drainage direction;
downspout direction;
swales or drainage paths;
stormwater connection points;
areas where water must not drain onto neighbouring land.

City of Ottawa’s pool submission requirements list property lines, setbacks, main house location, and proposed pool or hot tub location as site plan items. [7] For some project types, Ottawa also notes that a formal grading and drainage plan may be required when specific size or setback conditions apply. [8]

Site Plan vs Survey: What Is the Difference?

Many homeowners confuse a site plan with a survey. They are related, but they are not the same thing.

A survey is usually prepared by a licensed land surveyor. It can confirm property boundaries, building locations, easements, and sometimes grades or other site features with legal precision.

A site plan is a permit drawing that shows the existing and proposed property layout. It may be prepared using a survey, Real Property Report, title information, municipal data, aerial imagery, measurements, sketches, and homeowner-provided details.

For simple permit projects, a municipality may accept a site plan based on available property information. For projects near lot lines, unclear boundaries, easements, grading issues, or legal disputes, a current survey may be required.

For a deeper explanation, see our guide: Site Plan vs Survey in Canada.

Common Projects That Need a Site Plan

Many residential building permit applications may require a site plan. The exact requirement depends on the municipality, project type, zoning, and property conditions.

Common projects include:

home additions;
new houses;
detached garages;
sheds and accessory buildings;
decks and porches;
pools and hot tubs;
carports;
basement entrances;
secondary suites or garden suites;
driveway widening;
retaining walls;
major exterior renovations.

Even when a project seems small, the municipality may still need to see where it sits on the lot and how it relates to property lines and existing structures.

What Causes Site Plan Delays?

Many permit delays happen because the submitted site plan is missing basic information. A drawing can look clean but still fail review if it does not show what the municipality needs.

Common missing items include:

no property line dimensions;
missing setbacks;
unclear proposed work location;
existing structures not shown;
driveway or access not shown;
easements not identified;
no north arrow or scale;
no lot coverage or zoning summary where required;
missing grading or drainage information;
plan does not match the floor plans or elevations;
rough sketch is not clear enough for review.

A good site plan does not need to be complicated. It needs to be clear, accurate, and complete enough for the permit reviewer to understand the property and proposed work.

Site Plan Checklist for Homeowners

Before submitting your site plan, check whether it includes the main items reviewers usually expect.

Property address shown.
North arrow included.
Drawing scale or clear dimensions included.
Property lines shown.
Lot dimensions included where available.
Existing house shown and labelled.
Existing structures shown.
Proposed work clearly labelled.
Proposed work dimensions shown.
Setbacks to property lines shown.
Distances to nearby buildings shown where needed.
Driveway and access shown.
Easements and rights-of-way shown where known.
Utilities and services shown where relevant.
Grading or drainage direction shown where required.
Notes included for assumptions or limitations.
Plan matches the project description and other drawings.

What Information Should You Send to siteplans.ca?

To prepare a site plan, we usually need the property and project information that helps define the existing lot and proposed work.

Helpful information includes:

property address;
project type;
approximate location of proposed work;
dimensions of the proposed work;
photos of the property;
sketches or markup showing the proposed location;
survey, Real Property Report, or title plan if available;
municipal comments or correction notices if you already applied;
builder, designer, or contractor notes;
known easement or utility information;
grading or drainage information if required.

You do not need to have everything perfect before starting. If something is missing, we can usually tell you what information would help complete the plan.

When a Basic Site Plan May Not Be Enough

A site plan is important, but it does not replace every permit document. Some projects need additional drawings or professional reports.

You may need more than a basic site plan if:

the project is close to a property line;
the boundary location is uncertain;
a grading plan is required;
stormwater drainage is changing;
the property has easements or restrictive covenants;
the project involves structural work;
the municipality asks for a current survey;
engineering is required;
tree protection, landscaping, or lot grading details are needed;
the project is a new house, major addition, or secondary dwelling.

In those cases, the site plan may need to be supported by floor plans, elevations, sections, structural drawings, grading plans, drainage plans, surveys, or engineering documentation.

How siteplans.ca Helps

siteplans.ca helps homeowners and property professionals prepare clear site plans for building permit applications across Canada.

Our site plans can help show:

property boundaries;
existing structures;
proposed work;
setbacks and distances;
driveway and access;
easements and right-of-way areas where known;
utilities and services where available;
basic drainage or grading context where needed;
north arrow, labels, notes, and site information.

If your municipality has requested a site plan for a building permit, we can help turn your property information into a clean drawing that is easier for reviewers to understand.

Helpful siteplans.ca Guides

If you are preparing a permit application, these related guides may also help:

Bottom Line

A site plan for a building permit in Canada shows what reviewers need first: property lines, existing structures, proposed work, setbacks, dimensions, driveway access, easements, services, and other key site details.

For many homeowners, the site plan is the drawing that explains the whole project before the municipality reviews the construction details. If the site plan is clear, complete, and easy to read, it can help reduce confusion and avoid unnecessary permit delays.

If you need a site plan for a Canadian building permit, siteplans.ca can help prepare a professional drawing that is clear, accurate, and permit-ready.

Site Plan for Building Permit in Canada: What Homeowners Need First