Work Permit Application for Works on Shore Lands for Erosion Control | Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Public Lands Act, R.S.O.1990

Are you planning to conduct work along a shoreline?
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) reminds landowners that a work permit may be required before working in the water or along your shoreline.

Instructions
Use this form if you intend to construct a new or expand an existing erosion control structure¹ on shore lands² along your waterfront property³. This form may be utilized to apply for work involving filling or dredging of shore lands for erosion control.

¹For the purpose of the work permitting process, an erosion control structure shall be considered as anything that is placed, or constructed in order to protect a shoreline from erosion. Examples of erosion control structures include gabion baskets, armour stone, groynes and retaining walls.
²Shore lands are lands covered or seasonally inundated by the water of a lake, river, stream or pond.
³Waterfront property means a parcel of land that has a boundary on a lake, river, stream or pond, or is separated from a lake, river, stream or pond only by, an unopened road allowance, or a strip of public lands that is not more than 30 metres in perpendicular width from the lake, river, stream or pond.

What is a Work Permit?
A work permit is issued under the authority of the Public Lands Act, R.S.O.1990 to authorize activities on public lands and shore lands. Public lands mean any lands under the control and management of the MNRF, including the beds of most lakes and rivers in Ontario. A Work Permit ensures that specific activities on public lands and shore lands have regard for the environment, other users and neighbouring landowners.

Timelines for Work Permit Reviews
The Ministry has a service standard of 21 business days for the review and issuance of work permits for erosion control structures. Note that the Ministry must assess and fulfill the duty to consult with Indigenous communities as well as review some structures for engineering requirements. This may extend review timelines.
If you are in doubt on whether a Work Permit is required; please contact your local ministry work centre.
Please submit this application by mail or email to your local ministry work centre.

Collection of Personal Information
Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of Section 13 of the Public Lands Act, R.S.O.1990 and Ontario Regulation 975 as amended, and the information will be used for the purposes of the Act and Regulations.
Questions about this should be directed your local ministry work centre.

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

1. Applicant Details

Application Date (yyyy/mm/dd)*

Last Name*

First Name*

Name of Business or Corporation (if applicable)

Unit Number

Street Number*

Street Name*

PO Box

City/Town*

Province or State*

Postal Code/Zip Code*

Country*

Telephone Number

Ext.

Mobile Number

Email*

I/We hereby appoint

as our agent for the purpose of future correspondence with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in regard to this application and authorization.

Any correspondence should be forwarded to:
(Unless specified otherwise, all correspondence will be forwarded to the landowner)

Name

Telephone Number

Email

In general, in-water work should not take place during fish spawning season or during the time of other critical fish life stages as set out in the In-water Work Timing Window Guidelines, available at:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/water-work-timing-window-guidelines

Proposed start date (yyyy/mm/dd)

Proposed completion date (yyyy/mm/dd)

or

no in-water work will occur

Equipment to be used

2. Application Description

Please provide a brief description of your project and how the work will be done. Explain the method of construction, phasing of construction, duration of the work and site access.*

Please identify the proposed method(s) to prevent material from entering water during construction as well as method(s) of preventing any sedimentation or erosion of shoreline materials and lake bed sediments while doing in-water work (e.g. silt screens, geotextile cloth, etc.)*

Please provide rationale for your structure type (why did you choose the certain type of structure above? E.g., effective, feasible etc.)*

3. Structure location and size (relative to your property)

Please identify the dimensions of the structure you are seeking approvals for. See sketch examples of dimensions below.

Metre

Feet

Length as measured parallel to the shoreline (m/ft)*

Depth as measured perpendicular to the shoreline (m/ft)*

Height as measured bottom to top (m/ft)*

Total square foot (m²/ft²)*

Length X Depth

4. Site Location

Lot

Conc

Township

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-natural-resources-and-forestry-work-centres

MNRF Work Centre*

County, District or Regional Municipality*

Latitude and Longitude or UTM Coordinates

Name of Waterbody*

Other Location Description (street address of work site)

5. Reference Map and Photos

Your application cannot be processed without including this information

Please attach a photo of shoreline where work is proposed to be undertaken. These will help better process your application.

Please attach a reference map to this application with large extent view of your property and the surrounding area. Standard reference map templates can be accessed using our “make a topographic map” tool online.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/topographic-maps - see map example below

Note: This form and any attachments can not exceed 9MB in size in total.

I acknowledge that MNRF will not process my application until all required attachments are submitted, by submitting this form without the attachments I understand it is my responsibility to submit them by email.*

6. Instructions for Erosion Control Structures Sketch and Project Description

Please attach two sketches (bird's eye view and cross section). Include property lines, shoreland area that is seasonally inundated by water as well as the proposed structure dimensions. Please ensure that you sign and date each sketch submitted with your application. See examples below.

I acknowledge that MNRF will not process my application until all required attachments are submitted, by submitting this form without the attachments I understand it is my responsibility to submit them by email.*

detailed cross section information with measurements

Sediment and erosion control measures

detailed plan view (bird’s eye) with measurements

Details regarding construction techniques / equipment

Proposed materials (i.e. Rounded granite boulders)

7. Attestations

I will place the proposed structure or works directly in front of work permit applicant lands and within the straight line projection of the boundaries with neighbouring properties. (see Fig.1 and 2 above)*

The proposed structure or works will not adversely impact neighbouring properties. I have notified immediate neighbouring property owners about the proposed structure or works. No comments were received or comments received are as follows:*

Where the proposed structure or works will be placed entirely or partially on lands that form part of a municipal road allowance, all required approvals or consents from the municipality have been obtained.*

The land upon which the proposed structure or works is to be located is not subject to any contravention of the Public Lands Act or any permits or approvals issued thereunder. The proposed structure or works will not contravene any previously issued approval or authorization.*

The proposed structure or works run parallel to the water’s edge at a distance that is the minimum distance required to protect the waterfront property, or the abutting unopened road allowance or strip of public lands, as the case may be, from erosion.*

I acknowledge that the issuance of any authorization under the Public Lands Act in respect of the proposed structure or works does not relieve me or any one doing work on my behalf from complying with any other applicable requirements of law in respect of the proposed structure or works, including without limitation construction activities (e.g. Endangered Species Act, Building Code Act). The responsibility of determining any such requirements and of obtaining any other required authorizations lies solely with me as the applicant.*

The construction or placement of the proposed structure complies with the following and I will provide supporting documentation as it relates to the attestations below, should it be requested:

(Please check only one from options a) or b) below) *

a) Any applicable Municipal Official Plan and zoning by-laws

b) The structure will be placed outside of organized municipal boundaries.

https://www.amo.on.ca/AMO-Content/Municipal-101/Ontario-Municipalities.aspx

a) All applicable requirements under the Conservation Authorities Act (Ontario)

b) The structure will be placed outside of conservation authority boundaries.

https://conservationontario.ca/conservation-authorities/about-conservation-authorities/

All applicable requirements under the Navigation Protection Act (Canada)*

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs-673.html

All applicable requirements under the Fisheries Act (Canada)*

https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pnw-ppe/index-eng.html

8. Signature

By clicking this box, I:*

certify that the information provided in this application is true, correct and complete.
confirm that I am of the age of majority;
agree that, if any authorization is issued under the Public Lands Act in respect of the subject matter of this application, I will comply with the terms and conditions of such authorization (or, if I am submitting this application on behalf of the corporation, the corporation agrees to comply with the terms and conditions of such authorization); and
understand that I am affixing my electronic signature to this application, with the intent to be bound as an applicant (or, if I am submitting this application on behalf of a corporation, I represent that I have the authority to bind the corporation and the corporation agrees to be bound as applicant).