Ontario Regulation 41/24 prohibits or restricts development and site alterations near water and wetlands to protect you and the public from flooding, erosion and other hazards. You may require a permit from the MVCA if your project is:

• in the channel of a watercourse or drain, in a lake, pond or a wetland
• within 15 m of a floodplain, slope and meander hazard
• within 30 m of a provincially significant wetland
• within 30 m of all other wetlands greater than 0.5 ha.

Activities requiring approval within regulated areas include:

• construction, reconstruction or placing a building or structure of any kind
• any change to a building or structure that changes its use, increases its size or increases the number of dwelling units
• grading of the site
• temporary or permanent placing, dumping or removal of material originating on site or elsewhere
• alteration to watercourses (including municipal drains); bridges, culverts and other infrastructure; and channel and shoreline alterations
• all works in the water, e.g. docks, boathouses, dredging, etc.
• filling, construction or alteration of floodplains, wetlands, shorelines and waterbodies can result in increased upstream or downstream flooding, reduced water quality, destruction of fish and wildlife habitat or other environmental problems. When considering whether to grant a permit under these regulations, the MVCA considers not only the individual application, but also the long-term impacts within the watershed.