An Occupancy Permit is required to be issued for new or existing commercial buildings where there is/will be an assembly or gathering of people, which includes:
- any part of a building that will be used for the gathering of persons for civic, political, travel, religious, social, educational, recreational or like purposes
- consumption of food or drink
- business that will be open to the public (ie. retail, professional office, etc.)
- Apartment buildings, Personal Care Homes, etc.
- change in occupants, even if the proposed use is the same/similar as the previous use
An Occupancy permit is required prior to being open to the public! An inspection is completed by the Building Inspector who will ensure that items are building code compliant and meet fire safety. If there are deficiencies noted, it is at the discretion of the building inspector to issue an Interim Occupancy Permit to allow the business/building to be open to the public. The inspector will issue the Interim permit subject to all deficiencies being corrected by a certain date. A full occupancy is required to operate on a long term basis.
If a building requires a building permit (see below), the Occupancy permit will be issued upon the final inspection (providing there are no deficiencies). There is no additional cost for the permit, as it is covered in the building permit fee.
If a new business will be operating in an existing building and no building permit is required, an Occupancy Permit application fee of $100 will be applicable.
Almost everything requires an approved permit prior to construction these days. This is your protection to ensure that construction is within the Manitoba Building Code and your local Municipal Zoning and Building By-Laws.
See our NEW ONLINE PERMIT APPLICATION at the bottom of this section.
When is a building permit required?
- New construction of buildings, dwellings, structures and decks (includes replacement decks and/or replacement of stairs and railings).
- Additions to existing buildings, dwellings, structures and decks.
- Structural repairs or alterations to existing construction.
- Permanent placement of new structures (includes mobile and modular homes).
- Temporary placement of any structure - i.e. large capacity public tents - click below "Temporary Tent" to see the criteria.
- Relocation of older homes and buildings. Note that all the Municipalities in our District require you to enter into a Performance Bond/Agreement prior to the relocation of any structure. Please contact our office for additional information on Performance Bonds/Agreements.
- Demolition of structures.
- New plumbing installation or alteration to existing plumbing.
- All Commercial/Industrial/Institutional Buildings: new construction, additions, alterations, renovations, and structural repairs. Please note that an Occupancy Permit is required prior to the opening/occupancy of any commercial building to the public (see above "Occupancy Permit").
- Signs (free standing, permanent or affixed to a building).
- Permanent structures containing more than 24 inches (2 ft.) of water (ex: pools, hot tubs, ponds, etc.).
However, any temporary structures that are capable of holding 24 inches or more of water are required to have a 5 foot fence surrounding the structure and self closing hardware on any gates.
*** Even if a permit is not required (for example, fencing, patios) there are still restrictions under the Zoning By-Laws that need to be adhered to. As such we encourage you to contact our office to confirm if a permit is required for your project as well as any pertinent information regarding By-Law restrictions.
What if I'm just replacing a deck that was there before or I'm not attaching the deck to my house, do I need a permit?
Yes, you may still require to obtain a building permit, if the deck is over 50 sq ft in size and/or is higher than 8" off the ground. Even if you're replacing a deck or it's not attached to the house, a permit is still required because the construction has to meet the current Manitoba Building Code and it also must meet the current zoning by-law setback requirements.
Do I need a permit to install a wood stove?
No, you don't require a building permit from our office. There is no Manitoba Building Code regulations with regard to wood stove installations. You do however need to install the unit as per the manufacturers instructions for required clearances and can be verified by a "WETT" (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) Certified Professional. You should also contact your Property Insurance specialist for any changes required to your policy and for any regulations or requirements that they may have.
What documentation is required when applying for a building permit?
- A completed building permit application.
- Blueprints/plans.
- The use and size of the building or structure.
- Surveyor's building location certificate, or staking certificate identifying corner pegs and and/or existing buildings. A surveyors certificate is the only measure to ensure compliance to necessary setbacks.
- Completed and approved Lot Grade Permit. Applicable within the RM of Gimli and Town of Winnipeg Beach; please contact them directly to obtain a Lot Grade Permit.
RM of Gimli Contact Info Town of Wpg Beach Contact Info
What do Building Plans and Construction Detail have to indicate?
- The complete foundation (dimensions and fully detailed).
- Building sections indicating all building materials.
- Floor plans (all levels).
- Elevations of the complete structure.
- Indicate joists on floor plans or provide separate joist layouts.
- Framed roof; rafter layout, ceiling and joist material.
- Certification for engineered truss and floor systems.
Drawings must:
- Show owners name and date.
- Be drawn to scale and the scale noted.
- Have clearly legible lettering and dimensions.
- For Additions, drawings shall show all existing and new construction.
- Be marked with the Architect's and/or Engineer's stamp, signed and dated if professional design is required (see below for stamp requirements).
As per the Manitoba Building Code, a stamp is required for ALL foundations, whether residential or commercial.
What do I need to relocate a ready to move home (RTM)?
An RTM requires a building permit for the relocation and the foundation. The required documents are the same as mentioned above for Building Permits. Please note that there are different requirements in the zoning by-laws for each municipality for Modular/Manufactured homes with a CSA A277 classification. Depending on the municipality, it may require Conditional Use approval prior to the issuance of a building permit. Please either refer to the Zoning By-Law for the municipality or contact our office for assistance.
If you are wishing to relocate an older RTM, which is a home that has been previously lived in, the home will require a Performance Agreement/Bond and approval from Council prior to the issuance of a building permit. Please contact our office for additional information.
NEW - Online Permit Applicant
The EIPD is pleased to offer Cloudpermit, on online building permit system! Cloudpermit allows you to apply for and to see the status of your applications anywhere at any time. You can start an application and finish it later and receive email updates on the status of your application.
You need to click here to get started: Cloudpermit Application .
You will need to "Create a New Account" found under "continue" arrow. Provide your email address. Cloudpermit will send you an email to complete the registration process. Once registered you just need to login to the site to continue the process and/or when returning to view your application or checking your status, etc.
NEW- Public Search Map
You can now search for an address or click on the map to see if a property has an approved permit. The map is available through Cloudpermit at the following link and you do not require a Cloudpermit account in order to access the map.
https://ca.cloudpermit.com/gov/map/CA-4618031
We respectfully request that if you are attending our office to obtain a permit, please ensure you arrive no later than 4:00 p.m. to ensure enough time to complete the paperwork. Your cooperation is appreciated!
- PDF Downloads:
