Tents

Building permits are required for any tent or group of tents that meet one of the following criteria:

• more than 60 sq.m (646 sq.ft) in area (single tent)
• more than 60 sq.m (646 sq.ft) in combined area (tents in a group)
• attached to a building
• assembled less than 3m (9’-10”) from other buildings/structures

On this page

1. How to submit an application
2. Requirements to submit an application
3. Fees and timelines
4. Plan and book inspections

How to submit an application

To submit an application for a building permit, visit our building permits page. To read about the requirements to submit an application for a tent permit, read below.

Requirements to submit an application

The permit application form, Schedule 1 and Commitment to Review are required for a permit application. View and download the form (PDF).

Designer qualifications

A professional engineer must design and perform field review of the installation of the following tents:  

• tents exceeding 225 sq.m in area 
• tents that are fully or partially enclosed with walls  
• tents that contain bleachers 

All other tents must be designed by a BCIN designer qualified in large buildings or a professional engineer. 

Drawings and documentation

Drawings (drawn to scale) are required to be submitted and are to include:

• site plan showing location of tent(s) including distances to other tents or buildings/structures
• a certificate of flame resistance (NFPA 701 or CAN/ULC-S109)
• provisions for firefighting (locations of fire hydrants, fire access route and fire extinguishers)

In addition to the drawings noted above, tents or groups of tents that exceed 225 sq.m (2421 sq.ft) in area, or are partially enclosed with walls, or contain bleachers, also require drawings showing:

• location of exits
• emergency lighting
• the number and location of washroom facilities
• tent occupant load
• design of bleachers (if applicable)

Fees and timelines

The current building permit fee per tent or group of tents is $197.00

The typical timeframe to review tents is 10 business days. Timelines for reviews are processed within the time frames mandated by the Ontario Building Code and are based on project type. 

Plan and book inspections

The Ontario Building Code Act requires you to notify us when various stages of construction are ready for inspection, prior to covering the work. These inspections are listed on your Building Permit under the heading of “Mandatory Inspections.”