The Building Department will continue to accept permit applications and prepare for the issuance of permits but will only issue permits for projects that are deemed “essential.”
Permit applications that are not “essential” will be fully processed, but issuance will be put on hold until the Province amends restrictions says Alain Bazinet, Chief Building Official.
Other changes include inspections only being conducted on projects that comply with the updated Emergency Order, for unoccupied buildings only. All required inspection papers must be submitted electronically in advance.
And site inspections are at the discretion of the attending Inspector. If the inspectors feel physical distancing is not being maintained and personal health is at risk, they will not proceed.
Meanwhile, the province says it is accelerating essential construction projects, saying extending construction hours will help keep workers safe
It is extending construction hours for essential construction projects, like critical projects in the health care sector, to 24 hours a day.
Work on new hospital builds, expansions, and COVID-19 assessment centres will be able to continue any time of the night or day in order to help accelerate the construction and enable employers to take additional steps to protect the health and safety of workers on these job sites.
Ontario will temporarily limit local noise bylaws from applying to these types of essential construction activities.
Extending hours for essential construction will also give worksite managers more flexibility to stagger shifts, limit the number of people in one place, and take reasonable precautions to keep workers safe and healthy says a news release.
