Types of Permits

Excavation of public land

You must obtain this permit before doing any excavation work such as:  

• Replacing or sealing a foundation
• Decontaminating a site
• Constructing a building.

Private excavation

This permit is required for: 

• An excavation less than 2 m deep, if the distance from public property is less than 2 m
• An excavation of 2 m or more in depth, if the distance from public property is less than twice this depth (for example: an excavation of 3 m in depth, if the distance from public property is less than 6 m).

The depth of the excavation, in relation to the distance from public property, is what determines the need for a permit.

Apply for an excavation permit

Send your documents by email.

When you pay for your permit, you will also be required to pay a security deposit to guarantee the repair of any damage to public property that may occur during your work.

The security deposit is payable by certified cheque, bank letter of guarantee, bearer bonds or guarantee policy.

Steps

Once you have submitted all your documents: 

• The borough analyzes your request
• Someone from the Division des études techniques will contact you to follow up on your file 
• When the work is completed, an inspection is made to verify if any damage has been caused to public property or street furniture; when repairs are necessary, the cost of restoration is deducted from the security deposit.

• By-law on tariffs (in French)
• By-law concerning excavations

Information coming soon.

Types of permits

Excavation of public property

You must obtain this permit before doing certain work such as:  

• Foundation maintenance
• Construction of private infrastructure, such as a tunnel
• Decontaminating a site
• Geotechnical drilling
• Archaeological digs

Excavation of private property

You must obtain this permit when the area to be excavated located on private property is close to public property, for example, for the construction or demolition of a building located near the street right-of-way. The street right-of-way is: 

• The space between the property line and the sidewalk
• If there is no sidewalk: the space between the property line and the edge of the pavement or roadway.

The permit is required for: 

• An excavation less than 2 m deep, if the distance from public property is less than 2 m
• An excavation of 2 m or more in depth, if the distance from public property is less than twice this depth (for example: an excavation of 3 m in depth, if the distance from public property is less than 6 m).

Apply for an excavation permit

Here’s what you have to do:

• Complete the application for an excavation permit
• Attach the plans of the new building to be constructed or the area to be excavated on public property
• Send your documents by email.

When you pay for your permit, you will also be required to pay amounts to guarantee repairs to anything that could be damaged during your work:

• Prepayment: for repairs to surface infrastructure such as sidewalks, trees, street lights, etc.

• Security deposit: for the repair of underground infrastructures, such as sewerage, pipes, electrical installations, etc.

Steps

Once you have submitted all your documents: 

• The borough will analyze your request
• Someone from the permit counter will contact you to inform you about all the fees to be paid
• When the work is completed, an inspection is made to verify if any damage has been caused to public property or street furniture; when repairs are necessary, the cost of restoration is deducted from the security deposit.

Timeframe

The analysis of the permit application takes two to four weeks. Analysis begins only when all the documents have been received.

Fees (taxes included)

• Public domain excavation permit: $28 per square metre

• Rehabilitation work carried out by the city, per square metre: 
  • Performed between April 1 and November 30: $67
  • Performed between December 1 and March 31: $111
  • Asphalt and concrete pavement: $203
  • Concrete pavement or sidewalk: $148
  • Asphalt sidewalk: $70
  • Asphalt sidewalk for bicycle path: $153
  • Concrete sidewalk or alley: $284
  • Grass: $23
• Concrete edge, per linear meter: $143
• Inspection of public property, during an excavation on private property:
  • Excavation less than 2 m deep: $242
  • Excavation of 2 m to 3 m in depth, per linear metre along the public right of way: $70
  • Excavation of more than 3 m depth without tie rods, along the public right of way, per linear metre: $174
  • Excavation of more than 3 m depth with tie rods, per row of tie rods, per linear meter: $174

The excavation permit and cutting permit (French: permis de coupe) are payable only by certified cheque, official bank cheque, bank draft, money order, postal order or debit card.

• By-law on fees (in French)
• By-law concerning excavations

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

Types of permits

Excavation of public property

You must obtain this permit before doing certain work on public property, such as:  

• Replacing or sealing a foundation
• Geotechnical drilling
• Installation or replacement of a French drain
• Installation of piles
• Decontaminating a site
• Constructing private infrastructure, such as a tunnel
• Constructing a building.

Excavation of private property

You must obtain this permit when the part to be excavated located on private property is close to public property, among other things, for the construction, demolition, installation or repair of a French drain, decontamination or levelling of a building.

Apply for an excavation permit

Send your documents by email.

When you pay for your permit, you will also be required to pay a security deposit to ensure the repair of any infrastructures that may be damaged during your work, such as the sidewalk, trees, lampposts or sewers. 

The excavation permit and cutting permit (French: permis de coupe) may be paid only by certified cheque, bank draft or debit card.

Steps

Once you have submitted all your documents: 

• Someone from the borough will go to the site to take pictures, evaluate the cost of the permit and the amount to be paid as security
• We will then contact you to invite you to come and pay for your permit
• The permit is sent to you by email 
• At the end of the work, an inspection is made to check if any damage has been caused to public property or street furniture. When repairs are necessary, the cost of repair will be deducted from the security deposit.

Timeframe

It takes at least two weeks to review the permit application.

• By-law on tariffs (in French)
• By-law on excavations

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

Contact your permit counter for information on excavation works.

Permits issued for the following types of work include excavation. You do not have additional applications to complete.

• Construction and expansion of a building
• Water and sewer connections

Excavation of public property

You must obtain this permit before doing certain work such as:  

• Maintenance, installation, repair or replacement of underground structures
• Inspection by digging exploratory wells
• Soil decontamination.

Applying for the permit

Here’s what you have to do:

• Send your request by mail
• Include: 
  • Your complete contact information
  • Name, address, business name and place of business of the excavating contractor
  • The location of the excavation: address, street section, etc.
  • The dimensions of the proposed excavation (length, width and depth)
  • The planned start and end dates of the work
  • The method used to carry out the excavation, in particular if there is to be a driving, drilling or tunneling operation
• Make an appointment with someone at your permit counter. 

When you pay for your permit, you will also be required to pay a security deposit to ensure the repair of any infrastructure that may be damaged during your work, such as the sidewalk, trees, streetlights, sewers and electrical installations.

Steps

Once you have submitted all your documents :

• The borough will analyze your request
• Someone from the permit counter will contact you to inform you about all the fees to be paid
• When the work is completed, an inspection is made to verify if any damage has been caused to public property or street furniture; when repairs are necessary, the cost of restoration is deducted from the security deposit.

Fees (non-taxable)

• Public domain excavation permit, per square metre: $27

The excavation permit is payable by cash, debit card, cheque or money order.  The security deposit is payable by certified cheque or irrevocable bank letter of guarantee.

• By-law on excavations

Types of permit

Excavation on public property

You must obtain a permit to do certain kinds of work, such as:

• Replacement or waterproofing of a foundation
• Geotechnical drilling
• Installation or replacement of a French drain
• Installation of piles
• Site decontamination
• Construction of private infrastructure, such as a tunnel
• Construction of a building

Private excavation

A permit is necessary for:

• Excavation less than two metres deep: If the distance from the public property is less than 2 m
• Excavation two metres or deeper: if the distance from public property is less than twice the depth (e.g. if the excavation is 3 m deep and the distance from the public property is less than 6 m)

It is the depth of the excavation compared to the distance from public property that determines if you must obtain a permit.

Request an excavation permit

Send your documents by email.

When paying for your permit, you must also provide a deposit guarantee to ensure the repair of any infrastructure that may be damaged during your project, including sidewalks, trees, street lamps and sewers. 

Excavation permits and cutting permits are payable only by certified cheque, bank draft or debit card.

Steps

Once you have sent all your documents: 

• The borough will analyze your application
• We will then contact you for payment of the permit fee
• The permit will be sent to you via email
• At the end of your project, an inspection will be made to see if any public property or street furniture has been damaged; if repairs are necessary, the cost to correct them will be deducted from the deposit guarantee.

Time frame

Review of the permit application takes at least two weeks.

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

Types of permits

Excavation of public property

You must get this permit to perform the following work on public property (street right-of-way, alley, park, etc.):  

• Foundation or French drain maintenance
• Construction of private infrastructure, such as a tunnel
• Geotechnical drilling
• Archeological digs
• Exploratory digs

Excavation of private property

You must get a permit to perform the following work on private property:

• Construction, transformation or demolition of a building located near public property (street right-of-way, alley, park, etc.)
• Decontamination of a site requiring excavation work near public property (street right-of-way, alley, park, etc.).

On public property, a permit is required to perform an excavation:

• At a depth of less than 2 m, if the distance between the public property line and one of the excavation faces is less than the depth of the excavation.
• At a depth of 2 m or more, if the distance between the public property line and one of the excavation faces is less than twice the depth of the excavation, e.g., for an excavation at a depth of 3 m, if the distance to public property is less than 6 m).

The street right-of-way includes lanes for car, bicycle and pedestrian traffic, as well as street furniture (lampposts, signage, bus shelters, etc). It ends at the private property limit.

Submitting your permit application

Send your application to the Ville-Marie permits and inspections division by e-mail. 

You must attach the following documents to your e-mail:

• Ville-Marie excavation permit application (in French)
• City insurance rider - Ville-Marie (in French)

A $1,000,000 insurance rider is required for excavations up to 4.5 metres deep. For all other cases, a $2,000,000 rider is required per person and per event.

Processing times

Evaluating a permit application takes three to four weeks (depending on the volume of applications being evaluated and the complexity of the project)

Payments

Once your file has been reviewed, we will let you know what fees are payable for your excavation permit to be issued under the following conditions:

• Fees for the excavation permit: Certified cheque or money order 

• Anticipated payment (for the repair of surface infrastructures such as the sidewalk, trees, street lamps, etc.): Certified cheque or money order
• Security deposit (to repair underground infrastructures such as sewers, water mains, electrical installations, etc.): Certified check, money order or letter of guarantee from a bank

At the end of the project that required excavation, a final inspection will be performed to make note of damage caused to public property and street furniture.

If there is damage, the borough will plan reconstruction work to restore the public property to its original state. The costs of the work performed by the borough will be deducted from the security deposit. If the amount of the deposit is insufficient, the difference will be billed to the permit holde

Required documents

On top of the insurance rider and application form:

• Plan that shows temporary shoring details (signed and sealed by an engineer)
• Detailed plan for underpinning work (signed and sealed by an engineer), if required 
• Calculation notes (signed by an engineer)
• Geotechnical study
• Project implementation plan
• Environmental characterization study (when decontaminating land) 
• Dynamiting plan signed by an engineer (for rock excavations)

• By-law on tariffs (in French)
• By-law on excavations

Information coming soon.