Plan

From the start of your project in or near water, think about fish and fish habitat. It helps significantly reduce the effort needed to meet regulatory requirements. Early planning can also lead to a faster and more efficient regulatory process, all while protecting fish and fish habitat and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Before working in or near water, it's important to understand when approvals may be required and how impacts to fish and fish habitat can be avoided and mitigated.

Early support

Concierge Service for major projects

Understand and navigate regulatory requirements early in the planning process.

Early engagement with Indigenous Peoples

Best practices for engaging should be considered early in project planning.

Tools and checklists

Guidelines and project planning resources.

Screening

Pre-screening questions

Project pre-screening questions to help you decide whether to submit an application for authorization.

Aquatic species at risk map

Find if your project overlaps with areas where species at risk are located.

Permitting under the Species at Risk Act

Determine if you need to obtain a permit for your project in areas where aquatic species at risk are present and learn how to apply.

Best practices

Measures and procedures to avoid and mitigate risks

General avoidance and mitigation measures and procedures relevant to most projects.

Codes of practice

Conditions and measures to avoid harmful impacts to fish and fish habitat.

Equivalent industry practices

Industry-specific conditions and measures to avoid harmful impacts to fish and fish habitat.

Prescribed Works and Waters Regulations for Ontario Municipal Drains

Allow Ontario municipalities to do routine maintenance and repair activities on existing municipal drains, under specific conditions, without needing a site-specific review.

Technical standards

How to plan, design, and implement certain types of routine projects, or routine elements of larger, more complex projects.

Pathways of Effects

Tool to identify risks to fish and fish habitat and the avoidance and mitigation measures needed to manage them.

Offsetting and habitat banking

Actions taken to counterbalance the residual effects to fish and fish habitat caused by projects after avoidance and mitigation measures are done.

Timing windows

Plan to do project construction and operations during these times to help protect fish and fish habitat.

Done your planning

Did you use the best practices above, and determine your project needs a permit? If so, learn the application process.