A construction whose destination or use has been changed to commercial usage cannot be occupied unless a certificate of usage compliance has first been issued. (By-law 808 – Permits and Certificates, article 60)
When you change the destination or use of a commercial building or part of a commercial building, or when the occupant is changed, an occupancy certificate is required. This also applies to a babysitting service, day care operation or childcare centre in a family setting, or a professional office in a private residence.
How to obtain an occupancy certificate
To obtain an occupancy certificate, you must complete the form Business Registration in Downloads on the left-hand side of this page, take note of information for new businesses, and attach the required documents (copy of registration or business charter), including the fee for payment of the occupancy certificate, submitting your entire file to the Permits and Inspections Department.
In order for a business to be authorized, its proposed use must be permitted in the targeted zone and the property must have the number of parking spaces required for the intended use. The application must include a plan of the parking lot.
| Type of establishment | Number of stalls required |
| Retail sales and service establishments (excluding usages shown below) | 1 stall per 25 m2 |
| Banks, financial institutions and lending companies | 1 stall per 35 m2 |
| Professional offices and complexes | 1 stall per 35 m2 |
| Medical clinics and consultation firms | 1 stall per 20 m2 |
| Shopping centres and strip malls | 1 stall per 14 m2 of gross rental space for a shopping centre with less than 9,300 m2 of gross rental space; 1 stall per 22 m2 of gross rental space for a shopping centre with more than 9,300 m2 of gross rental space |
| Sports and recreation centres (indoor and outdoor) | 2 stalls per court (tennis, racquetball, squash) and 1 stall per 10 m2 for other usages |
| Movie houses and theatres | 1 stall per 3 seating spaces |
| Automotive dealerships, furniture and household appliance stores | 1 stall per 65 m2 |
| Accommodation establishments | 1 stall per room |
| Personal care establishments (hairdressing, aesthetics) | 1 stall per 10 m2 |
| Funeral homes and crematoriums | 1 stall per 100 m2 of floor space reserved for interior or exterior storage |
| Wholesale establishments, warehouses, contractors, repair shops | 1 stall per 100 m2 of floor space reserved for interior or exterior storage |
| Daycare | 1 stall per 30 m2 |
| Meeting halls, exhibition halls, private classrooms | 1 stall per 5 seating places or 1 stall per 10 m2 for uses without seating spaces |
| Restaurant | 1 stall per 3 seating places, with a minimum of 10 stalls |
| Bowling alley or pool hall | 2 stalls per lane or pool table |
| Curling rink | 10 stalls per rink plus stalls required for the club house |
| Golf club | 3 stalls per hole plus stalls required for the club house |
| Arena | 1 stall per 4 fixed seats or 1 stall per m2 of floor space for spectators if there are no fixed seats |
| Service stations and automotive repairs | 3 stalls per service bay plus 3 stalls |
| Service station with convenience store | 3 stalls, plus stalls required for the convenience store |
| Ice cream parlour | 1 stall per 10 m2 |
| Fee |
| $100 |
*Payment by cheque, cash or debit card.