Owning and selling a home in Ontario: the records at each stage

The zoning, the overlays and the by-laws that set what can be done on the lot, and the records of what is changing around it.

• What zone is the home in, and what does the zone permit?Zoning
• What does the Official Plan designate the land as?Official Plan designation
• Is the home designated, listed or in a heritage district?Heritage
• What is a conservation authority regulated area?Conservation authority regulated area
• What development applications are active near the home?Development applications within 300 m
• What road, sewer or watermain works are planned on the street?Planned street works
• What is the residential property tax rate?Property tax rate · in the free check
• What do water and sewer cost here?Water and sewer rates

What the records say before a renovation, a garden suite, a tree removal or a business from home. The municipality's building and planning departments decide; the entries say which by-law applies and where it is.

• What building permits are on record for the home?Permits and renovations
• How many homes does the zoning allow on the lot?Extra units allowed · in the free check
• Which trees need a City permit to remove?Trees on and near the lot · in the free check
• What are the city's rules for renting the home out or running a business from it?Rental and home business rules · in the free check
• Is the home designated, listed or in a heritage district?Heritage
• What is a conservation authority regulated area?Conservation authority regulated area
• How big is the lot, according to the City's mapping?Lot size from City maps

These are the records a buyer's report reads for the address. An open permit, an application on file or a heritage listing is better known before the listing than after an offer.

• What building permits are on record for the home?Permits and renovations
• Are there planning applications on file for the home itself?Applications for this address
• Is the home designated, listed or in a heritage district?Heritage
• What is a flood plain overlay?Flood plain overlay
• Is the home in a basement flooding study area, and what kind of sewer serves the street?Basement flooding and sewers
• What does the satellite flood archive show?Past floods seen by satellite
• How close are the nearest railway, grade crossing, pipeline or transmission line?Pipelines, power lines and rail · in the free check
• What development applications are active near the home?Development applications within 300 m

Heritage listing ends on 1 January 2027 · Inspections, disclosure and the City's permit records · Backwater valves and the city subsidies · Electrical work and its records · Radon testing · Documents to gather before you list

Order the owner's reportSee the sample report

The buyer's lender, lawyer and inspector each read part of the record. The roles page says which part, and what none of them is.

• How many homes does the zoning allow on the lot?Extra units allowed · in the free check
• What zone is the home in, and what does the zone permit?Zoning
• What do Ontario's well records show?Well records
• Is there a municipal drain near the property?Rural municipal drains
• How big is the lot, according to the City's mapping?Lot size from City maps
• How big is the building, according to the City's mapping?Building size from City maps

Who does what in an Ontario offer

Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act sets what a sale changes for a tenant and what it doesn't; the Landlord and Tenant Board publishes the rules and the forms. OfferDue states the Act's rent rule in the rental entry and gives no advice on a tenancy.

• What are the city's rules for renting the home out or running a business from it?Rental and home business rules · in the free check

The Board's new forms from 30 November 2026 · Landlord and Tenant Board