Spotted! Window City, Home Windows and Doors Seen in Mississauga, North York, Richmond Hill, Etobicoke and Markham.
October, 2022
The Greater Toronto Area is home to many lively surrounding cities and neighbourhoods each with their own distinct design and architectural characteristics. All you have to do is drive around to see Window City Home Windows and doors in an array of different home styles, ranging from the Victorian and Georgian designs of old Toronto to new modern construction.
Each city within the GTA has its own zoning regulations, and most renovation and construction projects will require a building permit. Homeowners, designers, contractors and home builders should become familiar with the Ontario Building Code (OBC) in advance of starting a renovation project.
With any window replacement where the existing opening is expanded, or the structure of the wall is altered, requires a building permit from the municipality.
Usually, there are some common reasons why homeowners decide to expand an existing window opening: for a bigger window, to change window into a door (including patio doors), or to meet fire code or egress requirements.
A building permit is required when the window opening is expanded sideways. Because enlarging the opening sideways often requires cutting the studs on either side of the window, the wall structure can become unstable. Of course, the size of the opening plays a crucial role in the security walls, but on paper, it is necessary to get a permit even for smallest horizontal expansions.
Mississauga is Canada’s sixth largest city, with a huge amount of architectural diversity and stunning heritage properties.
In Mississauga you will need a building permit when either adding new window & door or increasing the size of an existing ones.
Click here to read more about building permits in Mississauga.
Additional information is available for Mississauga building Permits, Click here to read more.
Heritage Properties in Mississauga
Heritage properties can include resources like historic houses or bridges, or heritage conservation districts and cultural heritage landscapes.
A heritage property is identified, designated, protected and conserved by The Ontario Heritage Act.
Heritage approval from the City of Mississauga will be required to change the windows and doors, or the addition of new window and door openings to designated heritage properties.
North York is an eclectic, multicultural district home to many attractions and sprawling parks and trails.
In North York a building permit is required for windows and doors, whether a new opening is created or the existing opening is enlarged. If you do not require a building permit, compliance with the Zoning Bylaw is required in North York.
View the City of Toronto’s full Building Permit Guide for additional information.
When a Heritage Permit is required, the review occurs in parallel to the building permit review process. To determine if a property is a listed or designated property.
Click here to apply for a Building Permit in North York (Toronto)
Click here for The Energy Efficiency Design Summary Application.
Richmond Hill is located in south-central York Region. It is the third most populous municipality in York Region, and the 27th most populous municipality in Canada. Richmond Hill has the calm and quietness of a small town while still located close to Toronto.
In Richmond Hill a building permit will be needed to construct or demolish any building or additionally, including: any alterations and decks/sunrooms.
Click here to read more about Building Permits in Richmond Hill.
Additionally, during the planning phase of a project, you must determine what zoning requirements apply to the property. For all zoning and compliance-related information, visit Zoning and Compliance Letter Requests.
Just west of Toronto, Etobicoke is full of charmingly quiet neighbourhoods, Indigenous history, and sights not found anywhere else in the city. Etobicoke is home to several lakefront parks, golf courses, and vast Centennial Park, with a conservatory featuring tropical plants.
Click here to apply for a Building permit in North York (Toronto).
Markham is the largest city in the Regional Municipality of York, and 16th largest in Canada.
The City of Markham has quickly emerged as one of the most coveted places to live in the Greater Toronto Area.
In Markham a building permit is required for the following projects related to windows and doors:
New Construction
- Any new building greater than 10 m2 (108 ft2) in size (the area of the building's footprint);
- Any addition to an existing building, irrespective of size;
- Concrete porches;
- Solariums;
- Sunrooms.
Alterations (Replacement Windows)
- Demolishing any building greater than 10m2 (108 ft2) in size;
- Adding, removing or altering a structural wall or column;
- Adding, removing or altering a non-loadbearing partition;
- Installing a basement entrance;
- Renovating a dwelling to provide a full basement.
- Installing an accessory apartment.
For more Markham Building Permit and Information. Click here.
Learn More about Markham’s zoning by-laws when dealing with a new construction home.
Egress Windows
Egress windows are required in every bedroom as well as the basement of a home. However, certain requirements must be met in order for a window to be certified as egress windows, including the required size of egress windows in the basement.
-
- Egress windows must be more than 1.5 feet above the bedroom or basement floor;
- Any installed security bars on basement or bedroom egress windows must be easily removed from inside the home. You must be able to do so without using any additional tools or following complicated instructions;
- Bedroom or basement egress windows must be no less than 15 inches in dimension;
- Basement and bedroom egress windows must have an area that is not fewer than 3.8 ft;
- The window well size of egress windows in the basement must meet the above criteria and also must have an opening with a depth of 30 inches and must be 76 cm from the wall.
You can read more about Egress Windows by Clicking here.
Ontario Energy Efficiency Requirements
The Ontario Building Code provides clear guidelines for energy efficiency requirements when it comes to window replacement projects. This includes choosing the right type of compliance package when applying for a building permit, including prescriptive compliance packages. A prescriptive compliance package is a set of predetermined building construction requirements. When these requirements are met, so are the OBC energy efficiency requirements.
Ontario Building Material Evaluation Commission
When deciding on building materials, it is important to conduct some research prior to making a purchase. Learn more about how windows, doors and other building materials are evaluated by the Government of Ontario.
Ontario Building Code (OBC) | Windows and Doors
References:
- https://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/Architectural_Styles_in_Mississauga_2012.pdf
- https://www.mississauga.ca/city-of-mississauga-news/news/changes-to-ontario-building-code-improve-energy-efficiency
- https://www.markham.ca/wps/portal/home/business/building-permits/building-permit
- https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/9273-Building-Permit-Guide-WEB.pdf
