Applications, Licenses, and Permits

Births occurring in the Municipality of Sioux Lookout are not registered with the Municipality. Instead, parents are encouraged to use the 4-in-1 Newborn Bundle service at www.serviceontario.ca/newborn.

This new service allows parents to electronically submit the Statement of Live Birth, submit applications for a Birth Certificate, Social Insurance Number (SIN) and to sign up for a Canada child benefits at the same time.

Travel Letters, which were issued before the issuance of a Birth Certificate, are no longer available. If parents wish to travel out of Canada with their newborn and have not applied for a Birth Certificate at the time of registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar General at 1-800-462-2456 or visit www.serviceontario.ca/newborn.

Please visit our Boating and Fishing page for more information.

You need a Building Permit for most projects. No construction can take place until a building permit has been applied for, and obtained in accordance with the Building Code Act. The Building Code Act is enforced by the Municipality of Sioux Lookout and set fines are in place for non-compliance.

The Ontario Building Code, the Municipal Zoning By-Law and other by-laws and statues regulate the various aspects of construction.

You do not need a Building Permit for:

• Painting and decorating
• Construction or Demolition of:
  • Fences
  • Structures less than 108 square feet without plumbing
  • Sheds or trailers required for construction projects
  • Retaining wall not exceeding 1000 mm (3ft 3 in) in exposed height
  • Decks that are less than 2 feet high around all edges from the ground
• Replacing:
  • millwork and cabinets without plumbing
  • hot water heaters
  • oil or gas fired appliances
  • shingling of roofs of residential buildings
  • same size doors and windows
  • siding

Learn more about our Permit Fees.

Permit applications may be submitted through our online e-permit portal. This includes:

• building & moving permits
• commercial/industrial/institutional permits for alterations, repairs, addition, or new construction
• demolition
• renovations
• entrances and stairwells
• new basement
• new bathroom
• new floor
• new roof
• new wood stove, pellet stove, or wood fireplace
• plumbing
• residential additions
• new deck, shed, porch, garage, or gazebo
• new home/apartment/seasonal dwelling/temporary structure
• water and sewer services

Staff will help you identify other approvals and permits you might need, such as:

• Sewage disposal permit from Northwestern Health Unit
• Entrance and use permits from Ministry of Transportation and other Ministries
• "Call Before You Dig" to locate buried utilities, etc. -- 1-800-400-2255 (ON1Call) 
• Other permits and permissions from the Municipality

Contact the Chief Building Official for more information.

You do not need a municipal business license if your business is located within Sioux Lookout's boundaries and you pay taxes to the municipality.

Depending on what your business does, you may need to get another permit or license or make sure you follow our Municipal By-laws.

The Municipality does not provide Death Certificates. A "Request for a Death Certificate" form must be filled out and sent to the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay with the appropriate fee. Forms are available on line at www.serviceontario.ca/deathcertificate.

Sioux Lookout does not have permits for encroachments. The unauthorized use of public land for personal purposes is not permitted. You may not place a shed, fence or any other structure beyond your property line. That includes birdfeeders, play equipment, wood piles, pools, trailers, composters and gardens.

Any work to be conducted by others that will encroach on Municipal property, including Municipal road-right-of-way, requires the contractor or person performing the work to obtain an Encumbrance Permit from the Public Works Department prior to conducting any work. The Encumbrance Permit ensures that the Municipality is aware of any work encroaching on Municipal property and that all the proper protocols and safety initiatives are in place.  The Encumbrance Permit also ensures that traffic control plans, when required,  are implemented and are correct for the type of work being performed, that the proper liability insurance is in place for work to be conducted on Municipal property, that proper action is taken to ensure that Municipal Policy is followed to ensure adherence with The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and that proper notification, including notification to emergency services,  can be issued when required.

There is no fee for obtaining an Encumbrance Permit.

Examples of work requiring an Encumbrance Permit include but are not limited to:

• placing hard surfacing (asphalt, cement or brick) on the portion of an entrance that is Municipal right-of-way (beyond the property boundary);
• requiring to park a vehicle on Municipal property to conduct work to access the work area (hoisting truck);
• encroaching on Municipal property, including any sidewalk, to perform maintenance work to a building;

Please see our Fire Permits page for details.

Please visit our Freedom of Information page for more information.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is the regulatory body that governs the charitable gaming industry in Ontario. The Order-in-Council gives municipal councils the authority to issue licenses for most lottery events conducted in the community.

Before issuing any lottery license, the Municipality's Lottery Licensing Officer will conduct an eligibility review of the applicant organization to determine if it is eligible to raise and/or receive lottery proceeds. Organizations requesting an eligibility review are encouraged to review the list of documents required to determine eligibility. These documents will need to be submitted as part of the eligibility review process. 

Eligibility Reviews are typically completed within five to seven business days.

Applications for lottery licenses (by organizations that have been determined to be eligible) are generally issued within three business days.

All questions regarding lottery licensing should be directed to the Cemeteries & Licensing Coordinator: (807) 737-2700 ext. 2210, [email protected], or in person at the Municipal Office Building on 25 Fifth Avenue.

The Municipality is an Issuer of Marriage Licenses. Ontario Marriage Licenses are valid for a marriage that takes place anywhere in Ontario. Couples seeking an Ontario Marriage License must complete an Application Form for an Ontario Marriage License. Application Forms are available at the Clerk's Department or at the Customer Service Desk in the Municipal Office, 25 Fifth Avenue, Sioux Lookout. Applications may also be printed online from Service Ontario.

The Application Form must be completed and signed by both applicants. The Issuer will require proof of identification of both parties. A Birth Certificate (along with any change of name certificate) or a Passport plus a second piece of government issued photo identification such as a valid Driver's License, valid Ontario Photo Card or Status Card must be presented (if only one party is applying him/she must bring proof of identification for the other party). Photocopies cannot be accepted.

If either applicant has been previously married an original or court certified copy of the Decree Absolute or Certificate of Divorce must be also be presented at this time.

The Marriage License fee is $160.00 and is payable prior to processing the License.

The Marriage License can be prepared within three business days. The License will expire three months after the date of issue if the marriage does not take place.

Marriage Requirements

In some cases, special requirements must be met before a marriage can take place in the Province of Ontario. The following chart outlines the se types of requirements as they apply:

Marriage Certificates

A "Request for a Marriage Certificate" form must be filled out and sent to the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay with the appropriate fee. Forms are available at the Clerk's Office or online at www.serviceontario.ca/marriagecertificate.

Fees are paid for Building Permits including Plumbing Permits.

We accept cash, cheque, credit and debit cards.

Plumbing Permit Fees

• Residential Plumbing $10 per fixture
• Non-residential Plumbing $12 per fixture

Minimum Permit Fees

• Residential $75
• Other $125

The Building By-Law has more information on Building Permits and Permit Fees

There may be other fees owing for connections, entrances, and encroachments when you are constructing and these can be discussed with Municipal staff when you apply for a building permit

Contact the Chief Building Official for more information.

Please review Schedule "H" to By-law No. 86-24, Tariff or Fees for the processing of applications and charges made in respect of planning and development. (PDF)

If you are planning a special event in Sioux Lookout, you may need a license or permit to make sure the activities at your event follow our By-laws and provincial regulations.

Some Special Events are exempt from Zoning By-law requirements and are eligible to provide food vendor and refreshment cart services.  By-law No. 56-09 lists the Special Events that are exempt.  For all other Special Events, please contact the Planning Coordinator. 

Here is a checklist of common applications, licenses and permits you need to have a safe and community-friendly special event.

1. Are you serving food?

If you will serve food at your event, you must submit a Special Occasion Food Permit/ Notification form to the Northwestern Health Unit at least 7 days before the event. You can get this form on the Northwestern Health Unit website.

Temporary Food Premises must be approved by a Public Health Inspector before they start operating.

2. Are you serving alcohol?

If you plan to sell or serve alcoholic drinks at your special event whether it’s a wedding, charity fundraiser or reception, you need a Special Occasion Permit (SOP) from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO).

Determine whether you need an SOP and the rules your event must follow by reviewing the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario SOP information and the LCBO SOP FAQs. You can get an application from any LCBO store or download the SOP application form online. Take the completed application form to an LCBO store in the municipality where the event will take place.

3. Will your event cause a temporary road closure?

If your event will cause a temporary road closure (e.g. a farmers' market on the street) you must submit an application to our Public Works Division. Application instructions are included in Temporary Road Closures, below.

4. Do you need to rent a facility or space?

Municipal spaces including our Centennial Centre, Heritage Railway Station, Town Beach and others are available for rent for public and private events.

Contact our Recreation and Culture Department to book a space for an event.

A temporary road closure is required when a group or organization requests to have a section or portions of Municipal road closed to host an event. The Public Works Department, acting as the Road Authority for Municipal roads, can authorize a temporary road closure for specific requests.

For inquires pertaining to road closures, contact Public Works. The information required for this approval includes the date, time and the streets or avenues which will be affected by the event.