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Apply for site plan approval

If you’re planning construction of a new building or addition, and the property is subject to site plan control, you’ll need to apply for site plan approval. The purpose of site plan approval is to review the location and function of buildings and structures, and maintain City standards.

Before you apply

Keep in mind the following information before you apply:

  • In order to apply for site plan approval, the zoning on your property must be in effect (including any minor variances).
  • To find out if you need site plan approval, you can call 311 (905-615-4311 outside City limits) or check the property information online.
  • All site plan applications must be submitted online through ePlans.

If you applied for site plan approval before January 1, 2016, use our development application tool to check the progress of your application.

Online application process

1. Create account and submit pre-application meeting request

Start by creating an ePlans account. Then log in to ePlans and follow the steps to submit your pre-application meeting request, which includes uploading your drawings and documents.

You should submit the following drawings and documents with your pre-application meeting request for site plan approval:

  1. Site plan, including the following:
    • Building footprint and dimensions (existing and proposed)
    • Building setbacks from all lot lines (existing and proposed)
    • Site statistics (for example lot area, existing and proposed gross floor area, parking required and provided, unit types, etc.)
    • Landscaped areas/buffers and dimensions
    • Site access, driveway location, parking areas and dimensions
  1. Elevation drawings with height dimensions (for example floor-to-floor and overall building height)
  1. Floor plans, survey plan and images of the property and surrounding area, if available
  1. A cover letter, including the following:
    • Applicant and property owner names
    • Brief description of the proposal
    • The proposed tenure
    • The development application you’re seeking

Drawings and documents should be saved in the correct view orientation.

File names for all drawings should include the first letter of the discipline name, such as “A” for architectural, followed by the three digit sheet number and drawing type. For example, “A100 Site Plan”.

Each drawing plan sheet should be an individual file.

Please refer to the Site Plan Manual for more information on submission requirements.

Make sure to use the “Complete – Notify the City of Mississauga” button to submit your request.

Once we receive your pre-application meeting request, we’ll review the drawings and documents you’ve submitted, tell you what additional information is required, or any changes that should be made.

We’ll also let you know what type of site plan application you need, which is usually one of the following:

  • Standard Site Plan Application
  • Limited Site Plan Application
  • Site Plan Approval Express
  • Development Not Subject to Site Plan Approval

We’ll let you know if you need a meeting within five to seven business days of your request.

All feedback will also be available for you to view in ePlans.

Complete your pre-application meetings

Pre-application meetings with City staff must be completed before you can move on to step two and submit your site plan application request.

At this meeting we will provide you with comments and feedback on your proposal along with information on all the plans, studies and documentation that you need to submit.

Refer to this example of the submission checklist. (This example is for guidance purposes only. A submission requirements checklist specific to your proposal will be provided to you as part of the pre-application process.)

All feedback will also be available for you to view in ePlans.

When you have prepared all the plans, studies and documentation for the proposal, you will resubmit and provide responses to all comments in ePlans. We will review the information provided and if acceptable, we will schedule a second pre-application meeting.

At this meeting you will receive detailed feedback on whether your studies meet the Terms of Reference and direction on proceeding with submitting a formal application.

All feedback will also be available for you to view in ePlans.

2. Submit a site plan application request

When it’s time to submit your site plan application, log in to ePlans and follow the steps to create a site plan approval request and pay the administration fee.

Shortly after submitting your site plan request, you’ll receive an email that includes your temporary project number and an invitation to upload the required site plan documents.

You’ll be given a Submission Requirements Checklist at your pre-application meeting. This will list the drawings and documents you need to upload, which will be some or all of the following:

Forms and schedules

Schedules and site plan undertaking documents are required for all site plan applications. You may be asked to submit the additional forms, depending on your application.

Guidance documents

View the terms of reference documents for an explanation on the information required for each study, report or plan submitted as part of a site plan application.

3. Pre-screen review

After you upload the drawings and documents, we’ll do a pre-screen review to ensure the requirements are met. This usually takes three to five business days.

If we still need more information, we will contact you. All pre-screen corrections will need to be made by you in order to move ahead with the application process.

4. Pay fees

After the prescreen review, you will receive an email to pay your fees. To ensure there are no delays in processing your application, or having your application deemed incomplete, please submit your fee calculation worksheet for approval before any payment is made.

If you make an error in your payment, you will need to request a refund from the City which could take up to five business days to process.

When you’re ready to pay your fees, you have three options:

You can make electronic payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) or wire transfer for planning application fees that exceed $30,000 and can’t be paid through ePlans or by email payment.

A $15 surcharge is applicable to all wire transfers. Please make sure this amount is added to your payment before transferring your payment to the City.

EFT payment process
  1. Complete the Electronic Payment Information Form

Please make sure that the information you provide in the form matches the information you send with your payment. This will prevent any delays in verifying and processing your payment.

    • If you’re paying as an individual you’ll need to include your name, full address, phone number and email address on the information form.
    • If you’re paying as a company you’ll need to include the legal business name, GST/HST registration number, company address, phone number, and the email address of a company representative on the information form.
  1. Submit the Electronic Payment Information Form

Email the form to both the City staff member who requested the payment and to pb.eftpayment@mississauga.ca. In the subject line of your email please write “Electronic Payment” and include the file number and/or the property address.

  1. Pay the fees

The City staff member will email you the City’s banking information. Make the transfer through your financial institution and email the receipt to the City staff member who requested the payment and to pb.eftpayment@mississauga.ca.

You can make an Interac e-transfer payment for application fees that are less than $25,000.

How to make an Interac e-transfer (email) payment
  • Prepare your Interac e-transfer (email) from your bank
  • In your message to the contact, make sure you include a cross-reference number to link the application to the fee payment:
    • Planning applications cross-reference number is the “ePlans Pre-Application Number”
    • Site plan inspections cross-reference number is the “Application Number”
  • Email the payment to com.planningfees@mississauga.ca

When you make your payment it will be automatically deposited to the City. There are no reversals or cancellations.

You can use a credit card to pay for application fees that are less than $30,000. Credit card payments must be processed through ePlans.

It can take up to two business days for us to receive the transaction information and for the payment condition to be cleared.

Once you’ve paid the fees, we will notify you to confirm that your application has been deemed complete.

5. Department review

Your application will be reviewed by the relevant City departments and agencies to make sure it meets all the requirements and to establish conditions of approval. You can view all of the comments and conditions in your “Project Status Report” in ePlans.

If any additional information is required, we’ll send you an “applicant resubmit” email telling you what to do next.

Some of these documents may be required:

6. Your site plan is approved (subject to conditions)

Once your application is reviewed by all groups, you’ll be provided with a list of conditions and notified by email that your stamped plans are available to download in ePlans.

7. Resubmit to clear conditions

You will need to resubmit revised or additional information in order to address the conditions of approval. We’ll send you an “applicant resubmit” email telling you what to do next.

8. Your site plan is approved

Once your conditions have been met, you will receive final site plan approval. You’ll be notified by email that your stamped and approved plans are available to download in ePlans.

Site plan approval is valid for one year from the date shown on the plans.

We’ll also forward your site plan approval to the City’s Building Department so they have it on file when you’re ready to apply for your building permits. Use the templates below to notify the City that site works or partial site works have been completed.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the process please call 311 (905-615-4311 outside City limits) or email eplans.devdes@mississauga.ca.

You can also contact your reviewers directly if you have questions about their comments. The phone number and email address for each reviewer is located on the first page of the “project status report” in ePlans.