A proposed regulatory change would allow storage sheds to be 50 per cent bigger before Ontario property owners would be required to obtain building permits and ensure compliance with the Ontario Building Code. An advisory on the provincial Regulatory Registry underscores that municipal zoning and property standards by-laws would continue to set rules for on-site auxiliary buildings even if “more flexibility” for larger sheds is provided.

Currently, one-storey buildings with footprints less than 107 square feet (10 square metres) are exempt from Building Code provisions if they are located at least three metres from other structures and do not contain plumbing. It’s proposed to lift the threshold for exemption to 161 square feet (15 square metres).

“Local requirements, that differ from one municipality to the next, can include whether one or more auxiliary structures can be placed on a property and setbacks of those structures from property lines,” the advisory notes.

The proposal is open for public comment until March 12, 2022.