Regional Development Charges Overview

Development charges are a one-time fee collected from developers when applying for a building permit for a new development or redevelopment project.

Niagara Region collects these fees to help pay for the capital cost of the infrastructure that is needed to service the newly developed or redeveloped projects. They are applied to various municipal services.

Regional development charges are not charged for water or wastewater management where those services are not available.

Projects subject to development charges

You may be required to pay development charges for any residential, industrial, institutional or commercial development if you are:

• Erecting new building(s)
• Making an addition or alteration to an existing building(s) which increases the gross floor area or number of units
• Redeveloping a property or properties which result in a change of use

Development charges are payable when the first building permit is issued and are collected by the local municipality.

A building permit will not be issued until all development charges have been paid, based on the rate in effect as of the date the building permit is to be issued.

Some developments and redevelopments are subject to exceptions for payment deadlines. Find out if your project is eligible for an exception.

Service areas that development charges support

Development charges apply to:

• Services related to highways
• Public Works (facilities and fleet)
• Police services
• Growth studies
• Long-term care services
• Provincial Offences Act
• Public Health services
• Ambulance services
• Waste diversion
• Transit services
• Water and wastewater