A demolition sign just went up next door: what Toronto's infill notice tells you
When a Toronto house is torn down and rebuilt, the builder has to post a public notice at the site. Here's what the sign must say, how long it stays up, and how to check it against the City's permit record.
Fall is a busy stretch for teardowns. A weathered house gets fenced off, and a few days later a sign appears at the curb. Most neighbours glance at it and move on. It is worth a minute, because that sign is the City's required public notice, and it points you to records you can check yourself.
What the notice has to show
According to the City of Toronto's residential infill rules, a public notice sign goes at the front of the site, facing the street. It must include:
- The site address and a description of the project
- The owner's and builder's names and contact information
- Any Committee of Adjustment or appeal decisions tied to the project
- Front and rear elevation drawings of the finished building
The sign must be posted at least 0.61 m (2 ft) off the ground and can't be altered.
The timing
- Demolition notice: posted at least 5 business days before demolition starts, with one sign for each street-facing lot line.
- Construction notice: posted within 5 business days of construction starting.
- How long it stays: the demolition sign can come down once demolition is finished. The construction sign has to stay up until an occupancy permit is issued.
Worth knowing: the sign is a notice, not an invitation to comment. The City's page describes what must be posted, not a way for neighbours to object. If a variance was needed, that happened earlier, through the Committee of Adjustment.
Check the sign against the record
The sign is the builder's summary. The City's permit file is the official version, and it is public.
- Look up the permits. Search the address on the permit history tool. A demolition or new-build permit should be on file. If a sign is up and you can't find one, ask the contact on the sign or call 311.
- Read the status. Our guide to reading a building permit explains issued, inspection and closed. Statuses can lag reality. For example, the record for 10 Parkway Forest Dr shows a fire-damage repair permit issued in November 2018 with no closing date, so "issued" alone doesn't tell you the work is finished.
- Check for orders and complaints. Open orders & violations and bylaw investigations for the site. A builder who has already drawn orders during demolition is one to watch.
If you're living next door
Keep a dated log of dust, noise and damage, with photos of your own property taken before heavy work starts. Our post on construction noise hours covers when work is allowed and how to report it. The City's residential infill page points to a Good Neighbour Guide and the construction-related bylaws for detail on dust and vibration, so read those before you escalate.
If you're buying or renting nearby
A teardown on the street means one to two years of trucks, and then a larger house. Neither is a reason to walk away, but both are reasons to ask. Pull the permits for the neighbouring lots, and turn on monitoring so a new permit or order at an address you care about lands in your inbox.
Permit and order records are sourced from the City of Toronto and delivered by PropertyMonitorTO. Notice rules are from the City's residential infill public notice page; check it for any changes.