Guides
How Canadian fence contractors build quotes around provincial building codes
Fence builder quotations in Canada must cite the Ontario, BC or Quebec building code clauses that set footings, frost depth and fence height limits.
What to take away
- Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec each govern fence footings through a different provincial code. A quotation copied across a border can fail inspection.
- The clause a Canadian fence quotation usually cites is Division B, Sentence 9.12.2.2, the frost protection rule shared by the three codes.
- Building codes set footing depth and site works. Municipal bylaws set fence height, setbacks and corner visibility.
- Typical frost depth runs from about 0.5 m on the BC coast to 1.5 m or more in northern Ontario and Quebec.
- Where a municipal bylaw is stricter than the code, the bylaw governs.
Which code a fence quotation must name
Fence work in Canada sits under provincial building codes. There is no national fence code.
Ontario's Building Code Act, 1992 is the statute behind fence permits and footing inspections. Its text is on e-Laws | Ontario.ca. Technical rules sit in the Building Code regulation.
British Columbia enforces the BC Building Code. Most residential fences under two metres need no building permit. Footings and retaining walls often do, and then the code governs the footing.
Quebec applies the Quebec Construction Code, which adopts the National Building Code of Canada with provincial amendments. The Commission de la construction du Quebec adds labour rules for covered trades.
Provincial fence codes
Ontario
- Code
- Ontario Building Code
- Legal basis
- Building Code Act, 1992
- Fence permit
- Fence permits
- Extra layer
- Footing inspections
British Columbia
- Code
- BC Building Code
- Legal basis
- Building permit structures
- Fence permit
- Under 2 m exempt
- Extra layer
- Retaining walls
Quebec
- Code
- Quebec Construction Code
- Legal basis
- National code + QC amendments
- Fence permit
- Covered trades
- Extra layer
- CCQ labour rules
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland publish their own codes or adopt the national model with local changes. For the approvals that come before pricing, read our guide to permits, codes, and calls.
Clause numbers a quotation should carry
Height limits do not come from the provincial building code. They come from municipal bylaws, so citing the code as the reason for a 1.8 m cap is wrong. The code sets footing depth, frost protection and site works.
In the national model that all three provinces build on, the frost protection rule carries the number Division B, Sentence 9.12.2.2.
| Province | Code named in the quote | Clause cited for post footings | What the code does not set |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Ontario Building Code, Div. B, Part 9 | Sentence 9.12.2.2, frost protection | Fence height |
| British Columbia | BC Building Code, Div. B, Part 9 | Sentence 9.12.2.2, frost protection | Fence height for most residential fences |
| Quebec | Quebec Construction Code, Chapter I, Div. B | Sentence 9.12.2.2 as amended | Fence height |
Ontario's foundation and site works provisions sit in the Building Code regulation, readable on Ontario's building code regulation. Put the sentence number beside the footing line, not in a notes block at the end.
Frost depth and footing cost, region by region
Frost depth is the level to which ground freezes. A footing above that line lifts in winter, and the fence leans by spring. Depth is the largest cost difference between two quotes for the same fence.
The ranges below are typical for a mid-size residential job, not fixed prices. Cost per post covers augering, concrete and labour.
| Region | Typical frost depth | Footing depth priced | Typical cost per post |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto and southern Ontario | 1.2 m | 1.2 to 1.5 m | $45 to $80 |
| Vancouver and coastal BC | 0.5 m or less | 0.6 to 0.9 m | $25 to $50 |
| Kelowna and interior BC | 1.2 m | 1.2 to 1.5 m | $45 to $85 |
| Saguenay and northern Quebec | 1.5 to 1.8 m | 1.8 m or more | $70 to $120 |
A contractor pricing outside their home region meets the same spread. Our guide to frost-depth post footings works through Calgary, Winnipeg and Saskatoon numbers for the prairie market.
Example: the same fence cited in Ontario and BC
The method is line by line.
- Name the province and the code at the top of the quote.
- Pull the frost protection sentence and the footing depth for the project region.
- List every fence item on its own line.
- Put the clause beside the item it justifies.
- Note where a municipal bylaw sets the number, such as height.
| Line item | Citation on the line | Typical price range |
|---|---|---|
| Augered footings, 1.5 m deep | OBC Div. B, Sentence 9.12.2.2, frost protection | $2,400 to $3,200 |
| 6x6 posts at 2.4 m spacing | OBC Div. B, Section 9.4, structural design | $1,000 to $1,400 |
| Cedar boards, 1.8 m tall | Toronto Municipal Code Ch. 447, height limit | $3,000 to $3,800 |
| Gate and hardware | Not code driven | $400 to $600 |
In Kelowna the same fence keeps the 9.12.2.2 citation and prices footings at 1.2 m. In Vancouver the footing drops below 0.6 m, and the footing line falls by roughly half. Change the height cap and the bylaw citation changes with it.
Depth is not the only regional variable. Our guide to pricing and profit shows how the same line items move margin.
When a bylaw overrides the code
Where a municipal bylaw is stricter than the provincial code, the bylaw governs the fence. Where the code is stricter, the code governs.
Both are checked before pricing. Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 447 caps front yard and corner lot fence heights. Calgary's Land Use Bylaw 1P2007 sets side and rear yard limits. Vancouver's Street and Traffic By-law No. 2849 covers fences near streets and intersections.
A bylaw can also require a permit for a fence the provincial code exempts. That fee belongs in the quotation.
