When Do You Need a Permit?
The City of Ottawa requires building permits for most structural work. Decks over 24 inches high always need permits. Sunrooms, three-season rooms, and garages require permits. Sheds have size thresholds — under certain dimensions they may be exempt, but you need to check with the City first. The safest approach is always to assume you need a permit and contact the City of Ottawa's Building Code Services to confirm. A few hundred dollars in permit costs is worth avoiding fines or complications down the road.
CCMC Certification Matters
CCMC stands for Canadian Construction Materials Centre. It's a division of the National Research Council that evaluates and tests building products against the National Building Code. When a product has CCMC certification, it means independent engineers have validated it for use under the code. A&Z uses Almita helical piles, which carry CCMC certification. This is a major advantage in the permit process because building inspectors recognize and trust CCMC-certified products — they don't need convincing that the product is code-compliant.
Without CCMC certification, you might face delays, requests for additional documentation, or skepticism from inspectors. With it, the permit process is smoother and faster. CCMC certification essentially gives building officials confidence that your foundation system is engineered to code and will perform as designed.
What A&Z Provides for Your Permit
When you choose A&Z, we provide pile engineering reports that detail the specifications for your project. After installation, you receive a final conformity report confirming that the piles were installed according to the engineering specifications — including torque logs and pile depths. If your project requires a stamped drawing, we can help you get one. The homeowner (or their contractor) submits these documents to the City of Ottawa as part of the permit process.
After Installation
Once installation is complete, A&Z provides a final conformity report documenting what was installed, pile depths, and torque verification data. Because each helical pile is torque-verified during installation, you have documented proof of load-bearing capacity — which is exactly what building officials want to see. This documentation, combined with Almita's CCMC certification, gives you a clear paper trail for your records and for the city.
