- Notice of Project
- Ministry of Labour
- Compliance
The notice exists so Ministry inspectors know where projects are happening and who is responsible for safety on each one. Here is how it works for demolition in Toronto.
1. Who files it
The constructor files the notice. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the constructor is the party that undertakes the project for the owner, which is usually the general contractor or the demolition contractor hired directly. If an owner hires several trades directly and coordinates them, the owner may end up as the constructor and inherit the duty.
This is worth settling at contract stage. Whoever is the constructor also carries the wider duties for site safety, not just the paperwork.
2. What triggers it
O. Reg. 213/91 sets out when notice is required. The main triggers are:
- The total project cost exceeds the dollar threshold in the regulation.
- Certain types of work regardless of cost, such as work involving tunnels, caissons or trenches a worker enters beyond a set depth, and some structural demolition.
- Separately, Type 3 asbestos operations under O. Reg. 278/05 need their own written notice to the Ministry.
3. What goes on the form
The notice lists the project address, the owner and constructor with contact details, a description of the work, the expected start date and duration, the estimated number of workers, and the project cost. It is filed online through the Ministry's portal. A copy has to be posted at the site where workers can see it.
4. What it depends on
Whether your job needs notice depends mainly on its total cost and the kind of work. A single bathroom gut usually falls well below the threshold. A whole-house teardown with excavation, or a large commercial strip-out across several floors, often meets it. Where a demolition is one phase of a larger build, the cost of the overall project can matter, so ask your constructor how they are counting it.
The regulation is updated from time to time, so check the current version on Ontario's e-Laws site rather than relying on an old figure.
5. How it fits with other paperwork
A Notice of Project is separate from the City of Toronto demolition permit and from the Designated Substance Survey. You may need all three. The permit comes from Toronto Building, the survey from the owner under OHSA section 30, and the notice from the constructor to the province. We explain the full set in what a demolition contractor's paperwork should look like.
6. What happens if it is not filed
Starting a project that needs notice without filing it is a contravention of the regulation. A Ministry inspector who visits can issue orders, including an order to stop work until the notice is filed, and the constructor can face charges under the Act.
The bigger practical risk is confusion over who the constructor is. If nobody accepts that role in writing, site safety duties can fall into a gap. That is why we put the constructor's name in the scope before any other paperwork.
7. What we do about it
When we are the constructor on a job that meets the threshold, we file the notice ourselves and post it on site. When a general contractor is the constructor, we give them what they need for the filing. Either way, we confirm in the written scope who files it. To talk through a project, request a free estimate, or see how we handle residential demolition.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a homeowner ever have to file a Notice of Project?
- Only if the homeowner acts as the constructor, for example by hiring and coordinating trades directly on a large project. In most cases the contractor files it.
- Is there a fee to file?
- The Ministry does not charge a fee for filing the notice online.
- Where is the notice posted?
- A copy must be posted in a conspicuous place at the project site where workers can read it.
- Does asbestos removal need a separate notice?
- Type 3 asbestos operations under O. Reg. 278/05 require their own notice to the Ministry, in addition to any Notice of Project.