Does Ottawa require a permit to take out a non-load-bearing wall?

The City of Ottawa's "Building permit projects" list includes "adding or removing walls" as permit work, and it does not separate load-bearing walls from partition walls. So the short answer is: confirm with the City before any wall comes out, regardless of whether it carries load.

The permit requirement is the same whether the wall is structural or not. Ottawa.ca lists interior structural alterations, including adding or removing walls, as work that requires a building permit. The City's list does not separate partition walls, so plan on asking the City before one comes out.

If the City asks for drawings with the permit application, under the Building Code Act they are prepared by a qualified, registered designer (BCIN), an engineer or an architect, or by you, for a house you own.

The permit fee for alterations is $12.75 per $1,000 of construction value, with a minimum of $117. The City sets the valuation based on the total of materials, labour, overhead and professional fees. Any figure you work out is an estimate until the City confirms the valuation.

Applications go through My ServiceOttawa, and inspections are booked at least 48 hours in advance.

Before you sign with a carpenter, ask them to spell out in the written contract who is responsible for obtaining the permit and who is coordinating the design.