Durham Region
Design-build in Durham Region
Design-build across Durham Region, Ontario: the zoning by-laws, conservation authorities, permit portals and heritage districts that change town by town.
Can one design-build team handle a renovation in any Durham Region town?
Yes, if it works to each town's rules rather than the Region's: since 1 January 2025 Durham Region has had no planning role, so zoning, variances and permits sit with each municipality. As of October 2026 the seven Durham towns we take design-build work in run at least 10 zoning by-laws and sit under five conservation authorities. Jarvis Contracting designs through Juliette Interiors and builds with James Jarvis's crew.
Key takeaways
- Durham Region became an "upper-tier municipality without planning responsibilities" on 1 January 2025, so each town handles its own zoning and permits (Town of Ajax zoning page).
- Whitby alone runs three zoning by-laws, 2585, 1784 and 5581-05, depending on whether a lot is downtown, on the Oak Ridges Moraine or elsewhere (Town of Whitby zoning page).
- Pickering replaced six parent zoning by-laws with one city-wide By-law 8149/24 in December 2024 (Pickering's consolidated by-law).
- CLOCA issued 229 permits in 2025, 228 of them minor, with an average review of 6.1 days (CLOCA 2025 permit statistics).
- Durham's five conservation authorities shrink to three regional bodies on 1 February 2027, with CLOCA and TRCA combined into one (Conservation Authorities Act).
Permits in Durham Region
What applies to design-build here, with the municipal source for each line.
| Item | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ajax: where to apply | Online Application Portal (OAP), eapply.ajax.ca | ajax.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsApplications for building permits, demolition permits, sign permits, plumbing permits, and alternative solutions are either submitted through our Online Application Portal (OAP) |
| Clarington: where to apply | Service Clarington portal (service.clarington.net) | clarington.netChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsIt's now easier than ever to apply for a building permit with our new Service Clarington portal |
| Oshawa: where to apply | Oshawa Application Portal (servicecv.oshawa.ca) | oshawa.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsYou can now apply for building permits, check the status of applications and pay fees through our Application Portal. |
| Pickering: where to apply | Online Application Portal (mycity.pickering.ca) | pickering.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsTo apply for a Residential or Non-Residential Permit, applications can now be made online directly through our Website's Permit Submission Portal |
| Scugog: where to apply | Cloudpermit | scugog.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsThe Township of Scugog is pleased to offer residents, builders, and the business community Cloudpermit - an online system to apply for and track your building permits. |
| Uxbridge: where to apply | Cloudpermit (ca.cloudpermit.com/uxbridge) | uxbridge.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsThe Township of Uxbridge uses Cloudpermit , an online system to apply for and track building permit applications |
| Whitby: where to apply | Whitby E-Portal (portal.whitby.ca) | whitby.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsThe Town of Whitby accepts building permit applications through the following methods: E-Portal |
| Ajax: conservation authority (1) | Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) | ajax.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsYour property might be in a regulated area; please reach out to Town Planning staff, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), or the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority |
| Ajax: conservation authority (2) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | cloca.comChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsSheet 1 - Lakeshore Ajax - Halls Road South, Whitby |
| Clarington: conservation authority (1) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | cloca.comChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsOur municipal partners include the Region of Durham, Cities of Oshawa and Pickering, Towns of Ajax and Whitby, Municipality of Clarington and Townships of Scugog and Uxbridge. |
| Clarington: conservation authority (2) | Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) | grca.on.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsfrom Wilmot Creek in Clarington to east of Cobourg ... This area includes seven municipalities in whole or in part ... Municipality of Clarington |
| Clarington: conservation authority (3) | Kawartha Conservation | kawarthaconservation.comChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsOur municipal partners include: City of Kawartha Lakes, Township of Scugog, Township of Brock, Municipality of Clarington |
| Oshawa: conservation authority | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | oshawa.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordscontact the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (C.L.O.C.A.) |
| Pickering: conservation authority (1) | Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) | pickering.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsToronto Region Conservation Authority |
| Pickering: conservation authority (2) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | pickering.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsCentral Lakes Ontario Conservation Authority |
| Scugog: conservation authority (1) | Kawartha Conservation (most of Scugog) | scugog.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsThe Township of Scugog has three (3) Conservation Authorities, being Kawartha Conservation, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, and Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority. |
| Scugog: conservation authority (2) | Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) | lsrca.on.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsCouncillor Durham Region (Scugog) |
| Scugog: conservation authority (3) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | cloca.comChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsOur municipal partners include ... Municipality of Clarington and Townships of Scugog and Uxbridge. |
| Uxbridge: conservation authority (1) | Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) | lsrca.on.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsTownship of Uxbridge - Memorandum of Understanding |
| Uxbridge: conservation authority (2) | Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) | trca.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsDurham Region Uxbridge (Township) 19 |
| Uxbridge: conservation authority (3) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | cloca.comChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsOur municipal partners include ... Municipality of Clarington and Townships of Scugog and Uxbridge. |
| Whitby: conservation authority | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | whitby.caChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsCentral Lake Ontario Conservation Authority |
| Durham Region development charges, regional (as of 2026-07-01) | $76,227 | media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.comChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsTotal of All Charges $76,227 |
| Durham Region development charges, education (as of 2026-07-01) | $7,535 | media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.comChecked 5 October 2026In the source's wordsResidential (per dwelling unit) $4,349 $3,186 $7,535 |
Fees and rules as published by each municipality in Durham Region and the agencies linked, checked 6 October 2026. Confirm with the building department before you apply.
The nearest finished jobs
Orra
Two load-bearing walls out, kitchen and living room swapped, gas fireplace with built-ins, new floors, doors and trim, popcorn ceilings removed.
Explore the home
West Lynde
New second storey of about 800 sq ft with two bedrooms, a walk-in closet and a bathroom; new kitchen, two new bathrooms, floors, stairs and trim below.
Explore the home
Bellamy
Whole main floor: load-bearing walls out, steel beams in, new kitchen, mudroom, office, fireplace, floors, trim and doors.
Explore the home
What it costs
Ranges with their sources, not quotes.
No single range for this work. James prices every job after a site visit.
What moves the number
- The scope you choose
- The finishes you pick with the designer
- Structural work
- 13% HST on top
Building in Durham Region
Why does a Durham Region renovation need drawings for one town's rules?
There's no single Durham rulebook to design to. A plan drawn for a lot in Pickering can't go to Whitby's examiners with the town name changed, because the by-law, the conservation authority and the heritage rules all differ. As of October 2026, this is what a design has to fit in each town we take design-build work in:
| Town | Zoning by-law(s) in force | Conservation authority | Apply through | Heritage conservation district |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitby | 2585, 1784, 5581-05 | CLOCA | portal.whitby.ca | Werden's Plan, Brooklin |
| Oshawa | 60-94 | CLOCA | servicecv.oshawa.ca | South Field (park and airport lands) |
| Ajax | 95-2003 | TRCA (86% of residents), CLOCA in the east | eapply.ajax.ca | Pickering Village |
| Pickering | 8149/24, city-wide since December 2024 | TRCA (95% of residents), CLOCA in the northeast | mycity.pickering.ca | Whitevale |
| Clarington | 84-63, and 2005-109 on the Oak Ridges Moraine | CLOCA, Ganaraska in the east, Kawartha in the north | service.clarington.net | Beech Avenue, Bowmanville |
| Uxbridge | 81-19 | Lake Simcoe Region, TRCA, CLOCA | Cloudpermit | None found |
| Scugog | 14-14, with ADU by-law 12-25 | Kawartha for most, Lake Simcoe Region, CLOCA | Cloudpermit | Downtown Port Perry |
Note: by-laws, authorities and districts as each municipality and authority names them; Brock is left out because we take only additions, basements and whole-home work there, and a lot's own zone can carry exceptions this table doesn't show.
Some of these rulebooks are moving. Clarington's zoning page warns its by-law texts and schedules are out of date, so we confirm a Clarington lot's zone on the municipality's map before drawing. Pickering still applies its old by-laws in the Brock Mixed Node and Kingston Road Corridor. Rural lots add one more office: the Durham Region Health Department issues septic permits for townships such as Uxbridge.
How does Jarvis run design and construction as one team?
Ceara Jarvis designs through Juliette Interiors, her own studio. James Jarvis runs construction. The same people take a job from measured drawings to permit to finished rooms, so when the site turns up something the drawings didn't show, the fix goes back to the designer who drew them.
Greenwood in Toronto shows how that plays out. Over 10 months of permit, interior design and construction, the owners decided mid-job to remove a basement brick wall. That meant fresh engineering and an amended permit. We lost time on it, but the people who drew the change were the people building it. Our finished jobs in Durham Region are West Lynde in Whitby and Orra in Ajax; the rest are in Toronto and Scarborough.
How the job runs in Durham Region
Meet James
James meets you at the house, hears what you want and gives you a rough estimate on the spot. The first estimate is free.
Proposal and contract
If the estimate works for you, James prepares a detailed proposal. The whole project is priced, and the contract signed with a 10% deposit, before any design work begins.
Design onboarding
Our designer sends you an onboarding email with some homework: your style, how your family uses the house, and what you need and want. You share Pinterest boards, then go through them together on a Zoom call: what you like in the pictures, and what you don't.
Measure and floor plans
The designer measures the house and draws the floor plan: which walls come out, where the stairs land, how new space joins the old. We go through it with you until it's confirmed.
Drawings and 3D rendering
With the plan confirmed, she draws the elevations and the millwork, then puts it all into a 3D rendering, so you see the rooms before anyone orders a cabinet.
Finishes presentation
We don't take you round the stores: there are too many options. Using what she learned in onboarding, the designer narrows the tile, flooring, quartz, plumbing fixtures and the rest to a few choices that suit your style, collects the samples and presents them to you in our office. If a selection changes the price, the change goes through a change order you sign.
Permits and engineering
We prepare the permit drawings, bring in the structural engineer wherever a beam or a load changes, and apply to the municipality. If the plan changes after the permit is issued, we file the amendment. Each municipality in Durham Region takes its own applications; the table above names where.
Construction
Our crew and trades build it, with one point of contact from demolition to the last coat of paint. Our site supervisors write a job log every day, which you can follow in our online app. When we open a wall and find a problem, you hear about it, and what it costs, before we fix it.
Inspections
The municipal building inspector checks the work at each stage the permit sets, before it gets covered up. Inspections are booked with the local building department.
Handover
We walk the finished house with you and put right anything that isn't. On one job a stair stain didn't match the new floor, so we refinished the stairs.
Credentials
- Written warranty1 year workmanship and materials, 2 years plumbing, heating, electrical and building envelope, 7 years structural
- BBB Accredited BusinessAccredited by the Better Business Bureau since November 2025
- Durham Region Home Builders' AssociationMember, Renovators
- RenoMarkRenoMark renovator, through the DRHBA
Questions
Does Durham Region approve building permits or zoning?
Which conservation authorities cover Durham Region, and what changes in 2027?
Who does the design work at Jarvis Contracting?
Has Jarvis Contracting finished a project in Durham Region?
Do heritage districts in Durham Region charge for a heritage permit?
Sources
- Town of Ajax, zoning and land use ajax.ca
- Town of Whitby, zoning whitby.ca
- City of Pickering, Zoning By-law 8149/24 corporate.pickering.ca
- Municipality of Clarington, current zoning by-laws clarington.net
- CLOCA, 2025 permit statistics cloca.com
- TRCA, about trca.ca
- Conservation Authorities Act (Bill 97 amendments) ontario.ca
- Township of Uxbridge, septic systems uxbridge.ca
- Township of Scugog, Downtown Port Perry Heritage Conservation District scugog.ca
- Town of Ajax: Construction permits inspections ajax.ca
- Municipality of Clarington: Building and demolition permits clarington.net
- City of Oshawa: Building permits oshawa.ca
- City of Pickering: Building permits pickering.ca
- Township of Scugog: Building permits scugog.ca
- Township of Uxbridge: Building and construction uxbridge.ca
- Town of Whitby: Building permits whitby.ca
- Town of Ajax: Committee of adjustment ajax.ca
- CLOCA: Regulation area mapping cloca.com
- CLOCA: About us cloca.com
- grca.on.ca grca.on.ca
- Kawartha Conservation: About us kawarthaconservation.com
- Township of Scugog: Additional dwelling units scugog.ca
- LSRCA: Governance lsrca.on.ca
- Durham Region: Durham region wide development charge information jul 1 2026 media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com
- City of Pickering: Developmentcharges citywide 2026 media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com
How this page was made
Written by Jarvis Contracting from the municipalities' published rules, our 2026 price ranges and the nearest finished jobs.
- Facts checked
- 6 October 2026
- Fact-checked
- Space & Story, 5 October 2026