Who applies for the Ottawa street permit, me or the bin company?

The City of Ottawa accepts TCE permit applications from residents, contractors or construction companies. We found no City rule on which party applies, so it is something you and the bin company settle before the bin is dropped off.

The permit is issued in the name of the permit holder and is not transferable, which means whoever applies takes on the duties that come with it: posting the permit visibly on the encroachment area, arranging any traffic control devices required under the Ontario Traffic Manual Book 7, and keeping snow cleared from the encroachment area and pedestrian throughways in winter. A bin on the road or sidewalk for more than 10 working days, or any renewal, moves from a simple permit ($101) to a complex permit ($998), and a complex permit requires commercial general liability insurance of at least $5,000,000 naming the City as additional insured. Those are real obligations, and whoever holds the permit carries them.

The City also requires a minimum of 10 business days processing time, so the question of who applies has to be settled well before delivery. If a parking space needs to be removed to place the bin, the City requires a minimum of four business days notice.

The practical step is to raise the question in writing when you get your quote: ask the bin company whether they apply for the TCE permit or whether that falls to you, and get the answer in writing along with who pays the permit fee and the daily rental charge. Do not assume it is handled.

Before the drop-off date, confirm exactly where the bin will sit, because the City's right-of-way includes the boulevard beside your property and the accesses to driveways; geoOttawa shows the approximate line.