CLI ECA - Stormwater

The Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Compliance Approval for the City of Kingston Stormwater Management System (CLI ECA SWM) streamlines the ECA process and delegates approval authority to the City from the Province for all pre-authorized stormwater infrastructure alterations. 

For information about CLI ECA permits for the municipal sewage collection system, contact Utilities Kingston at 613-546-1181 ext. 2339. Permissions for sanitary infrastructure changes are also managed by Utilities Kingston. Learn more about Drinking Water Works Permit Watermain Approvals. 

If the project includes changes such as additions, modifications, replacements and or extensions to the City’s stormwater management system under one of the following scenarios: 

  • changes are on City-owned property or land which the City has easement rights. 
  • addition of new storm sewers, stormwater management facilities (e.g., wet pond) and/or manufactured treatment devices (e.g., oil-grit separator unit) that will service a new subdivision development, municipal park, community centre. 

Pre-authorized alternations and exemptions are listed in the CLI ECA SWM Agreement, Schedule D Sections 3.1, 4.3, 5.3 and 6.3.
Contact Us to request a copy of the document. 

How to apply for a permit 

Before you apply for a permit all development applications must first go through the City’s Development Review Process regardless of the applicable ECA/EASR process. 

To facilitate final approval, the requirements of the CLI ECA SWM application should be incorporated into the design during the City’s Development Review for preliminary screening. 

You must review the details on this page, including the design standards and guidelines, and ensure you have all the requirements before applying.  

Application checklist

  1.  Complete and submit the Application Checklist form with all applications in addition to stamped design documents (report or brief, drawings, design sheets) and supporting documentation.
  2. Complete and submit the CLI ECA Permit Application Fee Form (Stormwater System) with all applications. This form calculates and summarizes the application fees for the project.
  3. The design engineer must also complete the appropriate permit application forms: 

  • The design engineer must complete and sign Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the application forms with their final CLI ECA submission. 
  • The City, as the Owner of the municipal stormwater management system, will complete Part 4 once the reviewer confirms the application is complete and acceptable. 
  • Do not complete Part 5 during the design phase; the City will complete this part after construction is finished in accordance with the approved design. 
  • Complete Parts 1 to 4 before starting the alteration. 

The fees calculated on the CLI ECA Permit Application Fee Form cover the City’s technical review and permitting process. These fees have been approved under the City's Fees and Charges Bylaw.

  • Storm Sewers - Includes standard system components (e.g., Ditches, swales, culverts, inlets, manholes, outlets) - $1,545 per submission (HST exempt). 
  • Manufactured Treatment Device only (e.g., Oil-grit separator unit, filter unit) - $1,030 per unit (HST exempt).
  • Stormwater Management Facility (e.g., Wet pond, engineered system with treatment) or Low Impact Development Filtration Facility (e.g., Bioretention facility) - $5,150 per facility (HST exempt).
  • Stormwater Storage Facility (e.g., engineered system without treatment) or Low Impact Development Retention Facility (e.g., infiltration, evapotranspiration) - $1,030 per facility (HST exempt). 

Follow the payment instructions on the form. Do not submit payment information via email or other electronic means. 

If you have questions regarding the application or fees contact the Senior Stormwater Technologist at 613-546-4291, ext. 3192 

Submissions

Submit the CLI ECA SWM application by email to Engineering Services:

Applicants will need to submit to the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP) directly for changes to the following: 

  • Private stormwater infrastructure (e.g., storm sewers or stormwater management facilities). 
  • Alternations servicing a single parcel of land. 
  • Alternations to City stormwater infrastructure on industrial, institutional, or commercial land (even if part of the Municipal Stormwater Treatment Train). 

If the work qualifies for direct submission to the MECP, refer to the Ministry’s Guide to applying for an environmental compliance approval. 

Certain routine and lower-risk activities require applicants to register online in the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR). In these cases, an ECA is not required. To find out when to apply for an ECA or when to self-register for an EASR, check the Ministry’s website or contact them directly: 

Design standards and guidelines

Designs must reflect the most conservative of the standards and guidelines listed below.  

Justify the use of any other standards and guidelines in the design report or brief (with sources cited), as this may require a Direct ECA Submission to the MECP. 

Specific standards for stormwater outlets. 

Requirements for inspections and maintenance. 

Erosion and sediment must be controlled within these standards. 

Technical review process

A detailed technical review is required to assess the: 

  • completeness and adequacy of the submitted detailed design and other supporting information. 
  • compliance of the application with design standards and guidelines, terms, and conditions of the City’s CLI ECA SWM Agreement.
  • conformance with the principles of sound engineering to evaluate the impacts of the proposed works on the municipal stormwater management system. 

During the detailed review, the reviewer may determine that more information is necessary for a proper assessment of the application. The reviewer will request this additional information from the applicant and/or the applicant’s agent.

  1. After completing the detailed technical review and addressing all outstanding issues, the reviewer ensures the design engineer has completed and signed Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the CLI ECA SWM permit application forms
  2. The reviewer then forwards the application to the City’s signing authority. Once the signing authority approves it, an electronic copy of the permit form is sent to the applicant, the design engineer, the City Development Approvals Manager, and the Utilities Kingston Manager of Utilities Engineering.
  3. The issuing of this Approval does not negate the requirements of other regulatory agencies, which may include: 
    • Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 
    • Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, 
    • Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 
    • Transport Canada, and 
    • other agencies as required. 

Additional Resources

Summary of CLI ECA related clauses that may be added to subdivision agreement.  

View an inventory of all identified municipal stormwater management system infrastructure assets from our Open Data Kingston.

Contact Us

City of Kingston
City Hall
216 Ontario Street
Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3
Canada
contactus@cityofkingston.ca
Phone: 613-546-0000
Fax: 613-546-7816

The City of Kingston acknowledges that we are on the traditional homeland of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat, and thanks these nations for their care and stewardship over this shared land.

Today, the City is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.

Learn more about the City's reconciliation initiatives.

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