All swimming pools that are deeper than 0.5 m must be enclosed by a pool safety fence. You need a pool enclosure permit in order to put up a fence around your swimming pool. These fences help keep our community safe and prevent unauthorized or unintentional entry into a yard with a swimming pool.

Apply for a pool enclosure permit

Please complete the Pool Enclosure Permit Application and submit it to:

3050 Garden St.#102 in Whitby, L1R 2G7

Make sure to include a detailed drawing that shows the construction of the proposed or existing fence.

Fee

It costs $380 to apply for a pool enclosure permit. You can pay by cash, cheque or debit. All cheques should be made payable to the Town of Whitby.

If the permit is cancelled, you'll receive a refund of 40% of the permit fee.

Additional approvals

Depending on the location of your property, you may require the following additional approvals:

• If your subdivision has not been assumed by the Town of Whitby, you must provide the Town with a letter of permission from the developer of your subdivision authorizing the construction of a swimming pool on your property
• If your property contains a septic system, you must provide the Town with a letter of approval from the Region of Durham authorizing the construction of a swimming pool on your property
• If your property is located in an area regulated by the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA), you must provide the Town with a letter of approval from CLOCA

Certain properties in the Town will have conditions attached to their site plan agreements that restrict or prohibit the installation of swimming pools. Please contact us and we can offer consultation.

Construction deposits

If the construction of your swimming pool requires access to municipal property, you'll be required to pay the following deposits:

• $1,118.70 for curb access
• $1,525.50 for sidewalk access
• $463.30 for boulevard access
• $2,361.70 for access through a Town fence

If the construction requires access through a Town-owned park or greenspace, other deposits may be required.

We'll refund all deposits once the construction is complete and as long as there is no damage to Town property. If damage occurs, we may use the deposit to cover the cost of repairs.

Fence guidelines

Pool safety fences must be built to the following standards:

• Safety fences must be at least 1.2 m in height
• Safety fences may be of chain link or vertical board construction (other fencing materials may be acceptable if approved in advance)
• All fences must be setback a minimum distance of 1.0 m from the edge of the swimming pool
• The outside of the pool safety fence, including all gates, must not contain any climbable objects or horizontal fencing supports spaced less than 1.2 m apart which could facilitate climbing

Depending on the type of fence, you may need to follow additional guidelines.

Above-ground pools

Depending on the height of your above-ground swimming pool, the exterior walls of your pool may be able to function as a pool safety fence. If your pool walls are hard-sided and at least 1.2 m in height and there are no climbable objects located near your pool, a pool safety fence may not be required. Please contact us to see if you need a pool enclosure permit.

Hot tubs and swim spas

You don't need a fence around a hot tub as long as you have a secure, ridged cover which is kept locked at all times when the hot tub is not in use.

Swim spas vary in size and depth. Please contact us to determine if your swim spa requires a pool enclosure permit.