Residential (Infill) Grading & Servicing (RGS)

A Residential (Infill) Grading & and Servicing (RGS) application is required to be submitted prior to the submission of residential building permit application. RGS applications consist of a detailed engineering review for infill residential construction, residential additions, and residential service connections.

Planning Your Project

If your project falls under any one of the conditions below, a RGS Application cannot be initiated for the following cases:
•    The project has an active Consent application for severance under review and/or the severance process has not been completed (i.e. municipal address not registered with Land Registry Office)
•    The project has an active Minor Variance application under review and a decision has not been finalized
•    The project is on a Heritage Property with an active Heritage Permit application and the Heritage Permit has not been issued.
•    The project is for a non-residential lot (institutional/commercial/industrial).
•    Residential development with more than 10 units.
•    Additions with less than 50 square meters of existing surface impacted, or having no ground-level alterations.

For changes to grading related to non-residential properties, please refer to the Site Alteration Permit (SALT) page.

Determine the type of RGS Application for which you are applying

Type	Description	Plan	Application Fee
Type I	New detached infill residential construction of any size involving proposed grading and/or servicing works	Grading & Servicing Plan (1 Plan)	$350 + HST
Type II	Residential addition of 50 m2 or more to existing ground surface	Grading Plan required	$350 + HST
Type V	Service connection only (May be combined with any of the types above)	Servicing Plan required	To be determined
Type VI	Revision Application – Only for previously accepted applications	As per Application Type	To be determined

¹ This Application Type is for revisions after a RGS Acceptance was issued previously. It is not for re-submissions of an active application. The fee for the Revision Subtype may vary based on the nature of the revision. Revised Plan shall be uploaded at the time of application. A notification will be sent to the applicant regarding the required fee subsequent to application prescreening.

Service Connection Fee is determined upon acceptance of the RGS Application in accordance to Bylaw 2002-276.

Application Type-II can be combined with Type-V when new service connection(s) are required with an addition.

Area of the addition is calculated, based on the area of ground level disturbance. This will determine the type of RGS application. Total area on all levels are used to determine the Lot Grading Undertaking Deposit amount.

ePLAN Application Submission

The applicant registers to open an ePLAN account, to submit their RGS Application.

Once a registered account is created, the RGS Application will be applied digitally via ePLAN, which includes completing the online applications. Refer to RGS Quick Reference Guide and other ePLAN Guides and Tutorials.
Provide the necessary application fee, where applicable.
An email from ProjectDox will be sent to the applicant requesting to "accept' the task to upload the required documents in support of the RGS Application.
Application to accept the task and upload the required documents into ProjectDox.

Note: A submission does not become an application with a review timeline until it has passed our Prescreen Review Process and application fees have been paid.

Depending on the application type, (refer to requirements checklist item to determine if it is applicable to your application:

Grading and/or Servicing Plan (See ePLAN Submission Standards)
Signed RGS Requirement Checklist
Heritage Permit (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 3)
TAPP and Arborist Report (See Tree Preservation Requirements) or (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 6)
Acceptance letters and plans from any authority with jurisdiction (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 7)
Topographic Survey of existing site conditions (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 20)
Stormwater Management (SWM) Brief (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 23)
TRCA Clearance if applicable (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 33)
Utility Locate Records (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 39)
Servicing Locate Records (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 40)
CCTV Inspection Video (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 42)
Plumbing Data Form (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 50)

The RGS Requirements Checklist can be found in the RGS Applicaiton Information Package [PDF].

Application fees must be paid immediately with the application.

Pre Screen Process

Upon completion of the Applicant Upload task, the application will enter into Prescreen for an overview of submission requirements. The RGS team will contact the owner and applicant to arrange for a pre-application consultation meeting during the Prescreen. Please refer to the RGS Information Package (page 2) for additional information.

Once the application has successfully completed the Prescreen review, the complete application will be accepted into 1st detailed review cycle and circulated to all applicable reviewers.

Application Review and Commenting Process

1. Review and Commenting Process:

All applications submitted for detailed review enter into a review queue and are reviewed in order of submission date.
The City requires up to 30 days to complete each review cycle. this the necessary time for all reviewers to complete their reviews. We are unable to accommodate expedited reviews and approvals.
If revisions to the drawings are required, the City's formal response will be released through ePLAN as soon as all reviewers have completed their reviews. Comments for Engineering, Operations Roads, Waterworks and Tree Preservation can be viewed on ePLAN as each review is completed. While applicants can review comments as they are uploaded, they are subject to change until the application has been formally returned to the applicant. Applicants should only address and respond to comments when all reviewers have completed their reviews, and the application ha been formally returned to the applicant in ePLAN,
Applicants shall target RGS application and acceptance with 3 submissions and detailed review cycles with the City by resolving all comments by all reviewers; and submitting a plan and/or supporting documents that are compliant to the City's bylaws and design requirements to the satisfaction of engineering management. It is the responsibility of the homeowner or their authorized representative and designated consultants(s) to fully resolve all comments by all reviewers.
To resubmit an application for next detailed review, all revised plans and supporting documents are to be uploaded to ePLAN in accordance to the City's ePLAN Submission Standards

RGS Department Review and Acceptance

2. The signed Lot Grading and Site Servicing Undertaking Agreement is required prior to RGS application acceptance and the release of the accepted plans and documents. RGS application acceptance occurs when the application is found acceptable to Engineering, Right-of-Way (ROW) Operations, Waterworks, and Tree Preservations.

3. Upon RGS application acceptance, the Owner and/or Applicant will receive an email notification stating the stamped, accepted RGS Plan and supporting documents are available on ePLAN. The Owner may now proceed with the Building Permit application.

4. If service connection works are required:

1.    Upon Building Permit issuance, the owner will receive an email from Engineering inquiring if the subject property is ready to proceed with servicing works within the Right-of-Way.
2.    Once confirmation is received, a quotation request for the proposed servicing works will be sent to the City Contractor.
3.    A Quotation Letter indicating the contactor's quote for servicing cost to carry out the service connection works (inclusive of applicable contingency, taxes, and fees), will be emailed to the Owner (and Applicant).
4.    Payment for the service connection quotation shall be submitted to the Development Services Counter at 101 Town Centre Boulevard (located inside the Thornhill Entrance). Payment is required in the form of a certified cheque, money order, bank draft, or electronic fund transfers (EFT). Please ensure cheques are payable to the “Treasurer, City of Markham”, and include payee name and property address on the cheque. Place the quotation letter, payment, and all associated payment documents in an envelope marked, ‘Engineering Department’ and the RGS Application number.

Lot Grading and Site Servicing Undertaking Agreement

For Building Permit applications initiated prior to and including December 31st, 2023, lot grading is inspected and managed by the Engineering Department. A lot grading deposit is required. The Undertaking Deposit is due for payment prior to issuance of Building Permit. Please print the Undertaking Form and attach the form, with the payment in an envelope, marked, ‘Engineering Department’ and the RGS application number.

Drop this off at the Markham Civic Centre drop box, located outside the Thornhill Entrance. Payment is required in the form of a certified cheque, money order/bank draft, electronic fund transfer (EFT written request) including the name of the Owner. The Final RGS Acceptance and payment of the Lot Grading Undertaking Deposit are required prior to issuance of Building Permit. For more details regarding Building Permit Applications, please contact the Building Standards Department.

Note: If revisions to the grading and/or servicing design are required after the Final RGS Acceptance is issued, a re-submission is required for review and re-acceptance. A review fee is required upon submission of the revised plan.

Please note: Building construction is inspected and managed by the Building Standards Department. For Building Permit applications initiated after December 31st, 2023, lot grading is inspected and managed by the Building Standards Department. For the installation of plumbing or private service connections from the house to the streetline (within the private property), homeowners are responsible to engage their own private contractor.

Construction and Inspections

Service connection works within the municipal right-of-way are carried out by City contractors and inspected by the Engineering Department.

For Building Permit applications initiated prior to and including December 31st, 2023, lot grading is inspected and managed by the Engineering Department.

For Building Permit applications initiated after December 31st, 2023, lot grading is inspected and managed by the Building Standards Department.

Lot Grading Undertaking Release

Upon completion of all lot grading work, the homeowner is to submit a Lot Grading Undertaking Release Request Form to the Engineering Department via this email address: dsc@markham.ca
An As-Built Drawing and a Grading Certificate (with a Professional Engineer's signature and seal, or an Ontario Land Surveyor) must be submitted with the Request Form.
Upon receipt of the Request Form and the required documents, an Engineering Inspector will review the documents and schedule an on-site inspection. If required, the Inspector will contact the homeowner.
When the lot grading has been found satisfactory to City Standards per the accepted Lot Grading Plan, a cheque for the associated undertaking amount is sent to the payee by mail.

Service Connection Installation Process

The City’s Service Connection Installation Contract is awarded through an Open Tender Process managed by the City’s Procurement Department. All qualified contractors are eligible to bid. The contract is awarded to the lowest bidder.
The Service Connection works to be carried out by the City Contractor include installation of new service connections within the City right-of-way (from the mainline in the road up to the front property line), decommissioning of existing service connections within the City right-of-way, and all related restoration works.
Prior to tendering, the homeowner will receive a Quotation Letter from the Engineering Department based on an estimated cost. Payment must be made in order for the service connection works to be included on the tendering list.
Tendering takes place around March to August each year. The final cost is adjusted upon completion of the tendering process, and the Engineering Department will advise the homeowner accordingly.
The Construction Season for service connection works takes place between May 1st and October 31st of each year. Any work that is not completed prior to the end of the Construction Season is to be completed in the following year.
After the service connection contract is awarded to the lowest bidding contractor, the installation of services are completed in 10-12 weeks.
The City is to contact the homeowner, or representative, prior to installation advising of the approximate installation date.
Preliminary works to prepare for construction begins immediately after the contract is awarded. If the homeowner wishes to postpone the works, the homeowner must contact the Engineering Department in writing. The cost of any preliminary works completed prior to the homeowner’s notification to postpone work is to be paid for by the homeowner. Please note that a Demolition (or Building) Permit must be obtained prior to start of any service connection works.
Quotations for service connection works expire at the end of each construction season. Adjustment in cost may apply if work is postponed past the said construction season.

Service Connection and Water Meter Hook Ups

Homeowners are responsible to engage their own private contractor for the installation of private service connections from the house to the streetline under the supervision of the Buildings Department Inspector. The homeowner’s contractor shall have the service connections installed from the house to the streetline, ready for hook up, prior to contacting the City for supervision and inspection.
When a new water meter is required, the homeowner shall contact Waterworks (Mr. Mario Rogue - 905.477.7000 extension 2053).