Development charges are one-time fees a city collects on new homes and buildings to pay for the roads, pipes, transit and parks that growth needs. Ontario calls them development charges, BC calls them development cost charges, Alberta calls them off-site levies, and US cities call them impact fees. The amount depends on where you build, what you build and when the permit is issued.
Rates in CAD from the City of Toronto’s base schedule effective June 26, 2025, reviewed October 8, 2026. Assumes no exemptions, credits, reductions or interest. It shows the arithmetic, not a City quote.
Growth pays for growth. Each province and state writes its own rules for how.
General information, not legal advice. Each statute sets what the charge can fund, how it is calculated and when it is paid.
Each row covers different services, so do not add or rank them as all-in costs.
Amounts in CAD unless marked. Sources checked October 31, 2026. Rates change, often every year, and reductions or exemptions may apply, so use the current schedule for a real budget.
Toronto charges qualifying rental apartments less, and a 2026 by-law adds conditional reductions.
Computed from the rates on the City of Toronto schedule and By-law 1261-2026 ($31,606 and $32,276), as cited on Bucky’s development charges page. The rental category has a by-law definition, and renting out a unit does not qualify by itself. The 2026 rates depend on a provincial agreement and permit and occupancy dates.
A development charge schedule is not an all-in fee quote.
School boards in Ontario and school site charges in BC are often separate.
Land or cash in lieu, set by a separate by-law.
Ontario’s community benefits charge and BC’s amenity cost charges, for larger projects.
Building permits and rezoning or site plan fees, priced on their own.
New water, sewer and power lines, plus meters and inspections.
Some places let you defer or pay in instalments. In Ontario, an earlier planning application can lock in the rate.
Good enough for a land offer, then confirm with the municipality.
City, region or regional district, school board, and any area-specific charge.
Note the effective date and the date that locks in your rate.
By dwelling type and bedrooms, or by m² for non-residential.
Exemptions, demolition credits, rental or affordable discounts.
No. Each municipality sets its own schedule, and upper-tier or area-specific charges may also apply. Toronto’s rates cannot be used for Burlington or Ottawa.
No. You also need the dwelling types or floor area, the dates that set the rate, and the rules for exemptions, credits, discounts and interest. Ask the municipality to confirm the calculation.
Often not, or less. Ontario exempts some additional units in existing houses, and many cities discount small units. Check the exemption rules in your by-law.
No. Permit fees, education charges, community benefits charges and parkland can be separate. Build a full fee checklist for the city and the project.
Bucky reads the zoning, lot and envelope for an address, so your estimate starts from real numbers.
