Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) construction window will soon end for in-water work for most surface waters. General restricted activity windows (no in-water works) are as follows:
Ontario’s South: March 15 to July 15
Ontario’s North: April 1 to June 15
Timing restrictions, however, are subject to change depending on the waterbody and the species found in that given waterbody. Additional timing restrictions may also apply as they relate to endangered and threatened species.
All in-water works in surface waters that contain fish (i.e., most surface waters in Ontario) require that fish be removed from the work area before work is conducted. Kilgour & Associates Ltd. can support your construction work by both obtaining the necessary permission and assisting in removing fish from the work area after obtaining a License to Collect Fish.
See DFO’s website here for more details and contact Charles Hatry for more information or to obtain advice for a specific project.
Figure 1: Ontario's Northwest, Northeast and Southern Region boundaries for determining application of restricted activity timing windows.