Old Montréal - Guide to performing renovation or restoration work

5. Putting together authorization and permit applications

The following information will help you put together all the materials you need to apply for your authorization from the Québec's Ministère de la Culture et des Communications and your permits from the City of Montréal. All information was believed to be accurate and current as of March 2006. Changes may occur in the future, so contact the authorities in question to make sure of the procedures.

Remember, you must wait for the authorization and permits to be issued before purchasing materials or starting work.

	Ministère de la Culture et des Communications Application for Authorization	City of Montréal Permit Application
What you need to submit	(Documents in PDF format) List of documents required (in French) Application for authorization (in French)	(Documents in PDF format) New construction or enlargement of existing structure (in French) Doors, windows, balconies, cornices, masonry, cladding (in French) Signage (in French)
What happens to your application after submission	Receipt of request, opening of file Assessment of project Assessment of archeological potential Presentation to the Commission des biens culturels du Québec Issuance of authorization (or letter of refusal)	Receipt of request, opening of file Assessment of project Assessment of archeological potential Presentation to Urban Planning Advisory Committee * Resolution by Borough Council * Issuance of authorization (or letter of refusal)
Administration fee	None	Varies depending on the type of work
Where to send your application	Ministère de la Culture et des Communications Direction de Montréal 480 Saint-Laurent Blvd. Suite 600 Montréal (Québec) H2Y 3Y7 Tel.: (514) 873-2255	*Ville-Marie Borough Office* 888 De Maisonneuve Blvd. East 5th floor Montréal (Québec) H2L 4S8 Tel.: 311
Time to process	Allow approximately four to five weeks for issuance of the authorization.	If the proposed work is on a part of the building visible from a street or other public way adjacent to the lot, the project must be reviewed by the Borough of Ville-Marie Urban Planning Advisory Committee. Authorization to issue the permit is obtained by resolution of the Borough Council. The two bodies meet once a month, so it is advisable to find out the exact dates of the meetings as well as the deadlines for submitting documents. * Other types of work (e.g., interior arrangements, alterations not visible from street level) require a permit that can be issued directly by the municipal administration with no requirement for review by the Urban Planning Advisory Committee or resolution by Borough Council.

You must file your applications with the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications and the City of Montréal at the same time.

No permit will be issued by the municipal authorities without authorization having been granted by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. Be aware, however, that authorization from the Ministère does not necessarily mean that all of the requirements imposed by the City have been met.

Having work done on older buildings can be complicated, so we strongly recommend hiring the services of competent professionals. To locate the right resources, don't hesitate to ask for references from other property owners who have had work done, or get in touch with a professional corporation (e.g., the Order of Architects). A partial list of such resources is provided for your information in the Addresses and Useful Links section.

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