Under the Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA), you may need to get an approval from Transport Canada or proceed through the public resolution process to build, alter, or remove a work (structure) that is in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water.
Before you apply, use the Project Review Tool to determine whether:
- your work will be located on a waterway listed on the Schedule
- your work may interfere with navigation or not
- your project is categorized as a major or minor work
Scheduled and non-scheduled waterways
Works in navigable waters listed in the Schedule
Owners of works in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is listed in the Schedule of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act and may interfere with navigation, must apply to Transport Canada.
Owners of works (that are not a major or minor work) in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is listed in the Schedule, can proceed if:
- the work, or its construction, placement, alteration, rebuilding, removal or decommissioning, would not interfere with navigation, and
- the owner submits information and publishes a public notice before starting to construct, place, alter, rebuild, remove or decommission the work
Works in navigable waters not listed in the Schedule
Some navigable waters aren’t listed in the Schedule of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act.
Owners of works that are not major or minor works in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is not listed in the Schedule, that may interfere with navigation, can:
- apply for an approval of works, which would include a cost as applicable under the Canadian Navigable Waters Act Fees Regulation, or
- proceed through the public resolution process, unless the work would extinguish navigation.
Owners of works in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is not listed in the Schedule, can proceed if:
- the work, or its construction, placement, alteration, rebuilding, removal or decommissioning, would not interfere with navigation, and
- the owner submits information and publishes a public notice before starting to construct, place, alter, rebuild, remove or decommission the work
Learn more information on navigable waters is located on the NPP External Submission Site.