The following Terms of Service (the “Terms”) are to govern the use of and intended to inform the users of the limitations and usage guidelines of the artificial intelligence Permit Application Pre-Check Operation and associated web-based functionality (collectively the “AI Pre-Check”) provided by the City of Toronto (the “City”) to the public through its agreement with a third-party service provider (the “Provider”).
The user is or you are defined as the person using the AI Pre-Check.
Automated AI Interaction and Transparency Notice: In compliance with the Enhancing Digital Security and Trust Act (“EDSTA”) and the City’s commitment to responsible AI governance, users are hereby notified that this website utilizes an automated AI Pre-Check to assist with public information requests. When you interact with the AI Pre-Check, you are communicating with a machine-learning algorithm, not a human City representative.
These Terms govern your access to the AI Pre-Check made available by the City. By accessing or using the AI Pre-Check, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and by all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the AI Pre-Check.
The following Terms supplement, and do not replace, the City’s Privacy Policy and practices please located at Protecting Your Privacy. and the City provided Notice of Collection, and consent to indirect collection (collectively the “Privacy Statements”), which continue to apply. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and the Privacy Statements with respect to the AI Pre-Check, these Terms shall supersede and prevail.
The AI Pre-Check is an automated, informational tool designed to assist users in locating information and resources and to answer questions concerning whether an application for a building permit is full and complete, to allow for the City to make a decision for the purpose of issuing or to refusing to issue the permit applied for, and whether the application meets the requirements of section 8 to permit issuance and the provisions of the Ontario Building Code.
The AI Pre-Check is developed, hosted, and operated by a third-party service provider (the “Provider”). You acknowledge and agree that your interactions with the AI Pre-Check may be transmitted to, processed by, and stored on systems operated by the Provider. The City does not control, and is not responsible for, the technical operation, availability, or performance of the Provider’s systems, and the Provider’s own terms and policies may apply to the underlying technology. You agree that you may be required by the Provider to accept its terms and conditions and you agree to be bound by those terms, in addition to these Terms. In the event of any conflict between Provider Terms and these Terms, these Terms shall prevail.
The AI Pre-Check is not designed or intended to collect, request, or process personal information other than such information required for its functions, in strict adherence with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“MFIPPA”). Do not enter personal information into the AI Pre-Check, other than such information mandated by the AI Pre-Check, and for which you have the authority of all affected individuals. If you voluntarily enter personal information into the AI Pre-Check contrary to this instruction, it is a breach of these Terms.
The AI Pre-Check processes data and generates outputs, including recommendations, instructions and text summaries, based on structured City documentation available on its websites. In accordance with EDSTA risk management frameworks:
No Official Counsel: The AI Pre-Check is provided for general informational and navigational convenience only and uses artificial intelligence technology that generates responses automatically. AI Pre-Check responses are provided for convenience and general information purposes only. They do not constitute official or legally binding declarations from the City.
User Verification Requirement: AI systems can produce responses that are incomplete, outdated, out of context, or incorrect. In the event of any inconsistency between the AI Pre-Check output and the City’s official records including but not limited to: published by-laws, policies, fee schedules, forms, notices, or statements from authorized City staff, the official records prevail. You are responsible for verifying any information provided by the AI Pre-Check against the official source before relying or acting on it. The AI Pre-Check responses do not create, modify, or waive any right, obligation, entitlement, approval, permit, exemption, deadline extension, or contractual or other commitment binding on the City. Only authorized municipal officials, acting through official channels, may bind the City.
Human Oversight: For complex requests, service applications, or disputes, users retain the right to bypass the AI Pre-Check and request direct human oversight or intervention from a City representative.
You may use the AI Pre-Check for lawful, informational purposes only in accordance with this Agreement.
You agree that you will not:
The City may suspend, restrict, or terminate access to the AI Pre-Check for any user who violates these Terms, without notice.
The AI Pre-Check is provided as a convenience and is not a guaranteed municipal service. The City and its Provider may modify, suspend, limit, or discontinue the AI Pre-Check, in whole or in part, at any time, without notice and without liability. Availability may be affected by maintenance, technical failures, third-party outages, or other circumstances beyond the City’s control. The AI Pre-Check is not a substitute for, and does not replace, the City’s official communication and service channels.
a) This copyright notice (“Copyright Notice”) applies to all the City’s websites.
b) While the City provides information on its websites to users it retains copyright on all website content made available on its websites.
c) You understand and agree that except for the limited license to access and use the website and AI Pre-Check based on the Terms, you have no right to the intellectual property associated with this AI Pre-Check or other City websites. This means that you are not permitted, without the express written permission of the City to:
(i) Distribute all or any portion of website or AI Pre-Check content, in any way, shape or form, to anyone for any reason;
(ii) "Mirror" or display all or any portion of the website or AI Pre-Check content on your or anyone else’s website.
(iii) Modify or re-use all or any portion of the website content on the City’s websites.
(iv) Provide a link to a City website or AI Pre-Check from your or anyone else’s website.
d) You may print copies of the website content strictly for your own personal use; and reference this website from your own documents.
e) Commercial or any other use of all or any portion of the website content or AI Pre-Check is prohibited without the written permission of the City. In all copies of the website content, except as specifically listed above, you must retain this notice and any other copyright notices originally included with the website content.
f) The City logo, crest and banner, and all trademarks of the City are registered trademarks, or used as trademarks, of the City. You are not permitted to use, reproduce, modify or distribute the City’s trademarks for any reason without the City’s express written permission.
g) All other tradenames, product names, logos or trademarks mentioned or displayed on this website not owned by the City are the property of their respective owners.
h) Specific permission for reproduction or use of City trademarks, logos, or copyrighted works for any purpose must be obtained from the City by contacting: approvals@toronto.ca
Pursuant to EDSTA regulations governing digital technologies affecting the children and youth, this AI Pre-Check been engineered with strict digital safety guardrails:
a) Age-Appropriate Scope: The AI Pre-Check is restricted to non-addictive, informational queries related to City operations.
b) Prohibition of Profiling: The AI Pre-Check does not track, profile, target or monetize user data, nor does it require account creation or registration by minors.
c) Automatic Redaction: To safeguard youth privacy, any information indicating an interaction with an individual under the age of 18 is subject to heightened systemic protections, including the immediate scrubbing of typed text to prevent the collection or retention of a minor’s identity.
a) This AI Pre-Check and City website are provided “AS IS” and the City does not make any warranties, representations, or guarantees, whether express or implied, (collectively, “Warranties”) with respect to the website, AI Pre-Check, City services, or website content, including, without limitation, warranties that: the website, AI Pre-Check, service, or website content will be error-free, free of viruses or other harmful or destructive properties or components, or provided without interruption; warranties as to the accuracy, validity, correctness, currency, timeliness, completeness, reliability, quality, or adequacy of the website, AI Pre-Check, City services, or content, or for any linked third party websites or information; and warranties of merchantability, title, non-infringement, or fitness for a particular purpose. Website content has been compiled from a variety of sources and is subject to change without notice to you from the City. The City also expressly disclaims the aforesaid Warranties and any liability therefor. If you are dissatisfied or disagree with all or any part of these conditions of use, or any rules, policies, or practices the City may implement or enforce regarding this website, or the AI Pre-Check, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using this website and/or the AI Pre-Check.
b) The City’s provision of links to websites not maintained, owned or operated by the City does not imply approval, warrant the quality, content, accuracy or completeness of any information, or endorse any opinion expressed on any of these external websites. The City may in its sole discretion, accept or deny any requests for references to, or links to, third party sites.
c) Communications made through the City’s email messaging system or AI Pre-Check shall in no way be deemed to constitute legal notice to the City or any of its agencies, offices, employees or representatives with respect to any existing or potential claim or cause of action against the City or any of its agencies, officers, servants, agents, employees, or representatives, where notice to the City is required by provincial, federal or local laws, rules or regulations.
You acknowledge that AI-generated output is inherently probabilistic and may be inaccurate, and you accept full responsibility and assume all risk arising from your use of AI Pre-Check and any reliance on its output. Your sole and exclusive remedy for dissatisfaction with the AI Pre-Check is to stop using it and to obtain information through other City channels.
In no event will the City, its Council, members of Council, officers, employees, agents, contractors, service providers, or representatives (together, the “Municipal Parties”), be liable to you or any other person for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including without limitation any loss of use, loss of data, loss of opportunity, loss of profits, business interruption, personal injury or death, property damage or pecuniary loss or other loss or harm of any kind, arising out of or in any way connected to:
a) Your access to, use of, misuse of, or inability to use the AI Pre-Check;
b) Any output, information, or content provided by the AI Pre-Check, including any error, omission, inaccuracy, or outdated information, and any reliance placed on such output;
c) Any personal or other information you voluntarily enter into the AI Pre-Check contrary to these Terms;
d) The use of links to third-party websites, whether or not such damages are or might be foreseeable, or caused in whole or in part by the negligence of the City, and even if the City is informed of their possibility;
e) Any unavailability, interruption, suspension or discontinuance of the AI Pre-Check; or
f) Any act or omission of the third-party service provider;
whether based in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, breach of statutory duty, or any other theory of liability. Without limiting the foregoing, the City assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for any damages to, or viruses that may infect, your computer equipment or other property on account of your access to, use of, or browsing in the website or AI Pre-Check, or your downloading of any website content from the website or AI Pre-Check.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any Municipal Party is nevertheless found liable notwithstanding the exclusions above, the aggregate liability of all Municipal Parties for all claims arising out of or relating to the AI Pre-Check shall not exceed $100.00. You acknowledge that the AI Pre-Check is provided free of charge as a convenience, and that the disclaimers, exclusions, and limitations in these Terms form an essential basis of the City’s willingness to make the AI Pre-Check available.
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Municipal Parties from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, proceedings, losses, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and disbursements on a full-indemnity basis) arising out of or relating to:
a) your use or misuse of the AI Pre-Check;
b) your violation of these Terms;
c) your violation of any applicable law or regulation in connection with the AI Pre-Check;
d) any content or information you submit through the AI Pre-Check, including any false, misleading, or unlawful request and any personal information about you or a third party that you enter contrary to these Terms; or
e) your infringement or violation of any right of a third party.
The City reserves the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defence and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify the Municipal Parties, and you agree to cooperate with that defence. This indemnity survives your cessation of use of the AI Pre-Check and any termination of these Terms.
AI Pre-Check interactions may be logged, monitored, and reviewed for purposes of quality assurance, security, service improvement, and compliance with these Terms and applicable law. AI Pre-Check logs may constitute records of the City and may be subject to applicable legislation. The MFIPPA applies to the majority of information collected through the Site. For more information, please refer to the Privacy Statements.
The City may revise these Terms at any time by posting an updated version on its website. Your continued use of the AI Pre-Check after any revision constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically.
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. You irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Ontario for any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the AI Pre-Check. Nothing in these Terms waives, limits, or affects any statutory immunity, defence, limitation period, notice requirement, or other protection available to the City under applicable law, all of which are expressly reserved.
a) Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
b) No waiver. The City’s failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that provision or of the right to enforce it later.
c) Entire agreement. These Terms, and Privacy Statements constitute the entire agreement between you and the City regarding the AI Pre-Check.
d) Survival. Sections 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, and this Section 17 survive any termination or discontinuance of the AI Pre-Check or these Terms.
e) Assignment. You may not assign these Terms. The City may assign or delegate its rights and obligations to another party, including to a successor service provider. These Terms will enure to the benefit of and be binding upon you and the City’s respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns.
Questions about these Terms or the AI Pre-Check may be directed to the Support Center within CivCheck, which includes step-by-step guides and CivCheck chatbot. For everything else, contact Toronto Building customer service for permit inquiries by calling 416-397-5330 or emailing bldinquiries@toronto.ca