Beneath Toronto’s streets, sidewalks and boulevards is a network of infrastructure that provides essential services, including drinking water, electricity, natural gas and telecommunications.
Utility companies may need to cut into these surfaces to install, maintain, upgrade or repair their infrastructure. This work is called a utility cut. Utility companies must obtain a cut permit before starting work and are responsible for restoring any City infrastructure affected by their work.
The City’s Utility Management unit reviews and issues cut permits for work carried out by public utility companies within the City’s right of way. The City issues approximately 34,000 cut permits each year.
The City’s Utility Management unit issues cut permits only to approved utility clients. These include members of the Toronto Public Utility Coordinating Committee (TPUCC), such as Toronto Hydro, Enbridge Gas, Bell Canada and Rogers Communications, as well as other authorized utility operators working in Toronto.
Utility maintenance work carried out by Toronto Water and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is also administered through the Cut Permit program.
Approved utility clients must use their assigned client account and code when submitting cut permit application. The client code is used to process applications and billing.
An eligible utility operator that does not yet have an approved client account or client code must complete the application form to request one.
Receiving a client code is required before the organization can apply for a cut permit.
For all right of way construction permit requests, applicants must review the Metrolinx Third Party Coordination and Permitting Map . If the location falls within a Metrolinx Municipal Consent Review and Roadway Coordination Zone and/or a Metrolinx Adjacent Development Review Zone, the applicant is responsible for contacting Metrolinx to obtain the required permits and approvals prior to submitting their application.
Cut permit applications are processed electronically. Application forms, drawings, supporting documents and correspondence must be submitted by email.
Select the application stream that best matches the proposed work. For detailed eligibility requirements and submission criteria, refer to the Municipal Consent Requirements (MCR).
| Type of Application | Description | Contact Information/Website |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Applications | For urgent work needed to address damaged or failed utility infrastructure that poses a risk to public safety, utility service or other infrastructure. | utcuts@toronto.ca |
| Short Stream Applications | For routine maintenance, repairs, replacements and other minor utility work with limited impacts on the public right of way. | utcuts@toronto.ca |
| Full Stream Applications | For new utility infrastructure, major construction, utility relocations, or work that does not qualify for the Emergency or Short Stream application process. | fsutcuts@toronto.ca |
| Annual Utility Site Servicing Permits | For routine utility activities that do not involve excavation or cutting into a surface, such as accessing an above-ground utility cabinet. | utcuts@toronto.ca |
| Non-Utility Cut Applications | For non-utility work such as daylighting, boreholes, test pits, traffic signal installation or removal, waterproofing, monitoring well installation or decommissioning, and sewer or water infrastructure installed under a Municipal Infrastructure Agreement. | Non-Utility Cut Permit Application |
| Right of Way Construction Permit | For excavation, construction, landscaping or other work within the public right of way. | Right of Way Construction Permit |
Receiving a cut permit does not exempt the permit holder from obtaining any other required permits, approvals, notifications or authorizations.
A Road Disruption Activity Reporting System (RoDARS) application may also be required when work will occupy or affect the public right of way. This includes work that may affect pedestrians, cyclists, transit users or motor vehicle traffic.
All cut permit applications are subject to fees based on the type of permit being requested. Fees are adjusted annually in accordance with the City’s User Fee Policy and Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 441, Fees and Charges. Fees are subject to change without notice.
| Fee Description | Fee Basis | Review Fee | Inspection Fee | Total Cost (Review + Inspection Fee) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Stream/Emergency Permit | Per Permit | $227.26 (No HST) | $126.33 + $16.42 (HST) | $370.01 |
| Full Stream - Utility Review and Inspection | Per Application (for excavation up to 1 km) | $1,541.63 + $200.41 (HST) | $1,742.04 | |
Every time a road cut is made to install, access or repair underground infrastructure, the pavement’s integrity is compromised, and its service life is reduced, even when the cut has been properly restored. Pavement degradation fees help the City recover the increased costs resulting from this reduced service life.
Pavement degradation fees apply to all cuts on City roads, including work carried out by utility companies, City divisions, contractors, developers and property owners.
If you require addition information, please contact: ucuts@toronto.ca
A utility cut typically moves through four stages, from permit review and construction to temporary patching and permanent restoration. The utility company is responsible for completing the approved work and restoring any affected City infrastructure.
Utility companies are responsible for restoring all roads, sidewalks, curbs, boulevards, and other affected City infrastructure impacted by their work, in accordance with City standards.
For more information, including how to report damage, please see Sidewalks & Roads.