With great “pools” comes great responsibility. Having a backyard pool can be lot of fun, but it could also potentially be dangerous or even harmful for you and your family if it’s done handled correctly. Owning a pool requires the responsibility of ensuring its safe to use. Each province or city has its own backyard pool regulations. Here are some important backyard pool regulations suggested by the Ontario government and recommendations made by the Canadian Red Cross that you should carefully read through to ensure your pool is safe to use.Before you start building your pool, you should apply for a pool enclosure permit at the Toronto Building Customer Counter. If you would like to notify your neighbour about the upcoming construction, you may, but it’s not part of the governmental backyard pool regulations if you are placing the fence on your own private property. However, if you are building your fence right on the property line, you need to gain approval from your neighbour first before you may proceed.
To lower the occurrence of accidents, backyard pool regulations set in the Toronto Municipal Code —Chapter 447 Fences requires homeowners to set up a fence around a swimming pool on private property. According to the bylaw, a fence is “a barrier, including one for noise attenuation, or any structure, except a structural part of a building, that wholly or partially screens from view, encloses or divides a yard or other and, or marks or substantially marks the boundary between adjoining land, and includes any hedge or shrub that has the same effect.”https://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/98/101000038398.html There are also backyard pool regulations on fences and fence heights, which vary depending on the type of property, the location of the fence, and the material of the fence. For open roof pools, the fence cannot exceed 2 meters above the surface of the deck. Since water and electricity don't go well, the material used to build the fence can’t conduct electricity. If needed, snow fences can be set up between November 15 to April 15.
Backyard pool regulations don’t just apply to the pre-construction and construction stages. There is also a backyard pool regulation for the homeowner to maintain all fences or enclosures around or on their property in good repair. It is also suggested by the Canadian Red Cross to establish your own pool rules, and create an Action Plan in case of emergencies. If you have children, it’s also best to guarantee adult supervision at all times.
Abiding by backyard pool regulations may seem extra troublesome when building a new pool, but they are set in place to ensure everyone’s safety. Visit the government site for more details on backyard pool regulations. If you don't understand the clauses, don’t hesitate to contact us. At Seaway Pools & Hot Tubs, we are happy to help you abide to governmental backyard pool regulations, and give you suggestions on how to keep your pool safe. Feel free to book an appointment today at 905-294-8030, or our toll free number 1-888-494-8030, or by email at online@seawaypoolsntubs.com.
