Purchasing an Inflatable Pool for the Summer? Check Your City's By-laws First!
By Elaine Jair
May 22, 2015Summer's just around the corner and for those of you who are looking into purchasing an inflatable pool or hot tub for your backyard, here's a little heads up.
Many of you are probably already aware that installing a pool in your backyard requires a couple of permits from your city. However, what you may not be aware of (and what I definitely wasn't aware of) is that inflatable pools and hot tubs are also governed by the same by-law.
While you won't require any building permits, you do need to ensure your swimming pool is properly enclosed. For example, in Mississauga, a swimming pool is defined as any body of water that can hold water exceeding 24" in depth at any point. If your pool does exceed this depth, you'll need to apply for a Swimming Pool Enclosure Inspection Approval form, which goes hand in hand with a $280 + HST Pool Enclosure Inspection fee. This fee is not refundable, which means that affordable little inflatable pool you spotted has just gone up in price by $300. Not to mention, your approval form will only last you one year from the day you received it, and you'll need to pay the inspection fee again next year. There are some variations depending on where you live - for example, in Toronto, the limit is 23.5" and in North Vancouver, the limit is a surface area of 150 square feet and a depth of 18 inches - so you should definitely check your city's by-laws for the most accurate information pertaining to you.
Filling a pool without the approval form is considered illegal and could result in the seizure of your pool, draining of your pool, a penalty and/or you may have to shoulder the expenses that the city occurs during this process. You may be tempted to take a chance, but officers acting under this by-law are well within their rights to check your property at any time to ensure you are complying.
With inflatable swimming pools becoming more and more accessible, it's important to keep in mind that not all retailers will remind you to check your city's by-laws; it's ultimately up to the consumer to ensure they are abiding by their city's by-laws.
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