Skip to content

Canadian municipal bylaws

www.bylawinsider.com

Directory and briefing for municipal bylaw enforcement, parking, private security, and towing.

Primary

Loading…

A Canada-wide directory and briefing for municipal bylaw and parking enforcement, private security, towing, and the services around them.

The briefing

The Bylaw Insider Brief

About Contact How to cite Sources Coverage Developers Privacy Terms Municipal bylaws Bylaw lookup Towing Reviews policy List a business Advertise

Cities

Topics

Parking
Noise
Snow
Property standards
Fences
Pets
Short-term rentals
Signs
Trees
Fire and burning
Garbage

© 2026 Bylaw Insider. Independent of any city and of VisAware.

info@bylawinsider.com

Bylaw 26-021 · Bylaw Insider

Canadian municipal bylaws

Menu

Home
Directory
Towing
Bylaw
Search
Insider
Newsletter
Advertise
About
Contact
List your business

Home
Directory
Towing
Bylaw
Search
Insider
Newsletter
Advertise
About
Contact
List your business

Live team map awarenessVisAware is owned by the same company as Bylaw Insider.

Home
Search
Cambridge
26-021

26-021

Property Standards By-law

Fetched October 17, 2026

1.0 SCOPE
1.1 This By-law applies to all properties in the City of Cambridge
2.0 SHORT TITLE
2.1 This By-law may be referred to as the “Property Standards By-law ”
3.0 DEFINITIONS
3.1 As used in this by-law, the following terms have the meanings indicated
3.1(a)
4.0 GENERAL STANDARDS
4.1
4.2
4.3 Where applicable, every Owner shall obtain a building permit prior to making repairs or carrying out demolition
4.4 All repairs and maintenance shall be carried out in good and workerlike manner
4.4(a)
4.5
4.6 An Officer may issue an order requiring the Property, or any portion thereof, be examined by a Person having special or expert knowledge in relation to the Property or portion thereof. The Officer may also take steps to request information, tests, samples and examinations. The Owner shall submit to the Officer a written report prepared by a Person having special or expert knowledge
4.7
4.7(a)
4.8
4.9
4.10
4.11 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Parking Areas, Walks and Driveways Every area used for vehicular traffic and parking shall have a surface covering of asphalt, concrete, concrete pavers or compacted stone or gravel and shall be graded appropriately and kept in Good Repair
4.12
4.13
4.13(a)
4.14
4.15 Exterior Property areas shall be maintained free of

Unofficial copy for convenience; the official version governs. Official source

Short excerpts of a public bylaw PDF. The official PDF governs.

4.15(a) Exterior Property areas shall be maintained free of

4.16 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Signs A sign and it's supporting structure shall be maintained in Good Repair

4.17 Site Development Requirements Every Property shall be maintained in accordance with the approved site plan and/or agreement, including but not limited to all maintenance, landscaping, grading, servicing, signage, lighting and other surface works

5.0 BUILDING STANDARDS Structural Soundness

5.3 An Officer may issue an order requiring the Property, or any portion thereof, be examined by a Professional Engineer licensed to practice in the Province of Ontario. The Owner shall submit to the Officer a stamped written report prepared by the Engineer, which may identify one or more deficiencies and include drawings or specifications pertaining to recommended remedial measures

5.4 An Officer may issue an order requiring that any deficiency identified in an Engineer ’s report be appropriately remediated. Upon completion of all the work required by the Engineer ’s report, the Owner shall submit to the Officer an additional stamped written report prepared by the Engineer certifying that all the work proposed in the initial report has been completed and is in accordance with all applicable legislation

5.5 Pest Prevention Every building and/or structure shall be kept free from any rodent, vermin, and insect at all times

5.6 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Every opening, including a window, that might permit the entry of a rodent, vermin, insect, and other pest shall be appropriately screened or sealed

5.12 All cladding on an exterior wall of every building and/or structure shall consist of masonry, stucco, treated wood, metal or other materials of equivalent strength and durability and maintained in Good Repair and Weathertight

5.15 Guards and Handrails Every guard, handrail, banister, balustrade and any associated component shall comply with the requirements of the Building Code and be maintained in Good Repair

5.21 Walls, Ceilings and Floors Every interior wall, ceiling, floor and appurtenances shall be maintained in Good Repair

5.23 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Every interior floor in a bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room shall be maintained impervious to water

5.25 Where Dwelling Units are separated vertically, there shall be a dividing wall to provide continuous protection through all storeys and every dividing wall shall comply with the requirements of the Fire Code and the Building Code

5.26 Where Dwelling Units are separated horizontally, there shall be a finished ceiling separating these occupancies and such ceilings shall comply with the requirements of the Fire Code and the Building Code

5.27 The integrity of every fire separation shall be maintained at all times so that they will effectively perform their intended functions in the event of fire

5.33 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 The maximum number of occupants in a Dwelling Unit shall be based upon two Persons per bedroom

5.34 For the purpose of computing the maximum number of occupants in subsection

5.33 above, any child under twelve years of age shall be deemed one-half Person

5.37 There shall be at least 76 cm (30 in.) clear space above any exposed cooking surface

5.38 Bathroom and Toilet Facilities Every Rental Unit shall contain a bathroom consisting of at least one fully operational toilet, washbasin, and bathtub or suitable shower unit

5.43 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Every Dwelling Unit shall be provided with an adequate supply of potable running water

5.45 Sanitary Sewage from a fixture shall be discharged to the Municipal Sanitary Sewer or an approved Sewage system

5.46 Electrical Service Every Dwelling Unit shall be wired for electricity and shall be connected to an approved electrical supply system

5.49 Heating, Chimneys and Vents Every residential building shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a minimum indoor air temperature of 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) at the outside winter design temperature of -18 degrees Celsius, in all occupied areas

5.51 Heating facilities shall be maintained in Good Repair

5.53 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Every fuel burning appliance and their parts shall be installed and maintained in Good Repair and comply with the requirements of the Technical Standards and Safety Act

5.62 An exterior lighting fixture controlled by a wall switch located within the building shall be provided at every entrance to every building of residential Occupancy

5.64 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Every lighting fixture shall provide sufficient illumination so as to avoid an Unsafe Condition in normal use

5.66 Nuisance Lighting

5.67 For the purposes of section 5.66, a nuisance means anything that is injurious to health, offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of Property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or Property

5.68 Section 5.66 shall not apply to lighting that is

5.68(a) Section 5.66 shall not apply to lighting that is

5.72 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Mould Any accumulation of mould shall be cleaned and removed

5.73 An Officer may issue an order requiring that the Property, or any part of it, be inspected by a Certified Air Quality Assessment professional. The Owner shall provide the Officer with a written report prepared by a Certified Air Quality Assessment professional. The report shall detail the extent of mould contamination and remediation of mould, details about the air quality levels and any other items as the Officer deems necessary

5.74 Voice Communication System Every existing voice communication system shall be maintained in Good Repair

5.78 Tactile attention indicators shall be installed where required by the Building Code

5.79 Disconnected Utilities No Owner or any Person acting on behalf of such Owner shall disconnect or cause or permit the disconnection of any Service or Utility at any Rental Unit except for such reasonable period of time as may be necessary for the purpose of repairing, replacing or otherwise altering said Service or Utility

5.80 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 Every Owner shall be deemed to have caused the disconnection of a Service or Utility if they are obliged to pay the Supplier and fails to do so and as a result of the non-payment, the Service or Utility is no longer provided

6.0 VACANT BUILDINGS & DEMOLITION

6.3 If any exterior door, window, trim, or other opening of a Vacant Building, or partially Vacant Building or structure is broken, improperly fitted, or otherwise in disrepair, the Owner shall secure the building with boarding, sheathing or protective coverings to the satisfaction of the Officer

6.4 If an Owner uses plywood sheathing to secure an opening on a building, such plywood sheathing shall be at least 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) thick, firmly fastened to the building, and painted a colour that blends with the surrounding walls

6.6 Where a building or structure is being demolished, every reasonable precaution shall be taken to protect adjoining Property and members of the public

6.7 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021

6.8 Where a building or structure on a Property is demolished, the site shall be left in a graded and levelled condition

6.9 Demolition work shall be carried out in accordance with the Building Code

6.10 Demolition work shall be carried out in accordance with the Demolition Control By-law or any by-law that replaces it

7.0 HERITAGE PROPERTIES

7.1 In addition to the minimum standards for the Maintenance (Heritage) of a Property in the Municipality as set out in this by-law, the Owner or occupant of a Protected Heritage Property shall

7.5 Vacant Heritage Properties Vacant Heritage Property shall be protected against risk of fire, storm, neglect, intentional damage, or damage caused by animals and unauthorized Persons, and by closing and securing openings to any structures with boarding. This boarding must completely cover all openings, and be properly fitted in a watertight manner with the side jams, the head jams, and the exterior bottom sill of the opening so that any exterior trim and cladding remains uncovered and undamaged by the boarding. The boarding shall be installed in such a way that The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021 minimizes damage to every Character-Defining Element, including windows and doors, is reversible, and minimizes visual impact

7.7 An exterior lighting fixture shall be installed at the front entrance of Vacant Heritage Property

7.8 In the event of a conflict between policies relating to Protected Heritage Property, and any other provision of this by-law or the Building Code, the provision that establishes the highest standard for the protection of Character - Defining Elements shall prevail

8.0 ADMINISTRATION & ENFORCEMENT

8.1 For the purposes of the administration and enforcement of this by-law the City may from time to time appoint Officers

8.2 An Officer or any Person acting under his or her instructions; may, upon producing proper identification, enter upon any Property at any reasonable time without warrant for the purpose of inspecting the Property to determine

8.4 The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021

8.5 Where a provision of this by-law conflicts with the provision of another by-law or Act in force in the City, the provisions that establish the higher standards to protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public shall prevail

9.0 ORDER TO COMPLY

9.1 An Officer who finds that a Property does not conform to any of the standards prescribed in the by-law may make an order pursuant to the Building Code and any regulations made thereunder

9.2 The order shall be served personally or by registered mail to the Owner and any other Person affected by it as the Officer deems necessary, and a copy of the order may be posted at the Property

9.3 An order served by registered mail to the last known address to whom notice is to be given is deemed served on the fifth (5

9.4 An order may be registered on the Property and, upon such registration, any Person acquiring any interest in the land subsequent to the registration of the order shall be deemed to have been served with the order and when the requirements of the order have been satisfied, the municipality may forthwith register a certificate that the requirements have been satisfied, which shall operate as a discharge of the order

9.7 If an appeal is taken, the Committee shall hear the appeal and shall have all powers and functions of the Officer who made the order, and may

9.7(a) If an appeal is taken, the Committee shall hear the appeal and shall have all powers and functions of the Officer who made the order, and may

10.0 POWER OF MUNICIPALITY TO REPAIR OR DEMOLISH

10.1 If a Person fails to do a matter or thing, including comply with an order under this by-law, as directed or required by this by-law, the City may do the matter or thing at the Person ’s expense. The City may recover the costs of doing a matter or thing from the Person directed or required to do it by action or by adding the costs to the tax roll and collecting them in the same manner as municipal taxes

10.2 The City shall have a lien on the land for the amount spent on the repair, demolition or other remedial work, and the amount shall be deemed to the municipal real Property taxes and may be added to the tax roll and collected in the same manner and with the same priorities as municipal real Property taxes

10.3 The City or any Person acting on its behalf is not liable to compensate the Owner, occupant or any other Person by reason of anything done by or on behalf of the City in reasonable exercise of its powers

11.4 An offence is a subsequent offence if there has been a previous conviction under the Building Code The Corporation of the City of Cambridge By-law Number 26-021

11.5 If this by-law is contravened and a conviction is entered, in addition to any other remedy and to any penalty imposed by the by-law, the court, which the conviction is entered, and any court of competent jurisdiction thereafter, may make an order prohibiting the continuation or repetition of the offence by the Person convicted

11.6 The whole of this by-law, inclusive of all sections and subsections, is hereby designated as a by-law to which the Administrative Penalty By-law applies

12.0 SEVERABILITY

12.1 If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision, or any part of a provision, of this by-law to be invalid, or to be of no force and effect, it is the intention of the Council in enacting this by-law, that each and every other provision of this by-law authorized by law, be applied and enforced in accordance with its terms to the extent possible according to law

13.0 TRANSITIONAL RULES

13.1 After the date of passing of this by-law, By-law 181-04 and amendments, apply only to properties in respect of which an order has been issued prior to the date of passing of this by-law, and then only to such properties until such time as the work required by such order has been completed or any enforcement proceedings in respect of such order, including demolition and repair by the City, have been concluded

15.0 EFFECTIVE DATE

15.1 This By-law shall come into force and effect on the date it is passed