Hot tub under 600 mm deep in Ottawa: pool rules?

A hot tub qualifies as a pool under Ottawa's Pool Enclosure By-law 2013-39 if it can hold a water depth of 600 mm or more at any point. The depth of the water the tub holds is what matters, not the depth of the tub below grade or its height above it. If your hot tub meets that threshold, the full pool enclosure rules apply regardless of how it is installed.

Under By-law 2013-39, every pool enclosure, including one around a hot tub, requires a pool enclosure permit, which carries a fee of $257. The enclosure must be at least 1.5 metres high, with openings that prevent the passage of a 100 mm sphere, and no attachment that can facilitate climbing fixed on the exterior face between 140 mm and 900 mm from the bottom. Every gate must be self-closing, self-latching at least 1.35 metres above the bottom of the enclosure, and lockable, and must be kept closed and locked when the hot tub is not in use.

There is one alternative to a full enclosure for a hot tub: the by-law allows a safety cover in place of an enclosure, but only if the cover is capable of supporting a 90 kilogram load (or meets ASTM F1346-91), is permanently attached, and is securely fastened and locked whenever the hot tub is not in use. The City says a pool enclosure permit and inspection are still required even when a compliant cover is used.

A few other points worth confirming with the City's Building Code Services:

• Whether your deck's own guard can serve as the pool barrier is not settled. A pool enclosure must be 1.5 metres high with the no-climb requirement between 140 mm and 900 mm, which differs from a standard deck guard. Confirm with the City before assuming the deck railing counts.
• Zoning setbacks apply. Under Zoning By-laws 2008-250 and 2026-50, both of which apply with the most restrictive provisions winning, walkable decking serving a hot tub has a setback from an interior side or rear lot line equal to the height of the structure where it abuts certain zones, and 0.6 metres where it does not. Your lot's specific situation needs to be confirmed with the City.
• A hot tub on a deck is a structural question. The 2024 Ontario Building Code does not size a deck for a filled hot tub in Part 9, and we found no hot-tub load figure to quote. The deck needs a design that accounts for that load, and confirming the structural requirements with an engineer before purchasing the tub is worth doing.
• If any digging is needed for footings or connections, a locate must be requested through Ontario One Call at least five business days before work starts. That is free and required by the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012.

The pool enclosure permit application goes through the City's My ServiceOttawa portal. You can use the request form here to have local deck builders from the Ottawa Construction Network directory reach out with quotes.

Before you commit to a builder for this project, ask them directly whether their quote includes preparing and submitting both the pool enclosure permit and any required building permit, and who is responsible for booking all required inspections.