Garages

A garage, attached or detached, is designed for the shelter or temporary storage of vehicles for occupants of the site. If you are considering developing a suite above your garage, please visit the Garage Suite webpage for those specific requirements.

Do I need a permit to build a garage?

Yes, two permits are required for a garage development. First, a Development Permit, which ensures conformance with the requirements listed in the Architectural Motif Guidelines for the Town of Jasper (PDF, 2.93 MB) and the Town of Jasper Land Use Policy. Secondly, a Building Permit, which ensures conformance to the National Park Building Regulations and National Building Code – Alberta Edition.

What are the general requirements for a garage development?

• A maximum of one garage is permitted per primary dwelling unit.
• Plumbing is not permitted in garages, except exterior hoses. Catch basins may be used for drainage.
• A detached garage shall not contain any habitable rooms.
• Your garage should not be located over utility lines.
• The garage must be located at least 0.9 m from the back lane or property lines.
• The garage must be at least 1.5m from the primary building (clear of all projections) and may require more clearance in accordance with building code (guidance on building code requirements can be obtained through an Approved Safety Codes Agency).
• Cladding (roof and siding) should match the home, unless the home’s cladding is not in conformance with the Jasper Colour Palette or Approved Materials, in which case the garage should conform to the Jasper Colour Palette – Building Exterior Colour and Materials.
• The garage should match the house in relation to shape and roof pitch where possible. If the home roof pitch is not at the required minimum 6:12 roof pitch, consideration should be given to conform to the minimum.

What are the specific requirements for a garage development?

There are specific garage requirements depending on which zoning district your home is in.

* In most instances the above table should apply. However, there may be situations where the primary building, or an accessory building, was built to previous regulation which would now exceed the maximum site coverage in the current land use policy and is considered to be an existing non-conforming building(s). In these instances, the proposed garage site coverage might be limited as to not exceed the maximum site coverage of all buildings on site in accordance with today’s land use policy. If you suspect this might be the case, you can contact jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca to have a development officer verify.

Can I build a garage with the potential to add a dwelling space above it?

You may be able to design and construct a garage that has a dwelling unit on the second storey, or build a garden suite instead of a garage. For more information, please consult the pages on Garage Suites and Garden Suites.

The Site Coverage for a Garage is stated to be a ratio of the Site Area. How do I find my property’s Site Area?

Using the Town of Jasper Land Use Map you can find your property and under the Info tab to locate your District Zoning and Site Area.

The general requirements state that a garage should not be located over utility lines and the Site Plan requires utility lines to be demonstrated. How do I find out where my buried utilities are located?

To avoid very costly future repair of the utility lines, garages should not be built over buried utilities. To help locate the Municipality of Japer utilities (water lines and sewer lines) you can contact mojutilities@jasper-alberta.ca. For electrical, natural gas, telephone and cable TV you can contact Click Before You Dig at 1-800-242-3447 or visit online at https://utilitysafety.ca/ to have the utility services located. If your electrical, telephone and cable tv utilities are overhead, and your proposed garage is underneath these lines, you will have to contact the utility providers to ensure minimum clearances are maintained.

What do I need to submit for a Development Permit for a Garage?

1. Parks Canada Development Permit Application - There is no fee for a development permit application. To apply for a permit, please sign and submit the Development Permit Application (in the Jasper Townsite) (PDF, 199 KB) which provides the development office with the address where the garage is to be constructed, the lessee, the applicant, and contact information.
2. Garage Checklist - Submit the completed Garage Checklist (PDF, 180 KB) to ensure you submit enough information to complete a review of your proposal including a brief narrative of your project.
3. Site Plan - a dimensioned (in metres) and scaled site plan detailing:
   • north arrow
   • site area (m²)
   • lot dimensions and geodetic elevations of the four corners of the site
   • grade height at all four corners of the proposed garage
   • the dimensions and area (m²) of existing structures (primary building, shed, fence, retaining walls, etc.)
   • location and dimensions of the proposed garage
   • all setbacks (rear, front and side) from the property line to the residence and the proposed garage
   • existing and proposed on-site parking spaces demonstrated and dimensioned (minimum 2.7 m width by 6.0 m length each with no obstructions)
   • floor plan of garage including dimensioned parking stalls (minimum 2.7 m width by 6.0 m length each), stairs, landings, and doors (with swing demonstrated) which all must not obstruct the parking stalls
   • location of buried utility lines
4. Elevation Plan - a dimensioned (in metres) and scaled plan(s) detailing:
   • garage dimensions
   • roof height from grade
   • eave heights from grade
   • geodetic elevation of the garage floor height
   • grade

How do I obtain a Building Permit for a Garage?

A Building Permit is required when a proposed development contains life-safety elements covered under the National Building Code – Alberta Edition. Once you have obtained a Development Permit you may begin the process for obtaining a building permit, which is located on the Building Permit webpage.

How do I obtain a Completion Certificate?

Once the project is completed, you may contact jaspercompliance@pc.gc.ca for a final inspection. If it was constructed in accordance with the permits, a Parks Canada Completion Certificate will be issued.

The above required submissions, or any questions regarding the above, may be submitted to the Jasper Development Office at: jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca.