A minor exemption is an exemption procedure to:

• Authorize a project (renovation or construction) that would constitute an exemption to the by-laws in effect.
• Legalize current situations that contravene the regulations in effect (derogatory situations without acquired rights).

Derogatory situation without acquired rights:

• Contact an inspector to ensure that there are no acquired rights associated with the situation at issue.
• The only situations eligible for a minor exemption are those for which a construction permit or an authorization permit was issued, and for which a permit or a certificate was required at the time.

Preliminary analysis of application

At no charge, we will conduct a preliminary analysis of your project or non-compliant circumstances with no acquired rights.

This preliminary analysis enables us to:

• Verify if your application is eligible for a minor exemption.
• Inform you of the recommendation (favourable or unfavourable) that we will be making to the Urban Planning Advisory Committee should you decide to proceed with an official application.

If your application is eligible, you will be in a position to decide whether or not to submit an official exemption application, knowing the type of recommendation that will be associated with it.

Requesting a preliminary analysis

For a preliminary analysis, send us your documents at info.urbanisme@sherbrooke.ca.

Documents required:

• Brief explanation of your application and the reasons motivating you to submit it (harm, damage, disadvantage experienced).
• Any draft plan or sketch leading to a better grasp of your situation; the clearer and more accurate you are, the more promptly we will be able to give you an answer.
• In the case of an existing situation: Photos and an electronic copy of the certificate of location.

Submitting an official minor exemption application

Fee associated with an exemption application

The cost associated with a minor exemption application is $700, and this amount must be paid when an official application is submitted. This fee covers the costs of the analysis to be conducted and the public notice to be published

The following payment methods are currently being accepted, given the pandemic: cheque, certified cheque, bank draft, money order.

Regardless of the council’s final decision, the fees associated with any official application are non-reimbursable.

Other official documents (certificate of location, implementation plan, architect’s elevations, signed letter from a neighbour, etc.) may also be requested from you for the analysis of your application (subject to additional costs).

Documents to be completed and sent to us for an exemption application

To submit an application for a minor exemption, please complete the following form and forward it to us with your payment and the previously specified documents required, to:

• Division de la planification et du contrôle du territoire, 555, rue des Grandes-Fourches Sud, bloc B Sherbrooke (Québec) J1H 5H9

Form - Minor exemption application (in French)

Note that any photographs accompanying an official application must be submitted at info.urbanisme@sherbrooke.ca.

Processing of the application

Every official application is analyzed by the Division de la planification et du contrôle du territoire (land use planning and management division) before being forwarded to the Urban Planning Advisory Committee.

However, final approval of a minor exemption is at the discretion of the Borough Council in which the property or properties affected by the minor exemption application are located.

As a general rule, the council’s decision is consistent with the Division’s recommendation, but this is not always the case. The council makes the final decision.

The timeline for processing an application is normally two to three months from the time the official application is submitted, but it may be longer during periods of high demand.

Additional documentation

• List of regulatory provisions that may be the subject of a minor exemption: Consult sections. 2.1 and. 2.2 of your borough’s by-law no. 2.
• List of documents to be provided for a complete application: Consult section 3.1.2 of your borough’s by-law no. 2.