Badrul Masud, Water Quantity Engineer, OMAFA
As of January 5, 2026, all Permit to Take Water (PTTW) applications, which are required under the Ontario Water Resources Act if you take 50,000 litres or more of water per day, must be submitted online through the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) online permission system. The MECP has updated PTTW pages to provide more information on applying online. These pages include:
Why the move to online applications?
The ministry has transitioned fully to online PTTW applications to modernize environmental permissions and improve service delivery by:
- Reducing errors through built-in data validations
- Saving time with automated application features
- Providing one place to access applications, issued permits, reporting, and other environmental permissions
Online applications follow the same screening and review process as previous paper-based submissions.
How to apply for a PTTW online?
To apply, you will need:
- A My Ontario Account login
- A Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks account
Once set up, the PTTW application can be accessed through your ministry account.
Consultants or advisors may apply and report on behalf of growers or farm businesses by setting up a “Representative” account.
Reporting water takings: What growers need to know?
For PTTWs issued through the online system (permit numbers formatted P-300-XXXXXX), water use must be reported using the Regulatory Self-Reporting System (RSRS).
RSRS:
- Is accessed through your ministry account
- Automatically creates water taking reports for online-issued permits
- Is available under Post Approval Submission (PAS) by selecting “Report Water Taking”
Annual reporting deadline
Daily water volumes must be submitted by March 31 each year for water taken during the previous calendar year.
Note: PTTWs issued under the older paper-based system (permit numbers formatted XXXX-XXXXXX) must continue to report through the Water Taking Reporting System (WTRS).
How to renew old paper-based PTTW?
Growers can renew an old paper-based PTTW through the system by selecting 1 of the 3 application types:
- Paper to Electronic Transition
- Ownership Change
- Amendment to Permit
The application type that they need to select depends on whether they are making a change to their old PTTW. The Guide to Permit to Take Water application on Ontario.ca provides some more information on this.
Help and support available
The MECP offers one-on-one online support sessions to assist with:
- Setting up ministry accounts
- Navigating the online application systems
For questions or assistance, contact the Client Services and Permissions Branch:
- Phone: 416-314-8001 | Toll-free: 1-800-461-6290
- Email: enviropermissions@ontario.ca
(Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)