Building Without a Permit Could Cost You More Than You Think

Mar 24, 2026

The National Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) is seeing a concerning trend: unauthorized construction at confined feeding operations has increased significantly.

Complaints have increased by approximately 32 per cent from 2024, and enforcement actions have jumped by about 125 per cent.

Under Alberta’s Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA), it is illegal to begin construction of a confined feeding operation, manure storage facility (such as an earthen manure storage or manure lagoon), or a manure collection area (such as a barn floor, feedlot pen, or catch basin) without first obtaining the required NRCB permits.

Constructing before your permit application has been approved or building something different than stated in your permit are both also considered unauthorized construction.

Consequences can include:

Enforcement orders
Prosecution
Additional costs, such as depopulating livestock from unpermitted facilities

Financial institutions are also asking for NRCB documentation before approving financing. If you have started building before getting a permit from the NRCB your financing may be delayed or denied.

Click here to see more...

Video: Home Grown Ontario Tulips

Ontario’s flower sector is blooming ??

With more than $1 billion in farmgate sales and over $650 million in annual exports—much of it centred in the Niagara region—Ontario growers are a major force in Canada’s floriculture industry. In fact, the province produces roughly 50% of all flowers grown in the country, serving a market of over 100 million consumers within a one-day drive.

It’s a powerful example of how strategic location, cross-border access, and strong production capacity come together to support both local agriculture and global markets ??

?? Watch as Andrew Morse, Executive Director of Flowers Canada, shares insights and the full story behind Ontario’s tulip industry and its thriving flower sector.