Airport Zoning Regulations (AZRs)
AZRs help ensure the safety of our airport. They maintain the safety of aircraft around the airport, shield navigational aids from obstacles, set a maximum height limit for structures and natural objects surrounding the airport and prohibit the dumping of waste materials on lands next to airports.
Apply for a crane permit
If you would like to operate a crane at Pearson, or within the obstacle assessment area, complete and submit the Crane Permit Assessment Form on this page. To determine whether the crane location requires a permit, your application will be assessed along with the following information:
- Airport Obstacle Assessment Area (Google Earth KMZ, 5 KB)
- Airport Obstacle Assessment Area (PDF, 5.8 MB)
Land use approval
If you are building a new structure or altering an existing structure, you will need approval for land use from both Pearson and NAV CANADA before a crane operation permit can be issued. You can submit your proposal to NAV CANADA using their Land Use Submission Form.
Permit requirements
- All permit requests must be received by 1:30 pm local time, three business days before the scheduled lift. Please allow extra time for tower crane permits.
- For every address where you intend to perform work, you must submit a separate and fully completed Crane Permit Assessment Form.
- You must provide the maximum tip height requested for this lift, which may not be the maximum height the crane is capable of.
- Effective May 1, 2022, crane permit fees will be collected as per the schedule.
Processing time
- Please allow for a minimum of three business days for crane and aerial device assessments.
- Rush assessments (less than 48hrs) may be accommodated.
- Complex crane assessments may take up to 30 business days depending on impact.