The Central Files Office provides copies of archived building plans and permits for residential and commercial properties.
By submitting a request, you understand:
- Requests are processed in the order they are received.
- Rush services are not offered.
- Not all types of records are available for every property.
- Copies of records are provided "as is".
- Fees apply for this service.
- Copyrighted materials are provided under Section 29 of The Copyright Act and will be used for individual research purposes only.
Make a new request
Send an email to: ppd-centralfiles@winnipeg.ca
In your email, tell us:
- The address of the property
- Are you the property owner, or are you requesting records on behalf of the owner?
- What records you are looking for (building plans, building & trade permits)
We will ask you to verify that you understand:
- The material is copyrighted, and you will only use it for research or private study.
- Using it for anything else, or copying, sharing, or changing it, might break the law (The Copyright Act) and you could face penalties.
- The City of Winnipeg doesn’t guarantee that the information is accurate or suitable for any purpose and isn’t responsible for any losses or damages that might result from you using it.
Types of plans and permits you can request
Residential building plans usually include a site plan, architectural drawings, and mechanical information. Some may include electrical, HVAC, and plumbing information.
Commercial building plans are typically provided as full sets or by type of drawing (e.g., architectural, structural). Please be specific in your request so that we can best assist you.
Building plans are provided as is. For some addresses, there might be no plans on file or the quality of the plans on file may be poor. Not every set is guaranteed to include all types of drawings. Our database does not cover every building in Winnipeg. Although we can search, it is possible that we will not find plans on file, particularly for very old buildings.
Requesting building plans as a non-owner
If you request building plans for a property but you are not the registered property owner, submit a Letter of Authorization (LOA) signed by the owner. The letter must show that the property owner agrees that you can receive records about the property. The letter should specify your relationship to the owner.
For residential condominiums, you must provide a LOA from the condo board or property management company.
Find information about closed permits from 2000 onward through a City of Winnipeg permit search. This service is free.
For records before 2000, please send a request to ppd-centralfiles@winnipeg.ca. Our team will tell you what is available on file and if requested, will provide a copy for a fee. The copy you receive may be edited to remove personal information.
Fees
Fees include an initial search fee and per-page scanning charges, plus GST. A full list of fees is available in the PP&D Fees and Charges schedule (PDF, 569KB). Common fees include:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial search fee Includes 1 hour of search time | $128.00 |
| Scanning fee (paper) | $12.70 first page, $6.30 per additional page |
| Scanning fee (microfiche) | $6.30 per image |
| Digital documents | $1.24 per page, after minimum fee of $10.00 |
| Records centre courier fee | $18.34 per box, |
A set of residential building plans is usually between four and 12+ pages. Cost typically ranges between $140 and $250 (plus GST) but will vary depending on the number of pages requested. Because many records are stored off-site, we are unable to provide an exact price quote before fulfilling requests.
Payment
Once we have finished scanning your documents, we will send you an email with instructions for payment.
You must pay the fee before we will send you a link to the documents. You can pay by credit card over the phone by speaking to a City of Winnipeg cashier. Alternate payments options, such as cheque and in-person payment, are available. Once your payment has been processed, we will send a copy of your digital invoice and receipt.
Receiving your documents
After payment, your documents will be sent using a password-protected OneDrive link. Documents are provided in PDF format.
Microfilm records are scanned at 14 megapixels. These are suitable for high quality printing up to 11”x17”.
Paper records are scanned in black and white at 600 dots per inch and can be reproduced in high quality at their original size.
For an additional fee, our team can print records and make them available for pick-up at 30 Fort Street.
Contact us
If you need to add more detail after submitting a request, re-send your initial email, including the new information.
If you want to withdraw your request, please let us know.
email: ppd-centralfiles@winnipeg.ca