What the City calls a sloped roof
For the City, a sloped roof has a slope of 2:12 or more. Houses in the area with asphalt shingles often have this type of roof.
Below that threshold, the roof counts as a flat roof and other rules apply.
Fixing a few shingles
The City states that you need no permit to repair or maintain your roof. Its two examples are repairing a crack and replacing a few shingles.
That work is ours to do. From the ground, you can spot curled or missing shingles and take photos.
Redoing the whole roof
A permit is required to replace the roofing of a sloped roof. The rule fits in one sentence, and the City writes no exception for a like-for-like replacement, shingle for shingle.
Things are less clear if we find damaged decking or an insulation problem once the old shingles are off. The sloped roof procedure for Montréal-Nord mentions neither insulation nor structure. The permit counter can tell you whether that work is added to the permit already requested.
Materials: the page is silent
The sloped roof procedure has no list of approved or banned materials for Montréal-Nord. It sets no colour and no solar reflectance index threshold.
No list does not mean anything goes. Before switching from shingles to metal, or to a very different colour, have the choice checked at the Montréal-Nord permit counter, 4243, rue de Charleroi.
The fee for a sloped roof
The review fee depends on the estimated cost of the work. For a sloped roof in Montréal-Nord, the City lists:
- $9.80 per $1,000 of work
- a minimum of $167.40 for a strictly residential building
- a minimum of $491.70 for a commercial, industrial, institutional or mixed-use building
The estimate includes all costs related to the work, taxes included. Fees are non-refundable, and extra fees may apply to a heritage building or area.
Documents requested
- the quote or a cost estimate grid, taxes included
- the certificate of location
- the data sheet of the planned materials, showing the solar reflectance index
- any other document useful for the review
The City asks for the reflectance index on the data sheet, even though it sets no threshold for sloped roofs. In a condominium, you also need authorization from each co-owner or a resolution of the syndicate.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a permit to replace shingles blown off by the wind?
No, if only a few shingles are involved. Replacing a few shingles is one of the City's examples of repairs without a permit in Montréal-Nord. The permit applies when the roofing is replaced.
Can you install dark shingles in Montréal-Nord?
The City's procedure sets no colour for a sloped roof in the borough. It publishes no list of materials. Still have your choice confirmed at the permit counter, especially for a heritage building.
Does the permit cost the same as for a flat roof?
No, a sloped roof permit costs less in Montréal-Nord. The published fee is $9.80 per $1,000 of work for a sloped roof, against $11 for a flat roof in the same borough. The minimums are identical.
Official sources, consulted October 3, 2026: