Ontario Driveway and Interlock Guide 2026 - Costs, Permits and Drainage Requirements

Strong baseline. Two field notes worth adding from the LF Builders side, since interlock and flagstone work are core to what we do across the GTA.

On base depth - the 12-inch compacted granular base the guide hints at is the single most-skipped step in driveway and walkway interlock failures we see. Spring 2026 has been brutal for jobs installed at 4-6 inches of base because the contractor priced for that. We covered the failure mode in detail here for anyone weighing quotes: The 12-inch rule: why most Toronto interlock patios fail by spring. Same physics applies to driveways and the heave is worse because of the load.

On stormwater - for any Toronto driveway over roughly 30 sq m of new hard surface, expect Toronto Water to look at runoff calcs even on a residential resurface. Permeable interlock (PICP) qualifies, but the bedding course has to be 4-8 mm angular open-graded stone, not standard limestone screenings. If your contractor lists screenings on the spec sheet for a permeable system, that is a red flag.

Pricing in the guide is on point for early 2026. Edge restraint is where we see contractors cut - spec the metal or concrete edge, never plastic on driveways. The polymeric sand at the joints needs to be re-applied around year 5 to 7, factor that into long-term cost, not just the install price.