We installed a 16x32 fibreglass pool in Barrie (separate post on that project) and needed a compliant pool enclosure fence. Sharing the fence permit and installation experience.
Our yard situation:
- Existing 6-foot wood fence on rear and east boundary — does NOT meet pool enclosure requirements (no self-closing gate, footholds visible from outside)
- We needed a compliant inner enclosure around the pool itself
Ontario requirements we had to meet:
- Fence height: minimum 1.2m (4 ft) — Barrie requires 1.5m for pools
- No footholds or horizontal rails on the exterior face within 900mm of the top
- Self-closing gate (spring-hinged, closes automatically)
- Self-latching on pool side, latch above 1.5m from ground (out of child reach)
- No opening larger than 100mm (4-inch sphere test)
Enclosure design:
We chose a black aluminum pool fence (no horizontal rails visible from outside) that forms a dedicated pool enclosure around the pool pad and patio area. Total perimeter: 120 linear feet.
Quotes:
- Quote A: $7,200 (aluminum, standard pool fence panels, 2 gates)
- Quote B: $5,800 (same product, single gate only — we requested a second gate added for $380)
- Quote C: $8,600 (premium panel, glass insets)
We went with Quote B + extra gate: $6,180
Permit:
Barrie building permit: $240. Required: site plan showing pool location, enclosure layout, gate locations, setbacks. Issued in 8 business days.
Final inspection passed first time. Inspector specifically checked gate operation (self-closing, self-latching), latch height, and the sphere test at multiple panel joints.