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Ashbridges Bay wastewater treatment plant on Toronto's waterfront, seen across the water — Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant: where much of the city's sewage ends up.

Toronto's grease interceptor rules and who may do the work

Three sets of rules meet in a Toronto kitchen: the City's Sewers By-law, the City's Code of Practice that spells out what the by-law means day to day, and the provincial approvals that decide which companies may haul the waste. Here is each one, with a link to the official source. If anything here differs from the official text, the official text wins.

The Sewers By-law

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 681, Sewers, section 681-10 B, applies to every owner or operator where food is cooked, heated, processed or prepared and the premises connects to the City's sewers. It requires them to:

take all necessary measures to keep oil and grease out of the sewer;
install a grease interceptor in compliance with the Ontario Building Code;
install a new interceptor if the City finds the existing one is harming the sewer system; and
operate and maintain the interceptor according to the Food Service Establishment Environmental Code of Practice.

The City's Code of Practice page says fines can reach $75,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a business, and that the City may inspect, examine records and take wastewater samples. Costs the City incurs because of a grease-blocked sewer are charged back to whoever is responsible (City of Toronto).

The Code of Practice, in brief

Installing

A building permit is needed to install or replace an interceptor, and the work follows the Ontario Building Code.
Point-of-source units must be appropriately sized and meet CSA B481.1:22. Gravity interceptors have no CSA standard but must be sized to the Building Code.
The unit must be easy to reach for maintenance and inspection. If its markings can't be seen once installed, keep the manufacturer and installation drawings on site.
Pot, dish and utensil sinks, self-cleaning hood drains and commercial cooking equipment drains must connect. Toilets, urinals and hand sinks must not.

Source: Grease Interceptor Installation.

Maintaining

Hydromechanical interceptors: every four weeks, or before grease and solids reach 25 per cent of the liquid volume, or before grease exceeds the rated capacity, whichever comes first. Up to eight weeks with records that justify it.
Solids interceptors and grease recovery devices: strainer and vessel emptied daily; recovery devices also need daily logs.
Gravity interceptors: pumped before grease and solids pass 25 per cent.
No bleach, enzymes, bacteria, solvents or hot water to push grease through.
Servicing and disposal records on site for at least seven years.

Source: Grease Interceptor Maintenance. Our service record checklist lists what each receipt should show.

Who may haul the waste: Ontario approvals

Unless a kitchen qualifies to service its own unit (low grease volume and no stove or fryer), the City requires servicing by a waste carrier approved by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and blocked private lines must be flushed and vacuumed with a Ministry-approved flusher truck (Kitchen & Outdoor Practices).

In Ontario, a waste transportation system needs an environmental permission: an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA), a registration in the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR), or both, depending on what the company does (Ontario.ca). The Ministry's EASR guidance explains a 2025 change to the rules for waste transportation registrations.

How to look a company up

Open Access Environment on Ontario.ca and launch the search tool.
Search by the company's business name. Legal names can differ from the name on the truck (some are numbered companies), so try variations, or ask the company for its approval number and search by that.
Check that the record is for waste (a waste management system ECA, or an EASR waste transportation registration) and that its status isn't revoked or removed.

Plumbers and drain contractors: City licences

Toronto licenses the trades that do installation and drain work. A business that contracts or repairs plumbing installations needs a Plumbing Contractor licence. A business that repairs, builds, installs or cleans drainage works needs a Drain Contractor licence. The City publishes its licences as open data, which is how we check the installers on this site.

Official sources

City of Toronto

Province of Ontario

Links checked November 11, 2026. Questions about the by-law go to 311.