Toronto photo permits, in one table.
I scout these places for a living, and the permit question comes up on almost every call. The answer used to sit inside 32 separate location guides on this site, so I pulled it into one place.
Here is what I know. Where I do not know, the row says so instead of guessing. A missing fee means the venue does not publish one and I have not confirmed it yet, not that the shoot is free.
- 8 of the 33 locations need no photography permit at all for a small session.
- 3 of them publish a permit fee. The published fees run from $103.40 to $800.
- 12 rows are complete. 21 still have a fee or a contact I need to confirm.
Fees change. Last verified September 2026. Confirm with the venue before you book.
Every location, permit by permit.
Each name opens its full guide, with light, parking and the way I shoot there. Rows marked not fully confirmed are the ones I am still chasing.
Showing 33 of 33 locations.
| Location | Region | Permit needed | Fee | Book with | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adamson Estate Lakeview, Mississauga Not fully confirmed | Region Mississauga | Permit needed Sometimes City of Mississauga commercial photography permit required for all professional and wedding shoots; personal photos are fine without a permit. Call 905-615-4100 to confirm current fees and booking. | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with 905-615-4100 | Parking Free on-site lot adjacent to the estate; limited spaces so arrive early or carpool on busy weekends. |
| Aera Toronto Downtown Toronto, Financial District Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Venue booking Private restaurant. Photography for booked private events is arranged directly with the venue. | Fee No separate permit fee | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Paid public parking at CIBC Square and surrounding Financial District lots. Union Station is a short walk for guests arriving by transit. |
| Allan Gardens Conservatory Downtown Toronto, Garden District Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes Free outdoors; indoor conservatory shoots require a City of Toronto commercial photography permit | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Metered street parking on Jarvis, paid lots within a five-minute walk |
| Art Gallery of Hamilton Hamilton, Downtown Core Not fully confirmed | Region Hamilton | Permit needed Sometimes Contact the gallery for exterior photography; groups of ten or more are subject to a fee | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Street and nearby paid lots |
| Bayfront Park Hamilton, Waterfront Not fully confirmed | Region Hamilton | Permit needed Sometimes No permit for small shoots, check City of Hamilton for commercial bookings | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with City of Hamilton | Parking Free on-site lot and street parking |
| Casa Loma Midtown Toronto, Forest Hill | Region Downtown | Permit needed Yes Paid photography permit required, $800 for a two-hour session. Book in advance with the Casa Loma events team. | Fee $800 for a two hour session | Book with Casa Loma events team | Parking Limited on-site, valet and nearby public lots |
| Cherry Beach Toronto, Port Lands Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes City of Toronto commercial photography permit required for professional shoots | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Free lots near Polson Pier and Cherry Beach |
| Distillery District East Downtown Toronto, Old Town Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes Private BIA property, commercial photography requires advance booking and a fee | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Paid on-site garages, valet options |
| Dundas Peak Dundas, Hamilton Not fully confirmed | Region Hamilton | Permit needed Sometimes No photography permit, but trail reservation required via Hamilton Conservation Authority | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Hamilton Conservation Authority | Parking Paid lot at Spencer Gorge entry, then hike in |
| Dundurn Castle Hamilton, York Boulevard | Region Hamilton | Permit needed Sometimes Groups under ten shoot permit-free on the grounds. Groups of ten or more require a City of Hamilton commercial photography permit at $218 CAD. Email museums@hamilton.ca to arrange. | Fee $218 for groups of ten or more | Book with museums@hamilton.ca | Parking Free on-site parking at 610 York Blvd |
| Evergreen Brick Works Toronto, Don Valley Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Yes Permit required for professional shoots, book through Evergreen | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Evergreen | Parking Free on-site lot and shuttle from Broadview Station |
| Graffiti Alley Downtown Toronto, Queen West Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes Public laneway, small shoots usually fine. City film permit needed if blocking the lane. | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Metered street parking on Queen West, nearby paid lots |
| Guild Park & Gardens Scarborough, Bluffs Area | Region Bluffs | Permit needed No Not required for engagement shoots or general photography | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking Free on-site |
| High Park West Toronto, Roncesvalles Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes City of Toronto commercial photography permit required for professional shoots | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Street parking on perimeter, small paid lots inside |
| Humber Arboretum Northwest Toronto, Humber College Not fully confirmed | Region Etobicoke | Permit needed Sometimes Free to access; contact the Arboretum for professional shoots | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Humber Arboretum | Parking Free parking on weekends at Humber College lots |
| Humber Bay Arch Bridge Etobicoke, Humber Bay Not fully confirmed | Region Etobicoke | Permit needed Sometimes City of Toronto commercial photography permit required for professional shoots | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Free lots at Humber Bay Park East and West |
| Kortright Centre for Conservation Vaughan, Kleinburg Not fully confirmed | Region Vaughan | Permit needed Sometimes Admission paid at the gate, contact Kortright for professional bookings | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Kortright Centre | Parking Free on-site parking with admission |
| Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens Niagara Falls, Niagara Parkway | Region Niagara | Permit needed No No permit needed for wedding or engagement photos outdoors, first come first served; holding a ceremony is a separate Niagara Parks booking | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking Paid lots, $8 per hour, $35 annual site pass; flat rate guest parking can be arranged with a Niagara Parks ceremony booking |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake Niagara Region, Old Town Not fully confirmed | Region Niagara | Permit needed Sometimes No permit for small engagement shoots, larger sessions should contact Niagara Parks | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Niagara Parks | Parking Street and lot parking in town |
| Old City Hall Downtown Toronto, Queen and Bay Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes No permit for a small party with a handheld camera on the public sidewalks or on Nathan Phillips Square. A City permit is needed for tripods, lighting stands, or a staged production. Osgoode Hall next door is separate Law Society property. | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Confirm with the venue |
| Osgoode Hall Downtown Toronto, Queen Street Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Yes Law Society property, contact in advance for permission before professional shoots | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Law Society of Ontario | Parking Paid lots nearby on Queen Street, limited street parking |
| Polson Pier Toronto, Port Lands | Region Downtown | Permit needed No Private property used for events, small shoots typically fine when no event is active | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking Free lot on-site with 100+ spaces |
| Queen Victoria Park Niagara Falls, Niagara Parkway | Region Niagara | Permit needed No First-come first-served for outdoor photography, restricted when Niagara Parks ceremonies are running | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking Multiple paid lots along the parkway |
| RC Harris Water Treatment Center Toronto East, Scarborough | Region Scarborough | Permit needed No Not needed for photography; required for vehicle access to curved road | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking Free street parking until 4pm |
| Royal Botanical Gardens Burlington, Hamilton Border Not fully confirmed | Region Hamilton | Permit needed Yes Paid photography permit required, submit request via the RBG website | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Royal Botanical Gardens website | Parking On-site paid lots at each garden entrance |
| Scarborough Bluffs Scarborough, Bluffs Area | Region Bluffs | Permit needed No None required | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking Paid parking |
| Spencer Smith Park and Burlington Village Burlington, Lakefront | Region Burlington | Permit needed Yes City of Burlington group photography contracts required for organized sessions; $103.40 (resident) or $144.70 (commercial/non-resident) per 90-minute block, booked via the Live and Play system; confirm commercial permit requirements with the City before large-group or styled shoots | Fee $103.40 resident or $144.70 commercial and non resident, per 90 minute block | Book with City of Burlington Live and Play booking system | Parking Municipal paid lots and metered street parking on Lakeshore Road and Brant Street; arrive early on summer weekends as lots fill quickly during events |
| St. Patrick's Catholic Parish Hamilton, King Street East | Region Hamilton | Permit needed Venue booking St. Patrick's is an active parish church. Wedding photography happens inside the ceremony booking. Confirm with the parish office at stpatrickshamilton.ca for the photo and video terms set by your celebrant. | Fee No separate permit fee | Book with Parish office at stpatrickshamilton.ca | Parking On-street parking along King Street East and side streets. Free Sunday street parking citywide; check signage on a weekday. |
| TD Dominion Centre / King St Downtown Toronto, Financial District | Region Downtown | Permit needed No Not required | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking Paid parking |
| Toronto Islands Downtown Toronto, Harbourfront Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes City of Toronto commercial photography permit required for professional shoots | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Confirm with the venue | Parking Paid lots at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, TTC recommended |
| Toronto Music Garden Downtown Toronto, Harbourfront | Region Downtown | Permit needed No Not needed for photos; required for civil ceremony bookings | Fee No permit fee | Book with No booking needed | Parking 2-minute walk away |
| University of Toronto Toronto, St. George Campus Not fully confirmed | Region Downtown | Permit needed Sometimes No permit needed for engagement, pre-wedding, couple, or family photos, including the Knox College cloister. A permit is required only for formal wedding day photography, booked through U of T Campus Events. | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with U of T Campus Events | Parking $10 on weekends |
| Webster's Falls Dundas, Hamilton Not fully confirmed | Region Hamilton | Permit needed Sometimes Reservation required via Hamilton Conservation Authority, no separate photography permit for small shoots | Fee Confirm with the venue | Book with Hamilton Conservation Authority | Parking Designated paid lot at the falls conservation area |
Sources: the 32 location guides on this site, each venue's own published policy, my Old City Hall guide for that row, and my own confirmed notes for Casa Loma, Allan Gardens, University of Toronto and RC Harris. Fees change. Last verified September 2026.
The questions I get asked.
Do I need a permit for engagement photos in Toronto parks?
For most of the parks on this table, a small handheld session is fine. Guild Park and Gardens, Scarborough Bluffs, RC Harris and the Toronto Music Garden need nothing at all for photos. High Park, Cherry Beach, the Toronto Islands and the Humber Bay Arch Bridge are the ones where the City of Toronto asks for a commercial photography permit on a professional shoot. The table above says which is which, park by park.
How much is a photo permit at Casa Loma?
$800 for a two hour session. It is a paid photography permit and you book it in advance with the Casa Loma events team. That figure is one I have confirmed myself rather than pulled off a search result.
Can you take wedding photos at Osgoode Hall?
Osgoode Hall belongs to the Law Society of Ontario, not the City, so it is not public ground. You need permission in advance for a professional shoot. The Law Society does not publish a fee, so that cell reads confirm with the venue instead of carrying a number I made up.
Do I need a permit to photograph at RC Harris Water Treatment Plant?
Not for photography. The permit there covers vehicle access to the curved road, not a couple walking the grounds with a photographer. Street parking is free until 4pm. I shoot there often, so this one I know first hand.
What happens if we shoot without a permit?
I do not have a source for how each venue handles it, so I am not going to guess at an answer. What I do instead is simple. Where a permit is required, I book it. Where the rule reads unclear, I call the venue before the session so nobody is improvising on the day.
Who books the photo permit, me or the photographer?
It depends on the venue, which is why the table has a column for it. Casa Loma runs through its events team. Burlington issues a contract through the City of Burlington Live and Play booking system. Hamilton takes the Dundurn Castle request by email at museums@hamilton.ca. Tell me your venue and I will tell you which of us fills the form.
Where do we park at Aera Toronto?
Paid public parking at CIBC Square and the surrounding Financial District lots. Union Station is a short walk for guests arriving by transit. Aera is a private restaurant, so the photography itself is arranged inside your event booking rather than through a permit.
Planning a session
Not sure which permit you need?
Tell me the venue and the date. I will tell you what it takes to shoot there, permit or no permit.