Short answer: there is no single number. Your lot ends at the front property line on your survey, and the strip between that line and the road, called the boulevard, is City land. It usually includes the grass along the curb and any sidewalk, and on many streets it reaches further into what looks like your front lawn than people expect. Check the line before you build anything permanent.
Planning a driveway? Check your lot's limit with the driveway width checker, or read the driveway widening rules.
Where your lot actually ends
The front property line is rarely the curb, and often not the sidewalk either. It was set when your street was laid out and it is shown on your property survey, measured from the house. Three ways to find it:
- Your survey. The surveyor's plan from when you bought the house, usually in the closing papers from your lawyer, shows the front lot line and its distance from the house.
- Corner markers. Iron bars buried at the lot corners mark the boundary. An Ontario Land Surveyor can find them and stake the line if the paperwork is missing.
- The City. Call 311 in Mississauga or Toronto and ask about the road allowance in front of your address.
What that strip means for you
Because the boulevard belongs to the City, the City can dig it up for water lines, sidewalks or road work, and anything built on it can be removed at your cost. Mowing it and keeping it tidy is normal. Permanent features are where it pays to ask first: walls, pillars, raised edging or paving beyond the driveway.
In Mississauga, changing a curb cut or doing driveway work in the boulevard needs City approval, separate from the zoning width limits on your lot. In Toronto, including Etobicoke, work that crosses the boulevard, sidewalk or curb needs a permit from Transportation Services, and parking on front yards and boulevards is regulated under Municipal Code Chapter 918.
Why we check it before quoting
A driveway, widening or front retaining wall planned on the wrong line can mean a stop-work notice or tearing out new interlock. On every front-yard job we confirm where your lot ends first, then design the width, borders and any walls on your side of the line, and flag any boulevard approval the job needs before work starts. See how we plan interlocking driveways and retaining walls.
FAQ
Who owns the grass strip next to the curb?
In most cases the City does: it is part of the road allowance, even though homeowners usually mow it. Your survey shows exactly where your lot begins, often a few metres back from the curb. Anything built on that strip, like pavers or a wall, needs City approval first and can be removed.
Can I build a retaining wall at the front of my lot?
On your side of the property line, yes, within the usual rules: walls over 1 m of exposed height next to public property need a building permit and an engineer's design. On the City boulevard, not without approval. We confirm where your lot ends before planning a front-yard wall or raised bed.
How do I find my property line without a survey?
Look for the iron bars buried at the lot corners, check the City's online maps for the road allowance, or hire an Ontario Land Surveyor to locate and stake the line. A survey from your purchase papers usually shows the lot dimensions. Staking is worth it before a fence, wall or driveway.
Can I put pavers on the City boulevard?
Not without approval. The boulevard is part of the City's road allowance, so pavers, walls or raised beds placed there can be ordered removed at your cost, for example during road or utility work. A widened driveway apron or curb cut needs City approval first. Plant grass or low groundcover there instead.