Request A Locate

Dedicated Locator Request Policy

Dedicated Locator Request Policy

Key Features:

  • The Policy details out any and all requirements for use of the Dedicated Locator Request Process through Ontario One Call for any party or parties that will use this service.
  • This Policy refers to the decisions made by the Dedicated Locator Working Group.

I. Definitions

  1. A “Dedicated Locator Project” is an excavation or dig project that meets one of the following three criteria in section 7 of the Act; namely:
    • (a) a designated broadband project;
    • (b) an excavation or dig project that satisfies such criteria as may be prescribed by the Minister; or
    • (c) an excavation or dig project for which the “Project Owner” chooses to use a dedicated locator.
  2. A “Member” has the meaning provided for in section 5 of the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012.
  3. A “Project Owner” is an excavator who, in relation to an excavation or dig project or proposed excavation or dig project:
    • involving a designated broadband project; or
    • that satisfies such criteria as may be prescribed by the Minister; or
    • for which the project owner chooses to use a dedicated locator, has or will have charge, management or control of the project or in the case of a designated broadband project, is the proponent of the project.

II. Overview

  1. In 2022, the Ontario government made changes to the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act (the “Act”), including the introduction of a new concept called “Dedicated Locator.”
  2. Owners of Underground Infrastructure may have specific requirements as per their internal processes (training, access to mapping software, etc.) and this should be detailed in any agreement between the Owner of Underground Infrastructure and the DLSP.
  3. This Policy:
    • (a) sets out the detailed requirements to submit a Dedicated Locator Request to Ontario One Call; and
    • (b) supplements the more general information regarding Dedicated Locate Requests in section 7 of the Act and Part VII of the Ontario One Call Rules (the “Rules”).

III. Scope

  1. The following persons are required to comply with this Policy: 
    • (a) a “Project Owner” who intends to carry out a Dedicated Locator Project,
    • (b) the Member(s) whose underground infrastructure is affected by the dedicated locator project; and
    • (c) the Dedicated Locator Service Provided (the “DLSP”) agreed to by the Project Owner and the affected Member(s)

IV. Policy

(a) Steps to Complete a Dedicated Locator Request

  1. For the purposes of this policy, there are two types of “dedicated locate requests”:
    • (a) “Regional Notices” are used  for a project or projects that occur in the same region and may include multiple digs.
    • (b) “90-Day Notices” are used where there is one project in any given region.
  1. A Project Owner shall:
    • (a) visit the Dedicated Locator page of the Ontario One Call website to access the latest version of the Dedicated Locator Request Notice form
    • (b) 90 days before the excavation or dig is expected to commence (the “Dig Commencement Date”), submit (note: The date on which the Project Owner submits the 90 Day Notice or the Regional Notice form to Ontario One Call is the “Submission Date”) a 90 Day Notice or Regional Notice form to Ontario One Call (DL@OntarioOneCall.ca) including:
      • (i) the proposed DLSP,
      • (ii) the scope of work, and
      • (iii) a map outlining the project area.
  1. Within 3 business days of the Submission Date, Ontario One Call will identify and notify the Member(s) whose underground infrastructure may be affected by the Dedicated Locator Project.
  2. Within 10 business days of the Submission Date, the following steps must be completed:
    • (a) Each affected Member and the Project Owner must agree in writing on the DLSP.
    • (b) The DLSP must contact each affected Member to obtain mapping and any other information that the Dedicated Locator considers necessary to accurately locate each Member’s infrastructure (the “Locate Information”).
    • (c) Each affected Member must provide the Locate Information requested by the DLSP, where the Locate Information provided by the Member shall be of sufficient quality such that the DLSP is reasonably able to complete accurate locates of their infrastructure.
    • (d) Each affected Member must complete the Member Authorization, confirming its approval of the Dedicated Locator Project and that it has provided the Locate Information requested by the DLSP.
  1. At least 21 calendar days before the Commencement Date, Ontario One Call will review the Project area to confirm that the list of affected Members has not changed.
  2. At least 10 business days prior to the Commencement Date, the DLSP or the Project Owner (the “Submitting Party”) must submit locate request(s) to Ontario One Call. In making the Locate Request, the Submitting Party must comply with the general provisions concerning the submission of Locate Requests to Ontario One Call in the Rules.

(b) 2024 Fees Associated with a Dedicated Locator Request

  1. There are two Dedicated Locator fee models. It is at the discretion of Ontario One Call to determine which model will be applied to a Project Owner and its decision on the fee model is final and binding.

    (i) Regional Notice Fee Model: $15,000.00 + HST per Dedicated Locator Zone
  2. This fee model applies to a Project Owner that is working in the selected Locator Zone(s) as per the Dedicated Locator Regional Zone Map.

    (ii) 90 Day Notice Fee Model: $9,000.00 + HST per Project Area
  3. This fee model applies to a Project Owner that is working on a large-scale project that crosses over multiple Dedicated Locator Zones, but it is nevertheless a single continuous project.

(c) Communication Requirements

  1. Parties:
    • (a) that are receiving notification via email or electronic communications agree to have fully operational systems, which are compatible with Ontario One Call’s system, and that are available at all times and shall include any back-up systems in place should there be an outage at any time;
    • (b) who are receiving notifications from Ontario One Call shall provide a Primary Contact for follow-up should there be any issues with transmission;
    • (c) failing to receive or accept notifications may be subject to compliance action in accordance with the Rules.

(d) Compliance Action for Failure to Comply With This Policy

  1. Members and Project Owners who fail to comply with this Policy may be subject to compliance action under the Act, Regulation, By-Laws and Rules.