Applications, Licences and Permits

Tournament Application

Are you looking to host a tournament at a City of Burlington facility?

A tournament can be events on municipal property that may include championship or fun days, picture days, banquets, galas, camps, and uniform pickups.

Email us at sports@burlington.ca your questions about hosting a tournament or camp in Burlington.

Regular season intake periods

Summer tournament applications will be accepted before Oct. 1 of the previous calendar year.

Application type	Timing
Gyms and Community Rooms	July to Labour Day
Ice	April to Labour Day
Arena Floor	April to August
Pools	July to Labour Day
Artificial Turf	April to November
Sport Fields, Diamonds, Parks	May to October

Fall, Winter and Spring tournament applications will be accepted before Dec. 1 of the previous calendar year.

Application type	Timing
Gyms and Community Rooms	Labour Day to June 30
Ice	Labour Day to March 31
Pools	Labour Day to June 30

If you submit a tournament application outside of these timelines, space will be given based on availability.

How to apply to host a tournament in Burlington

To apply for a permit, follow these three steps:

Submit Tournament Request Form

Submit a Tournament Request Form

This application form is for all tournaments and events on municipal property. Categories may include championship or fun days, picture days, banquets, galas, camps, uniform pickups.

Application reviewed

Staff will respond within 10 business days of receipt of your application to confirm that they will be reviewing and ask any questions, if required.

Application verified

Upon review, staff will reply with availability for the organizer to verify and review. Staff will then work with the organizer for any necessary additional documentation and/or licences before confirming the tournament or cam

Tournament Application Timelines

10 days after tournament is approved

Deposit is due

$100 for Resident/non-profit
$140 for Non-resident/commercial
*Payment applied to the total amount due, non-refundable if tournament contract is cancelled.

60 days before the tournament date

Review the resources below and begin completing/submitting any documents or licences required. For example, transient trader licence.
If you are cancelling your event between 60 to 31 days of your indoor facilities tournament, we will retain 50% of the total cost of the contract.

30 days before the tournament date

Submit Emergency Management Plan to sports@burlington.ca. You will receive this from your city liaison.
Full payment of the total contract is due.
Refunds will not be issued if the event is cancelled within 30 days or less.

14 days prior to tournament/camp

Staff will connect with organizer to go over questions, set up requirements etc.

Terms of cancellation

If the City of Burlington cancels, due to unforeseen circumstances, a full refund will be issued
Organizations or groups may be restricted from submitting applications in the following year or season if the organizer cancels the event
Repeat offenders- If a tournament or camp is cancelled that is approved for the following year or season, the organization or group will forfeit full rental fee and deposit

Tournament Application Resources

Please review the below resources and use those that will apply to your tournament.

Halton Region Health Department Approval

If your tournament or event is open to the public and you will be serving food, or beverages (for sale or at no charge) you are required to contact the Halton Region Health Department for approval. You will require:

Food Handling Licence
Approval from the Halton Region Health Department

Once your application is reviewed by the Region, please forward the status to rentals@burlington.ca. Please note that this can take up to 10 days to process. If needed, contact them by phone at 905-825-6000.

Reminder: The sale of water bottles throughout the city is prohibited. Reusable water bottles are a great alternative.

Food trucks

If you would like a food truck at your event you will need to email bylaw@burlington.ca for a licence.

Raffle or fundraising

If you are selling raffle tickets or fundraising, you may need a lottery licence.

See the list featured below and learn how to apply for the Lottery licenses.

Bingo events
Raffles with prizes of up to $50,000
50/50 draws
Bazaar gaming events

You do not require a licence if you are hosting:

Games of skill such as: mini put, hockey shout out, bean bag toss, darts etc.
Silent auctions

Alcohol

If you are planning on selling/serving alcohol at your event, the following is required:

Municipal Letter of Significance from the City of Burlington’s Clerks Department issued to you
Review guidelines and the M.A.P. (Municipal Alcohol Policy)
The following documentation should be sent to rentals@burlington.ca
- A copy of the Special Occasion Permit
- Smart Serve Servers

Ensure that the serving area permitted for alcohol at an outdoor tournament or event is securely fenced with beer garden signage posted as provided by City staff. The set-up and tear down of this is the responsibility of the tournament or event organizer.

Tournament Application Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These frequently asked questions (FAQs) provide a quick checklist that will help you to organize your tournament or event.

How can you contact us?

For tournament or camp information, contact sports@burlington.ca.

How do I apply to host a tournament or camp?

To request a tournament application, complete the application form.

Do I need to get insurance protection for my event?

Rentals at any City of Burlington facility require liability insurance protection. For more information, please read information regarding liability limits for your activity and other insurance requirement on burlington.ca/rentals.

Can I access internet?

Yes, we have Wi-Fi access, but we do not guarantee coverage when there is breakdown in the network.

What advertising and sponsorship opportunities are available with the City of Burlington?

The City of Burlington's marketing department can help you with an advertising package. For more information, visit the Advertising and Sponsorship page.

For other assistance with marketing, contact Tourism Burlington

Are you serving or selling food?

As an operator of a special event where foods are prepared, processed, or sold to the public for eating either on or off-site, you need approval from the Halton Region Health Department. You may complete the coordinator application form. For more information on the coordinator's role, please visit the Halton Region website.

We wanted to hold a raffle and possibly a fundraising event. What do we need?

If you are selling raffle tickets or fundraising, you may need a lottery or business license. Email bylaw@burlington.ca with questions about:

Lottery Licensing
50/50 raffle requirements
General raffle requirements
Raffle lotteries
Business Licensing
Transient trader requirements
Transient trader application

What is a SOCAN and Resound fee and why do I have to pay it?

SOCAN and Resound are organizations that administer the communication and performing rights of virtually the world's entire repertoire of copyright-protected music when it is used in Canada. This is a licensing fee. SOCAN and Resound collect licence fees and then distribute the fees as royalties to their members and affiliated performing rights organizations (PROs) worldwide. For more information, visit the Resound or SOCAN websites.

I need assistance with accommodations, free-time activities and/or local contacts. Who can I contact?

Contact Tourism Burlington at info@burlingtontourism.com.

What if I want to film the event?

Please be aware that the City of Burlington does have a Filming Policy which includes a Filming Consent Form. For information on filming and photography on City property, please visit the Filming in Burlington webpage.