Recreation Facility Rentals

The City of Sarnia has made purchasing general liability insurance for your rental easy with our user group insurance program through Instant Risk Coverage.

Use the insurance portal via the link below to create an account and get a quote or purchase insurance within minutes.

Access Insurance Portal

Insurance must be purchased within 3 days of your rental request or prior to your rental start time, whichever is sooner, or your rental will be cancelled.

Updates to your insurance, including cancelling or updating an existing policy, must be done through the insurance portal.

If you already have a general liability insurance policy, you can choose to use your own insurance and have your broker complete an External Certificate of Coverage form.

Send your completed External Certificate of Coverage form to verify@instantriskcoverage.com for review. Instant Risk Coverage will notify staff if approved. Your insurance must be approved no later than 2 weeks before your rental date or your rental will be cancelled.

Please review the “Do I need insurance?” FAQ section for more information.

Yes. View live availability, facility information, and submit a rental request online through Xplor.

Rental rates vary based by facility and are subject to the City’s Fees for Services. Pricing is listed on each facility page and in Xplor.

In addition to the City’s rental rates, you are required to obtain general liability insurance for your rental at an additional cost. You can find more information in Step 2.

Yes. All rentals require general liability insurance which covers accidents or damage that may happen while you’re renting City facilities.

Insurance purchased through the insurance portal meets all of the City’s general liability insurance requirements.

To provide your own insurance to meet our requirements, the insurance must:

– Be in an amount of not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000), or five million dollars ($5,000,000) in the case of licensed rentals or activities deemed to be high-risk in nature (i.e. hockey), covering each date/activity within the rental contract;

– Be placed with a reputable insurer who is licensed to carry on business in Ontario and acceptable to the City;

– Include “The Corporation of the City of Sarnia” and its representatives and employees as an additionally insured;

– Include bodily injury, property damage, and personal liability coverage;

– Contain a separation of insureds and cross-liability clause;

– Provide that it will not be cancelled or materially altered without at least sixty (60) days prior written notice to the City delivered to the Community Services Division.

If you would like to use your own insurance, please have your broker complete an External Certificate of Coverage form and submit the completed form to verify@instantriskcoverage.com for review and approval.

If staff discover that you have attended a facility for a rental without providing the proper insurance or having a firmed rental contract, you may be prohibited from future rentals.

Payment terms may vary, but for short-term rentals, payment is required at the time of submitting your rental request per our Payment and Cancellation Policy.

Payment can be made online through Xplor (credit card), in-person at Customer Service at City Hall (cash, debit/credit card, cheque), or by phone at 519-332-0330 ext. 3131 (credit card).

Rental contracts will be cancelled if payment is not made, with an Administration Fee or interest being charged.

For user groups or long-term rentals, payment plans are available.

No. We do not accept holds for any facility, excluding events under the Festival & Events Policy and weddings up to one-year in advance at the Seaway Kiwanis Pavilion.

Yes. Cancellation timelines depend on the facility and are outlined in the Payment and Cancellation Policy. An Administration Fee will apply to all refunds. After reviewing the Policy, send your cancellation request to facilityrentals@sarnia.ca.

Please note that cancellations to an insurance policy booked through the insurance portal must be done online and City staff cannot issue refunds. Please contact Instant Risk Coverage with any questions.

* Ice cancellations are subject to a 14 day cancellation policy

* Sports field/courts cancellations are subject to a 7 day cancellation policy (some exclusions may apply)

You can have licensed rentals in designated facilities only. View the facility pages to find out which facilities allow licensed rentals.

All licensed rentals must follow the City’s Municipal Alcohol Policy and obtain a Special Occasion Permit (SOP) from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) which can be done online through the AGCO website. Only obtain a SOP after you’ve received your pending rental contract.

The SOP must be provided to staff no later than 2 weeks before your rental date. If you fail to provide the SOP, your rental will not be permitted to have alcohol and you will not be refunded the licensed rental rate.

Licensed rentals cannot be booked online. Please contact staff at facilityrentals@sarnia.ca or 519-332-0330 ext. 3750.

Yes. Please visit Hosting an Event on Municipal Property for more information on public events and tournaments. Public events and tournaments do not follow the recreation facility rental process.

No. While the city owns several aquatic facilities, they cannot be rented. View more information on aquatic facilities at sarnia.ca/play/aquatic-facilities/.

Generally, access to the facility you rented begins at your rental start time and you must clean up and vacate the space by the end time specified in your rental contract. Additional time must be purchased in advance of your rental date, subject to availability.

For ice and floor rentals, you will receive access to two dressing rooms 30 minutes prior to your rental start time and 30 minutes after your rental end time.

Yes. You can bring in vendors for your rental. This includes individuals or corporations providing a product, service, appearance, or presence at your event such as serving food, selling liquor, performing, providing equipment, etc.

All vendors must be listed in your rental request and each vendor must provide proof of insurance. Review the insurance requirements and options in Step 2.

Food trucks are only permitted at the Area 1 Pavilion – Canatara Park and Mike Weir Pavilion for private events.

It depends on the facility you’re renting. Inflatables are not permitted indoors, and outdoor rentals may be permitted to have inflatables if there is hydro service and if the inflatables are provided by a third-party vendor. Inflatables must be secured by weights as no digging or staking is permitted in park spaces.

The vendor must be listed in your rental request and provide their own proof of insurance. Review the insurance requirements in the “Do I need insurance?” FAQ section.

No. Animals (i.e. petting zoos, pony rides, etc.) are not permitted at indoor or outdoor rentals, excluding service animals.

Dog waste must be immediately picked up and disposed of in a designated garbage can. Please review the Parks By-law for more information.

Please view the guide or videos on how to use the insurance portal.

For direct support, including questions about insurance options or coverage, please contact Instant Risk Coverage at support@ircnow.com or 1 (800) 517-1390.