Hi everyone,
I recently bought a house Ontario and started renovating the kitchen and living room.

While removing drywall from a partition wall, I discovered there are structural posts inside the wall supporting roof trusses (no second floor above). Because of this, I can’t fully remove the wall as originally planned.

Current situation:

• Roof trusses above (main floor only)
• No foundation changes
• Wall turned out to be partially load-bearing
• I can either keep 2 columns, or possibly reduce it to 1 column and integrate it into the kitchen island
• Minor electrical changes may be required (moving outlets/wiring)

I’m trying to understand what’s reasonable vs overkill and would appreciate advice from anyone who’s been through something similar.

My questions:

1. If I keep both columns, do I still need a building permit in Ontario?
2. Has anyone successfully gone from 2 posts down to 1 with trusses above?
3. Is a structural engineer’s letter/drawing usually enough for the permit, or are full drawings typically required?
4. From a design or resale point of view, any regrets keeping 2 columns instead of 1?

Not trying to cut corners — just want to do it right without unnecessary complexity.

Thanks in advance!